In this excellent book, Shively Smith examines 1 Peter alongside other writings from the Second Temple Period: the Daniel court tales (discussed in chap. 4), the "Letter of Aristeas" (chap. 5), and the writings of Philo (chap. 6). Smith compares and contrasts the ways in which each of these writings deal with the topic (and lived experience) of "diaspora." Even though all of these writings (and others, like the stories found in Tobit and Esther) depict life in the "diaspora," they do not all do so in the same way. Smith rightly notes that in most, if not all, of these texts, there is some combination of "conformity and nonconformity, assimilation and resistance" that is encouraged; the authors of these texts sought to provide exhortation for how to "navigate the difficult terrain" of diaspora (13).

While Smith's focus in this book is primarily on 1 Peter and its presentation of life in the diaspora (see chaps. 1–3), I especially appreciated Smith's treatment of the Daniel court tales. These court tales exhibit the same "'double-conscious' diaspora existence" that Smith finds in 1 Peter (34; the language of "double-consciousness" comes from [b:The Souls of Black Folk|318742|The Souls of Black Folk|W.E.B. Du Bois|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1309202855l/318742._SY75_.jpg|1137159] by W. E. B. Du Bois). In these court tales can be found the "conflict-ridden portrayals of the diaspora of a marginal and vulnerable 'other'" (124); in the majority of the Daniel stories, the lives of Daniel and his companions are put in danger precisely because of their "otherness" as Judeans living in the diaspora. Yet, while life in the diaspora can be dangerous, it can also be the place of God's presence and protection; precisely when danger arises in the Daniel stories, God acts on behalf of his people (see especially Dan 1, 2, 3, and 6)—not only delivering Daniel and his companions, but helping them to climb the ranks in the royal court. This "both/and" of diaspora life—the potential danger and the possible success—helps to create "a rhetorical double consciousness" (102): "Each tale depicts its protagonists managing public expectations and foreign social conventions at the same time as they are crafting their peculiar religious identity and culture in that new context" (89). According to Smith's reading of 1 Peter, this is quite similar to the Petrine view of diaspora Christianity: it is "a balancing act between integration and segregation, presence and difference, conformity and distinction" (45).

Smith's book is a welcome addition to a number of other studies in the field of biblical studies on the connected themes of diaspora, resistance, and accommodation, and I'm thankful for the unique perspective she brings to the discussion.