"Encountering these books in this form-as ancient literature, laid out as poetry, with copious footnotes-allows you to be dazzled by their range, from the frank eroticism of the Song of Songs to the bucolic idyll of Esther and the downright weirdness of Daniel." -- New Statesman "Robert Alter's continuing project of translating the Old Testament is perhaps one of the most important literary/religious endeavours of recent times...Alter adds new levels of richness and poetry to the text, while adding an illuminating commentary to untangle the snuggles of time." -- Catholic Herald "In each of the Biblical books in this volume a balance of explanation, translation and commentary is offered. In each of them the reader is made a partner in an adventure of scholarship and clarification which is both rare and exemplary. " -- Eavan Boland - The Irish Times