Sarah and After: the matriarchs is a 1975 collection of short stories aimed at older juvenile readers, written by Lynne Reid Banks. Each of the stories in the collection focus on a different woman in the Bible, beginning with Sarah, wife to Abraham and mother to Isaac.
The collection is made up of several stories, each of which center upon a different woman in the Bible. These women include Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel, and Dinah. The stories are written from each woman's perspective with the exception of Rachel, who is covered through Leah's story. Others covered via other stories include Hagar.
Developmentedit
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph Banks noted that she gave the women more modern sensibilities as she wanted to make it easier for her intended readers, teenage girls, to identify with and understand what it was like to be a woman in biblical times. She also wanted to show "how God-driven men, preoccupied with their vocation, can exploit their women".[1]
Themesedit
Themes and topics in the stories of Sarah and After center upon women's lives and identities, as well as themes of anti-patriarchy.[2] The men and women in the stories are emphasized as "people of passion and fallibility", which Zena Sutherland wrote was shown through the motivations and justifications the characters give to themselves.[3]
Publicationedit
Sarah and After: the matriarchs was first published in the United Kingdom in 1975 through The Bodley Head in hardback.[4] That same year the collection was also published in hardback in the United States via Doubleday, under the title Sarah and After: five women who founded a nation.[5] A paperback version was released in the United Kingdom during 1981, through Lion Publishing.[6]
Receptionedit
Critical reception for the collection was favorable,[7] with journalists for The Birmingham Post and Herald Express praising Banks for her portrayal of the Biblical women.[8][9] Sutherland, in a review for the Chicago Tribune, wrote that "the fiction adheres rather closely; what Banks adds can deepen the reader's understanding of the women as people."[10]
Leon Garfield for The Guardian was more critical, praising Banks for her "motives in bringing back the Bible into the world's imagination" while also criticizing the collection as not treating the characters and subject with enough respect and reverence.[11]
Referencesedit
^Tessler, Gloria (May 2, 1975). "Her theme for teenagers: identify with Biblical wives". The Daily Telegraph (Newspapers.com).
^Travis, Madelyn (2013-09-02). Jews and Jewishness in British Children's Literature. Routledge. ISBN978-1-136-22203-0.
^Sutherland, Zena (May 1980). The Best in Children's Books: The University of Chicago Guide to Children's Literature, 1973-78. University of Chicago Press. p. 28. ISBN978-0-226-78059-7.
^Banks, Lynne Reid (1975). Sarah and after : the matriarchs. London: Bodley Head. ISBN0-370-10953-8. OCLC 1551694.
^Banks, Lynne Reid (1975). Sarah and after : five women who founded a nation. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday. ISBN0-385-11456-7. OCLC 2811181.
^Banks, Lynne Reid (1981). Sarah and after. Tring: Lion. ISBN0-85648-357-5. OCLC 16560548.
^"Mixtures of shock and splendor". The Age (Newspapers.com). September 6, 1975.
^Learmont, Lavinia (July 19, 1975). "Some novels for and about teenagers". The Birmingham Post (Newspapers.com).
^"Watchman's Choice". Herald Express (Newspapers.com). September 11, 1982.
^Sutherland, Zena (July 3, 1977). "Children's books". Chicago Tribune (Newspapers.com).
^Garfield, Leon (July 17, 1975). "Told and retold". The Guardian (Newspapers.com).
January 01, 1970
sarah, after, matriarchs, 1975, collection, short, stories, aimed, older, juvenile, readers, written, lynne, reid, banks, each, stories, collection, focus, different, woman, bible, beginning, with, sarah, wife, abraham, mother, isaac, authorlynne, reid, banksc. Sarah and After the matriarchs is a 1975 collection of short stories aimed at older juvenile readers written by Lynne Reid Banks Each of the stories in the collection focus on a different woman in the Bible beginning with Sarah wife to Abraham and mother to Isaac Sarah and AfterAuthorLynne Reid BanksCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishGenreFictionPublished1975PublisherThe Bodley HeadMedia typePrint hardback paperback Pages169 pagesISBN0370109538 First edition UKOCLC1551694 Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Development 3 Themes 4 Publication 5 Reception 6 ReferencesSynopsis editThe collection is made up of several stories each of which center upon a different woman in the Bible These women include Sarah Rebecca Leah and Rachel and Dinah The stories are written from each woman s perspective with the exception of Rachel who is covered through Leah s story Others covered via other stories include Hagar Development editIn an interview with The Daily Telegraph Banks noted that she gave the women more modern sensibilities as she wanted to make it easier for her intended readers teenage girls to identify with and understand what it was like to be a woman in biblical times She also wanted to show how God driven men preoccupied with their vocation can exploit their women 1 Themes editThemes and topics in the stories of Sarah and After center upon women s lives and identities as well as themes of anti patriarchy 2 The men and women in the stories are emphasized as people of passion and fallibility which Zena Sutherland wrote was shown through the motivations and justifications the characters give to themselves 3 Publication editSarah and After the matriarchs was first published in the United Kingdom in 1975 through The Bodley Head in hardback 4 That same year the collection was also published in hardback in the United States via Doubleday under the title Sarah and After five women who founded a nation 5 A paperback version was released in the United Kingdom during 1981 through Lion Publishing 6 Reception editCritical reception for the collection was favorable 7 with journalists for The Birmingham Post and Herald Express praising Banks for her portrayal of the Biblical women 8 9 Sutherland in a review for the Chicago Tribune wrote that the fiction adheres rather closely what Banks adds can deepen the reader s understanding of the women as people 10 Leon Garfield for The Guardian was more critical praising Banks for her motives in bringing back the Bible into the world s imagination while also criticizing the collection as not treating the characters and subject with enough respect and reverence 11 References edit Tessler Gloria May 2 1975 Her theme for teenagers identify with Biblical wives The Daily Telegraph Newspapers com Travis Madelyn 2013 09 02 Jews and Jewishness in British Children s Literature Routledge ISBN 978 1 136 22203 0 Sutherland Zena May 1980 The Best in Children s Books The University of Chicago Guide to Children s Literature 1973 78 University of Chicago Press p 28 ISBN 978 0 226 78059 7 Banks Lynne Reid 1975 Sarah and after the matriarchs London Bodley Head ISBN 0 370 10953 8 OCLC 1551694 Banks Lynne Reid 1975 Sarah and after five women who founded a nation Garden City N Y Doubleday ISBN 0 385 11456 7 OCLC 2811181 Banks Lynne Reid 1981 Sarah and after Tring Lion ISBN 0 85648 357 5 OCLC 16560548 Mixtures of shock and splendor The Age Newspapers com September 6 1975 Learmont Lavinia July 19 1975 Some novels for and about teenagers The Birmingham Post Newspapers com Watchman s Choice Herald Express Newspapers com September 11 1982 Sutherland Zena July 3 1977 Children s books Chicago Tribune Newspapers com Garfield Leon July 17 1975 Told and retold The Guardian Newspapers com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarah and After amp oldid 1200511659, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
