James Diamond's new book consists of a series of studies addressing Moses Maimonides' (1138 1204) appropriation of marginal figures lepers, converts, heretics, and others normally considered on the fringes of society and religion. Each chapter focuses on a type or character that, in Maimonides' hands, becomes a metaphor for a larger, more substantive theological and philosophical issue. Diamond offers a close reading of key texts, such as the "Guide of the Perplexed" and the "Mishneh Torah, "demonstrating the importance of integrating Maimonides' legal and philosophical writings."Converts,...