Having Men for Dinner: Biblical Women’s Deadly Banquets - Duran, Nicole Wilkinson. The Pilgrim Press, 2006. 144p. $18.00, Paperback. ISBN-10: 0-8298-1710-7. ISBN-13: 978-0-8298-1710-2. 220.9’2082 Women—Biblical teaching. Men—Biblical teaching. Man-woman relationships—Biblical teaching. Dinners and dining—Biblical teaching.

Bible scholar Nicole Duran examines five biblical and Deuterocanonical stories in which wining and dining lead to fatal consequences for a man. In each of the narratives, a woman (Jael, Judith, Esther, Herodias, Abigail) either kills, manipulates another person to kill, or acts in a way that leads to a man’s demise. Duran’s approach is feminist and scholarly and thus will fail to appeal to some readers. But her examination and analysis provide revealing insights into the place of women in Bible times and the strictures placed upon them. Deception, seduction, revenge, and the possibility of rape are major themes. Questions for reflection at the end of each chapter make this book suitable for small group studies. Duran devotes a chapter to each woman, then pulls it all together in a final chapter. The book ends with notes and a list of works cited. Recommended for congregational libraries where there is interest in academic studies of gender issues in the Bible. Duran is a Presbyterian minister who teaches in Pennsylvania.

Monica Tenney
C&SL Media Review Editor
Maple Grove United Methodist Church
Columbus, Ohio