Spinning Fantasies: Rabbis, Gender, and History Book

"Peskowitz weaves rabbinic rhetoric, archaeological data, and critical theory into a detailed cultural map of Roman-period Judaism. Impressively documented, compellingly argued, this work demonstrates through its particular attention to the ordinary—work, tools, bodies, gossip, the minutiae of everyday life—how gender was constructed, maintained, and ultimately naturalized. A brilliant work from a major new voice, Spinning Fantasies is an interdisciplinary masterpiece."—A.J. Levine, Vanderbilt University

"The reader will never look at the texts explicated in this work in the same way again. Jews and Christians alike will be fascinated by the notions of gender that cut across religions in antiquity. Peskowitz's breadth of citation is dazzling, and her methodological sophistication will undoubtedly set standards for future studies."—Judith Hauptman, Jewish Theological Seminary

Judith Hauptman

The reader will never look at the texts explicated in this work in the same way again. Jews and Christians alike will be fascinated by the notions of gender that cut across religions in antiquity. -- Judith Hauptman