Taboo or Not Taboo: Sexuality and Family in the Hebrew Bible

Rating:
Summary: I don't think this is worth your time.
Review: I have a B.A. in religion and am currently pursuing a M.A. in counsoling psychology.

Ms. Rashkow uses psychoanalytic method to discuss sexuality in the Hebrew Bible. I'm not a fan of the psychoanalytic school because I think interpretation of symbols is almost always very subjective, and is very rarely presented that way.

This book is no exception. Ms. Rashkow makes several assertions that don't make sense to me (not uncommon), but does not continue on to defend these assertions in a sensical manner (that is a bit uncommon).

On the plus side, the historical information presented is often very interesting, and is difficult to find elsewhere. And Ms. Rashkow is at time quite funny and does a good job of not taking herself or her sunject matter to seriously.

Bottom line; I learned a lot about Ms. Rashkow's subjective psychoanalytic interpretations of the hebrew bible, and less than I would have like about the facts of human sexuality from that time period.

Dissapointing.

Rating:
Summary: I don't think this is worth your time.
Review: I have a B.A. in religion and am currently pursuing a M.A. in counsoling psychology.

Ms. Rashkow uses psychoanalytic method to discuss sexuality in the Hebrew Bible. I'm not a fan of the psychoanalytic school because I think interpretation of symbols is almost always very subjective, and is very rarely presented that way.

This book is no exception. Ms. Rashkow makes several assertions that don't make sense to me (not uncommon), but does not continue on to defend these assertions in a sensical manner (that is a bit uncommon).

On the plus side, the historical information presented is often very interesting, and is difficult to find elsewhere. And Ms. Rashkow is at time quite funny and does a good job of not taking herself or her sunject matter to seriously.

Bottom line; I learned a lot about Ms. Rashkow's subjective psychoanalytic interpretations of the hebrew bible, and less than I would have like about the facts of human sexuality from that time period.

Dissapointing.

Rating:
Summary: Positive & negative aspects of family life in ancient Israel
Review: The Hebrew Bible offers diverse models for family behavior and relationships. Taboo Or Not Taboo: Sexuality And Family In The Hebrew Bible explores the positive and negative aspects of family life in ancient Israel, particularly the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, as well as siblings. Professor of Judaic Studies, Women's Studies, and Comparative Literature at the State University of new York, Stony Brook, Ilona Rashkow surveys the variety of conflicts that emerge in the familial Biblical accounts, including rape, incest, abuse, hatred, and murder. Her cogent, scholarly analysis provides a reflection on family, which given texture and depth through her use of psychoanalysis and literary theory result in fascinating, informative, thought-provoking, and occasionally controversial reading.