Emily Barton is the author Brookland and The Testament of Yves Gundron, which were both selected as New York Times Notable Books of the Year. She has received grants from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Sustainable Arts Foundation. Her essays, short stories, and reviews have appeared in Story, Conjunctions, The Massachusetts Review, Tablet, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times Book Review, among many other publications. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and sons.
"An imaginative, engrossing, and entertaining storytelling
tapestry. . . . As addicting as a Jewish Game of Thrones." --The
New York Times Book Review "Richly imagined. . . . A classic quest
tale. . . . A kind of steampunk fantasia. . . . Barton's book is
Jewishly very knowledgeable, drawing on a broad range of history,
mythology, and liturgy to create an internally coherent alternative
universe." --Adam Kirsch, Tablet "A surreal meld of counterfactual
history and Jewish lore. . . . Raises complex questions about
alternate history and mythology." --The New Yorker "Barton's
audacious tale of an otherworldly uprising against the Nazis is a
wild pageant of tumult and valor, magic and inventiveness, which,
for all its humor, sensuality, steampunk brio, and full-tilt
military action, is profoundly inquisitive. . . . With intimations
of Cynthia Ozick and Michael Chabon, Barton is spellbinding and
provocative in this refulgent, topsy-turvy, questing fantasy."
--Booklist "In this thrillingly inventive novel, Emily Barton has
created a whole world worth losing yourself in. She sneaks up on
you with a story so original you'll wonder how she found it, and so
vital that it seems amazing no one has ever told it before."
--Mary-Louise Parker
"A bold reimagining of some of the darkest history of World War II.
Barton's Esther is like a Jewish Joan of Arc, except the calling
she feels is entirely her own--and to honor it, she has to turn the
ways of the world upside down." --Alexander Chee "A big, thrilling
revisionist history and an audacious, wholly realized feat of
imagination." --Hanya Yanagihara "It would be tempting to set The
Book of Esther alongside other contemporary Jewish counterfactual
fiction, like Michael Chabon's Yiddish Policemen's Union and Philip
Roth's The Plot Against America. All three focus on the time
between the rise of the Nazis and the establishment of the State of
Israel, and, in different ways, they scramble the founding myths of
postwar American Judaism. But Barton is hunting bigger, more
philosophical game than Chabon or Roth, both of whom imagine
undoing Zionism or American democracy's acceptance of Jews; Barton,
however, is braiding a rope of alternative tradition, strong and
supple enough to hold modernity without breaking." --The Forward
"The Book of Esther stands out on the originality and success of
its imagined world." --The Kansas City Star "A glorious mash-up of
alternate history, spiritual inquiry, and galloping adventure
story, spiced with fantastic technology and a dash of Mulan, The
Book of Esther is breathtaking in its ambition and scope."
--Chronogram "Barton's novel is an inventive and detailed tale
about a nation on the brink of war that will keep the reader
interested through the last scene." --The Jewish Standard "Super
badass. . . . an interesting and often feminist book with superb
writing." --Filthy Casket "Emily Barton has formerly reimagined the
history of New York, and now she's reconceived historic Europe as
an entirely different place, replete with Jewish woman warriors on
mechanical steeds and multiplying golems. Exhilarating in its
freedom and exacting in its thought--a fine book." --John
Crowley
-An imaginative, engrossing, and entertaining storytelling
tapestry. . . . As addicting as a Jewish Game of Thrones.- --The
New York Times Book Review
-Richly imagined. . . . A classic quest tale. . . . A kind of
steampunk fantasia. . . . Barton's book is Jewishly very
knowledgeable, drawing on a broad range of history, mythology, and
liturgy to create an internally coherent alternative universe.-
--Adam Kirsch, Tablet
-A surreal meld of counterfactual history and Jewish lore. . . .
Raises complex questions about alternate history and mythology.-
--The New Yorker
-Barton's audacious tale of an otherworldly uprising against the
Nazis is a wild pageant of tumult and valor, magic and
inventiveness, which, for all its humor, sensuality, steampunk
brio, and full-tilt military action, is profoundly inquisitive. . .
. With intimations of Cynthia Ozick and Michael Chabon, Barton is
spellbinding and provocative in this refulgent, topsy-turvy,
questing fantasy.- --Booklist
-In this thrillingly inventive novel, Emily Barton has created a
whole world worth losing yourself in. She sneaks up on you with a
story so original you'll wonder how she found it, and so vital that
it seems amazing no one has ever told it before.- --Mary-Louise
Parker
-A bold reimagining of some of the darkest history of World War II.
Barton's Esther is like a Jewish Joan of Arc, except the calling
she feels is entirely her own--and to honor it, she has to turn the
ways of the world upside down.- --Alexander Chee
-A big, thrilling revisionist history and an audacious, wholly
realized feat of imagination.- --Hanya Yanagihara
-It would be tempting to set The Book of Esther alongside other
contemporary Jewish counterfactual fiction, like Michael Chabon's
Yiddish Policemen's Union and Philip Roth's The Plot Against
America. All three focus on the time between the rise of the Nazis
and the establishment of the State of Israel, and, in different
ways, they scramble the founding myths of postwar American Judaism.
But Barton is hunting bigger, more philosophical game than Chabon
or Roth, both of whom imagine undoing Zionism or American
democracy's acceptance of Jews; Barton, however, is braiding a rope
of alternative tradition, strong and supple enough to hold
modernity without breaking.- --The Forward
-The Book of Esther stands out on the originality and success of
its imagined world.- --The Kansas City Star
-A glorious mash-up of alternate history, spiritual inquiry, and
galloping adventure story, spiced with fantastic technology and a
dash of Mulan, The Book of Esther is breathtaking in its ambition
and scope.- --Chronogram
-Barton's novel is an inventive and detailed tale about a nation on
the brink of war that will keep the reader interested through the
last scene.- --The Jewish Standard
-Super badass. . . . an interesting and often feminist book with
superb writing.- --Filthy Casket
-Emily Barton has formerly reimagined the history of New York, and
now she's reconceived historic Europe as an entirely different
place, replete with Jewish woman warriors on mechanical steeds and
multiplying golems. Exhilarating in its freedom and exacting in its
thought--a fine book.- --John Crowley
An imaginative, engrossing, and entertaining storytelling tapestry.
. . . As addicting as a Jewish Game of Thrones. The New York Times
Book Review
Richly imagined. . . . A classic quest tale. . . . A kind of
steampunk fantasia. . . . Barton s book is Jewishly very
knowledgeable, drawing on a broad range of history, mythology, and
liturgy to create an internally coherent alternative universe. Adam
Kirsch, Tablet
A surreal meld of counterfactual history and Jewish lore. . . .
Raises complex questions about alternate history and mythology. The
New Yorker
Barton s audacious tale of an otherworldly uprising against the
Nazis is a wild pageant of tumult and valor, magic and
inventiveness, which, for all its humor, sensuality, steampunk
brio, and full-tilt military action, is profoundly inquisitive. . .
. With intimations of Cynthia Ozick and Michael Chabon, Barton is
spellbinding and provocative in this refulgent, topsy-turvy,
questing fantasy. Booklist
In this thrillingly inventive novel, Emily Barton has created a
whole world worth losing yourself in. She sneaks up on you with a
story so original you ll wonder how she found it, and so vital that
it seems amazing no one has ever told it before. Mary-Louise
Parker
A bold reimagining of some of the darkest history of World War II.
Barton s Estheris like a Jewish Joan of Arc, except the calling she
feels is entirely her own and to honor it, she has to turn the ways
of the world upside down. Alexander Chee
"A big, thrilling revisionist history and an audacious, wholly
realized feat of imagination." Hanya Yanagihara
"It would be tempting to set The Book of Esther alongside other
contemporary Jewish counterfactual fiction, like Michael Chabon s
Yiddish Policemen s Union and Philip Roth s The Plot Against
America. All three focus on the time between the rise of the Nazis
and the establishment of the State of Israel, and, in different
ways, they scramble the founding myths of postwar American Judaism.
But Barton is hunting bigger, more philosophical game than Chabon
or Roth, both of whom imagine undoing Zionism or American democracy
s acceptance of Jews; Barton, however, is braiding a rope of
alternative tradition, strong and supple enough to hold modernity
without breaking. The Forward
The Book of Esther stands out on the originality and success of its
imagined world. The Kansas City Star
A glorious mash-up of alternate history, spiritual inquiry, and
galloping adventure story, spiced with fantastic technology and a
dash ofMulan, The Book of Estheris breathtaking in its ambition and
scope. Chronogram
Barton s novel is an inventive and detailed tale about a nation on
the brink of war that will keep the reader interested through the
last scene. The Jewish Standard
Emily Barton has formerly reimagined the history of New York, and
now she's reconceived historic Europe as an entirely different
place, replete with Jewish woman warriors on mechanical steeds and
multiplying golems. Exhilarating in its freedom and exacting in its
thought a fine book. John Crowley"
Barton s audacious tale of an otherworldly uprising against the
Nazis is a wild pageant of tumult and valor, magic and
inventiveness, which, for all its humor, sensuality, steampunk
brio, and full-tilt military action, is profoundly inquisitive. . .
. With intimations of Cynthia Ozick and Michael Chabon, Barton is
spellbinding and provocative in this refulgent, topsy-turvy,
questing fantasy. "Booklist"
In this thrillingly inventive novel, Emily Barton has created a
whole world worth losing yourself in. She sneaks up on you with a
story so original you ll wonder how she found it, and so vital that
it seems amazing no one has ever told it before. Mary-Louise
Parker
A bold reimagining of some of the darkest history of World War II.
Barton s Estheris like a Jewish Joan of Arc, except the calling she
feels is entirely her own and to honor it, she has to turn the ways
of the world upside down. Alexander Chee
"A big, thrilling revisionist history and an audacious, wholly
realized feat of imagination." Hanya Yanagihara
Emily Barton has formerly reimagined the history of New York, and
now she's reconceived historic Europe as an entirely different
place, replete with Jewish woman warriors on mechanical steeds and
multiplying golems. Exhilarating in its freedom and exacting in its
thought a fine book. John Crowley"
In this thrillingly inventive novel, Emily Barton has created a
whole world worth losing yourself in. She sneaks up on you with a
story so original you ll wonder how she found it, and so vital that
it seems amazing no one has ever told it before. Mary-Louise
Parker
A bold reimagining of some of the darkest history of World War II.
Barton s Estheris like a Jewish Joan of Arc, except the calling she
feels is entirely her own and to honor it, she has to turn the ways
of the world upside down. Alexander Chee
Emily Barton has formerly reimagined the history of New York, and
now she's reconceived historic Europe as an entirely different
place, replete with Jewish woman warriors on mechanical steeds and
multiplying golems. Exhilarating in its freedom and exacting in its
thought a fine book. John Crowley"
Ask a Question About this Product More... |