Irreverently Reverent Books, By and About Jewesses

by Rebecca Honig Friedman

…. Professor emeritus of political sociology at Bar Ilan University Eva Etzioni-Halevy comes out with her third (and raciest?) novel about a Bibilical heroine, this time revamping the story of Jewess warrior Deborah in The Triumph of Deborah.

The Triumph of Deborah offers readers an amazing biblical journey full of romance, suspense, and inspiration. The book, by Eva Etzioni-Halevy, is scheduled to be released by Plume/ Penguin on February 26th, but can be pre-ordered now at such sites as amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Deborah-Eva-Etzioni-Halevy/dp/0452289068

Inspired by the Book of Judges, The Triumph of Deborah follows the success of Etzioni-Halevy’s previous two biblical novels also published by Plume/Penguin: The Song of Hannah (2005) and the The Garden of Ruth (2006).

Filled with brilliantly vivid historical detail, the novel is the absorbing and riveting tale of Deborah, one of the most beloved figures in the Bible. Deborah coerces warrior Barak into launching a strike against the neighboring Canaanites, who threaten Israel with destruction. Against all odds he succeeds, returning triumphantly with two daughters of the Canaanite King as his captives. But military victory is only the beginning of the turmoil, as a complex love triangle develops between Barak and the two princesses. Deborah, recently cast off by her husband, develops a surprising attraction for Barak. Yet she struggles to rebuild her existence on her own terms, while also groping her way toward the greatest triumph of her life: the attainment of peace.

Etzioni-Halevy hopes her novel will inspire women to reach their potential. “The lesson that women today can learn from Deborah is: I can do it. No matter how difficult and limiting the circumstances, I can overcome them,” says Etzioni-Halevy.

Particularly if you have God and a hottie named Barak on your side.

Read our interview with Etzioni-Halevy about her last novel, Garden of Ruth, to get a better sense of what this professor-turned-romance-writer is all about.

Posted on February 13th, 2008