In this first volume in a series to be published simultaneously in English, Spanish, Italian, and German, Fischer (Old Testament Bible studies, Karl-Franzens-U., Graz, Austria) and Puerto (feminist theology, philosophy, U. of Seville, Spain) introduce this international project focusing on the Bible as the book of Western culture and basis for gender inequality in ancient and modern patriarchal societies. Contributors offer counterpoints to the "malestream" history of its exegesis from primarily Christian and classical canon perspectives. In addition to biblical and legal texts, they examine Near Eastern iconography, archeology, and genealogy as more gender-neutral sources on the lives and status of women toward new theories on the development of the canonical process. Brill publishes the hardbound edition. Annotation 2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
