"Written with grace and clarity, Miriam Bodian's new book surveys the subject of conversion (in and out of Judaism) through the sweep of Jewish history. It navigates a complex terrain with authority, displaying an expansive and sure grasp of both critical details and larger contexts." - Todd Endelman, professor emeritus of history and Judaic studies, University of Michigan"Bodian offers a brilliant, synthetic account of conversions to and from Judaism from ancient to contemporary times, and across Christian and Islamic milieus. She skillfully analyzes convert experiences, ideas about conversion, and changing scholarly approaches to the topic. This book will be an invaluable tool for teaching and research." - Ellie R. Schainker, author of Confessions of the Shtetl: Converts from Judaism in Imperial Russia "Bodian's Conversion is an informative, probing, and nuanced discussion of a concept at the core of religious, and in particular, Jewish religious identity. In this lucid and concise guide to conversion and its dilemmas, ranging from antiquity to modern times and from individual identity to state policy, Bodian synthesizes a vast body of scholarship on an intriguing and complex subject in accessible terms." - Elisheva Carlebach, author of Divided Souls: Converts from Judaism in Early Modern Germany, 1500-1750