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Rating: 
Summary: Challengs accepted rabbinc interpretations with insight.
Review: As the title states this is a commentary from a woman's point of view. It is not a feminist manifesto. Although the author is knowledgeable this is not a traditional, learned Torah commentary. The author has created various female characters (named for biblical or other traditional women) to create her commentary as a form of dialogue, almost talmudic at times. The flavor is modern but there is little use of external texts. It is a very personnal work compared to more standard modern commentaries such as Plaut or JPS's own excellent 5 volume commentary. The text of the torah itself isn't included but there are summaries of each section. The author's pleasure in writing this book comes through on every page. It can be a good source for a Bat Mitzvah girl who needs to do a dvar torah and is looking for some non standard ideas that won't be offensive to anyone who doesn't find a Bat Mitzvah itself offensive.
Rating: 
Summary: Five Books of Miriam
Review: I enjoyed every page of this book of commentary on the 5 books of Moses. I even tried the recipe for red lentils that was offered as the meal that Jacob might have fed to Esau in exchange for his father's birthright. Ms. Frankel is a noted Jewish scholar, and this book should not be taken lightly, or as a pure exercise of fiction. She is trying to find the voices of Jewish women that were lost in history, whether sad, bitter, or even humorous. Reading this book, which is broken out into the individual Torah portions, with encapsulations of the Biblical texts, was a wonderful treat. It not only gives its own differing perspectives, but encourages one to think for onesself, to go a different road if that's where your thoughts take you. This book is well written and lots of fun. I recommend it to everyone with an interest in Torah (or Old Testament!) studies.
Rating: 
Summary: Well done!!
Review: I enjoyed every page of this book of commentary on the 5 books of Moses. I even tried the recipe for red lentils that was offered as the meal that Jacob might have fed to Esau in exchange for his father's birthright. Ms. Frankel is a noted Jewish scholar, and this book should not be taken lightly, or as a pure exercise of fiction. She is trying to find the voices of Jewish women that were lost in history, whether sad, bitter, or even humorous. Reading this book, which is broken out into the individual Torah portions, with encapsulations of the Biblical texts, was a wonderful treat. It not only gives its own differing perspectives, but encourages one to think for onesself, to go a different road if that's where your thoughts take you. This book is well written and lots of fun. I recommend it to everyone with an interest in Torah (or Old Testament!) studies.
Rating:
Summary: Challengs accepted rabbinc interpretations with insight.
Review: I have read and re-read this book and find that each reading prompts me to return to different parts of the Tenach. These women invite me to look at different perspectives and make weekly portions review exciting. This work is not meant to be a Rashi commentary and shouldn't be selected as such
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful resource
Review: This book is a wonderful resource to examine how women in the Bible may have thought and felt. I keep a copy on my shelf right next to my Bible and prayer books. It is a great thing to give to a girl on her Bat Mitzvah.
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