Fan fiction, the art of storytelling using characters and elements from established work, can trace its lineage to "midrash," an ancient tradition of interpreting Biblical text by writing stories that answer open questions. This creative writing enterprise, separate from the Bible, has existed for thousands of years. In Fan Fiction on the Book of Genesis, Jewish Studies scholar Sarah Rosenson expands on curricula she developed over years of teaching in Hebrew schools, a private Quaker high school, the lifelong learning program for adults at her local Jewish Community Center, and various online platforms.
Each chapter of this book starts with a Biblical passage, and goes on to describe various issues and open questions in the text. It may also describe some paintings by famous artists depicting the scene, and how they seem to have answered at least one of the questions. Readers can pull the pictures up online to see the paintings themselves. At the end of each chapter is a list of questions for the Biblical characters in the story.
Intended for adults and for educators in Jewish and Christian settings, Fan Fiction on the Book of Genesis is for anyone interested in reading Bible stories through a new and creative lens; people who enjoy creative writing and want to challenge themselves to write midrash; people who teach classes on the Bible and want ideas for discussion topics and questions, including questions for Bibliodrama; and artists who want to delve into the text before creating works depicting Biblical scenes.
