Based on a series of lectures given in Israel, Amit introduces the reader to the subtle ways of the biblical narrators. Covering issues of character, plot development, catchword association, narration, and dialogue, she brings the biblical text to life, helping the reader enter the stories from new vantage points.

Contents:
--The Power of Stories
--The Story Researchers and the ReaderÂs Responsibility
--Biblical Stories and Biblical Criticism
--Openings and Endings
--Plot, Structure, and Their Function
--Characterization by Minimal Means
--Whom to Believe?
--The Biblical Stories and "TimeÂs Art"
--The Place, the Story, and the History
--Intrinsic and Acquired Significance
--Afterword: The Story in Its Significance