A mostly depressing book, but wow, the silver linings. Jeremiah tells of the coming wrath for his nation (Judah) and lives just long enough to see it happen in about 586 BC.
Isaiah has spectacular visions, judgment on nations, beautiful psalm-like poetry and even a few stories. But the book is probably best known (to Christians) for its soaring prophecies of the Messiah and the new world.
150 poems – from many different centuries – compiled in the third biggest book of the Bible*.
Job is a devout believer who is tested by God. He loses and regains everything, but the bulk of the book (38 of 42 chapters) is conversations with Job and others.
Esther (the person) is a Jew who winds up as queen of the Persian Empire and thwarts a genocide attempt on the Jews by a bitter man named Haman. To commemorate the retaliatory strikes, the feast of Purim is instituted at the end of the book of Esther (and is still observed today).
Jewish exiles return to their homeland – or their ancestor’s land, since most of these exiles were born in Babylon*. Over the course of about a century, the Jews rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Plus, some other drama.