The Book of Esther doesn’t mention God. Robert Alter’s new translation shows that’s just one way the biblical text is unique.

What happens when the most authoritative guardians of the tradition are sometimes baffled by the tradition themselves?

The scholar, critic, and masterful translator remains dedicated to uncovering the full subtlety and intelligence of the stories in sacred texts

Robert Alter’s version of Psalms strives to recapture their Hebrew beauty.