The Whole Megillah
The Purim Story. Unfiltered.
A darkly comic literary retelling by Jeffrey Groberman — Available November 16
They’ll tell you this is the story of a Jewish orphan who became queen and saved her people. They’re not wrong. They’re just not telling you everything.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH reimagines the Book of Esther through five unreliable narrators — each convinced they’re the hero, each lying about everything except the ending.
Haman, the king’s most powerful advisor, would like it on record that he was misunderstood, that his sandals were magnificent, and that the cookies were absolutely not his idea.
Mordecai, the righteous gatekeeper, humbly submits that everything he did was entirely selfless — and if you believe that, he has a decree to sell you.
Esther, the hidden queen, survived by making herself invisible while watching everything. She has opinions about that. She’s kept them to herself. Until now.
Xerxes, the king of kings, remembers the banquet fondly. Particularly the cinnamon. There was apparently also some kind of decree.
Vashti — the queen who said no, the woman history erased with a footnote — has been waiting a very long time to tell you what actually happened.
Five voices. One empire. Zero reliable witnesses. This is not a religious novel. It is a reckoning.
Also available through your favourite bookseller.
What readers are saying
“A great example of midrash on the Book of Esther… highly entertaining, engaging, creative and well written.”
Rabbi Jonathan Infeld, Congregation Beth Israel, Vancouver
“A wonderfully inventive and engaging retelling that brings new life and laughter to an ancient story…”
Monsignor Greg Smith
Book clubs
Reading The Whole Megillah with your book club? I offer a free virtual author visit, and there is a free discussion guide to go with the book.
Download the free discussion guide
To book a virtual author visit, write to megillahstory@gmail.com.
Book details
240 pages
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-0678822-0-4
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-0678822-1-1
About the author
Jeffrey Groberman is a BC Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee and ACTRA Award winner with over 30 years at CBC, CTV, FOX and PBS. He lives in Surrey, BC.
Questions, book club requests or media inquiries: megillahstory@gmail.com