Retelling Genesis

Thirteen stories from the book of Genesis are retold from the secondary character’s point of view: Eve, Noah’s wife, Laban, Esau, and other characters who don’t normally get their story told are given a voice in this series of interweaving monologues which unfold to reveal a story of irony and faith. Though each story connects to the next, they can be performed individually or read as a series of dramatic soliloquies or prose poems.  The jacket copy offers a good description of the book: “Murder, deceit and treachery are themes Polisar wrestles with in this skillful retelling of thirteen stories from the Book of Genesis. Unlike a typical Midrash, which creates a new story to fill in gaps in the original narrative, Polisar’s poetic retelling refers only to events that appear in the biblical text. However, he gives a voice to many of the secondary characters whose perspective is often overlooked in the original stories. In the classic Talmudic tradition of searching for truth by weighing all sides, Polisar allows these interweaving stories to unfold, revealing a truly spiritual tale.” Rabbi Mark Novak describes the book this way: “Humorous and poignant, heartbreaking and hopeful, “Retelling Genesis” is, in the end, the story of an eternal family, from whom we re-learn that what goes around, comes around. This book is a tour de force birthed by a rich religious imagination. Each of the characters that Polisar gives voice to, eagerly speaks his or her mind, and all sound grateful, after 4,000 years of waiting, to have at long last been given the opportunity to speak their truth. Each monologue is lovingly crafted as if the author had asked us if we had any questions we’ve wanted to ask, and then proceeds to interview each person on our behalf. I can imagine this book being used by many educators to spark conversations among students.”