NOTE: This is a reposting of a conversation Barbara Barnett & I recorded a couple of years ago. I feel the topic resonates even more with our lives today. Please also check out the companion interview I did with author Ef Deal about the biblical heroine/assassin Yael (from the Book of Deborah) — A Jew & a Christian Discuss Yael, who Shattered the Biblical Glass Ceiling — which is on my Substack. Sally
ERROR: Unfortunately, in the editing of this video, a mistake was made: the wrong name is displayed under Barbara Barnett’s window. My video editor is aware of it, and as soon as a family medical crisis is resolved, she will be fixing it.
About Barbara Barnett
Barbara Barnett is a cantor, author. cultural essayist, and editor. who is equally at home in the beit midrash and the jousting lists. Her debut novel The Apothecary’s Curse was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award, praised for its fusion of science, history, and fantasy. Her forthcoming book, The Renaissance Faire Handbook (Rizzoli, Fall 2027), is an exploration of modern faires as living, breathing celebrations of history, imagination, and community. As Executive Editor of Blogcritics, Barnett has written hundreds of essays on television, film, music, and literature, with a particular passion for pop culture. That same passion drives her work as an ordained conservative cantor, whose love of ancient modal music, biblical chant, and the Child Ballads led — perhaps inevitably — straight to the Renaissance faire.
A frequent speaker at literary and media conventions including TudorCon, MENSA, and more, she brings humor, depth, and scholarship to her exploration of storytelling in all its forms — sacred and secular, medieval and modern. Discover more at bodiceanddoublet.com or subscribe to her Substack at bbarnett.substack.com.
About Sally Wiener Grotta
The host of Judith Magazine’s Tell Me More, Sally Wiener Grotta (she/her), is an award-winning writer, photographer, and speaker. Her most recent books are Of Being Women, a collection of feminist science fiction (Noble Fusion Press), and Daughters of Eve (Bayit Publishing),), an essay-based discussion & journaling workbook, which explores conflicting interpretations of the stories of biblical women to facilitate dialogues about modern life, concerns and crises. As a journalist, she traveled on assignment, covering a wide diversity of cultures, traditions and accomplishments on all continents (including three trips to Antarctica) and numerous islands (e.g. Papua New Guinea and The Falklands). Sally’s wide-ranging experiences flavor her stories and presentations with a sense of wonder, appreciation for human potential, and a healthy dose of common sense. She’s a member of the Authors Guild, the Association of Jewish Libraries and SFWA. Visit her website at SallyWienerGrotta.com and her Substack, where you can view episodes of her other video podcast What If? Why Not? How? plus her essays, book recommendations, poems and the occasional guest essay.
