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The March
Civil War relived!!
Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
About the author
E.L. Doctorow
82 books1,072 followersHistory based known novels of American writer Edgar Laurence Doctorow. His works of fiction include Homer & Langley, The March, Billy Bathgate, Ragtime, The Book of Daniel, City of God, Welcome to Hard Times, Loon Lake, World’s Fair, The Waterworks, and All the Time in the World. Among his honors are the National Book Award, three National Book Critics Circle Awards, two PEN Faulkner Awards, The Edith Wharton Citation for Fiction, and the presidentially conferred National Humanities Medal. In 2009 he was short listed for the Man Booker International Prize honoring a writer’s lifetime achievement in fiction, and in 2012 he won the PEN Saul Bellow Award given to an author whose “scale of achievement over a sustained career places him in the highest rank of American Literature.” In 2013 the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded him the Gold Medal for Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
August 10, 2023
We know Feiler from his best-selling Abraham and Walking the Bible. He is a Jew from the South and sees himself as more secular than religious, but he has acquired a taste for the Holy Land and continues his exploration there, seeking not only gain familiarity with the physical history of the area but hoping to come to grips with a felt need for a more fulfilled relationship to God and religion.
Bruce Feiler - image from his website
There is much interesting trivia here. What is the source of the Star of David? What sort of person was David, really, and how much of the Goliath battle can we really believe?
He looks at some of the roots of the biblical tales. What was Ur to later civilization? The beginnings of writing for one, and the ziggurat for another.
It is very interesting, his notion that exile was so formative of Jewish notions. He takes the view that in being exiled, Jews had to come up with a deitific notion that was not bolted to a piece of real estate, thus arriving at a notion of an omnipresent being, a very novel concept. He also points out that many who had established a life in Babylon were not so eager to return when granted the opportunity to do so.
I was much taken with a very interesting section on Cyrus, a very progressive heavy-hitter.
I did get a bit lost however with the various cultures that held sway during diverse eras. I suppose Feiler the history buff loses sight of the fact that most of us are not quite so up on these things as he is. I know that I felt quite ignorant indeed while reading this, and I expect that the absence of pre-formed neural pathways to ease incorporation of historical data will make it difficult to retain much.
It is a quick, enjoyable and engaging read, whether or not one shares Feiler’s particular religious predilections.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Bruce Feiler’s personal, FB, Twitter, Instagram, and GR pages
Bruce Feiler - image from his website
There is much interesting trivia here. What is the source of the Star of David? What sort of person was David, really, and how much of the Goliath battle can we really believe?
He looks at some of the roots of the biblical tales. What was Ur to later civilization? The beginnings of writing for one, and the ziggurat for another.
It is very interesting, his notion that exile was so formative of Jewish notions. He takes the view that in being exiled, Jews had to come up with a deitific notion that was not bolted to a piece of real estate, thus arriving at a notion of an omnipresent being, a very novel concept. He also points out that many who had established a life in Babylon were not so eager to return when granted the opportunity to do so.
I was much taken with a very interesting section on Cyrus, a very progressive heavy-hitter.
I did get a bit lost however with the various cultures that held sway during diverse eras. I suppose Feiler the history buff loses sight of the fact that most of us are not quite so up on these things as he is. I know that I felt quite ignorant indeed while reading this, and I expect that the absence of pre-formed neural pathways to ease incorporation of historical data will make it difficult to retain much.
It is a quick, enjoyable and engaging read, whether or not one shares Feiler’s particular religious predilections.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Bruce Feiler’s personal, FB, Twitter, Instagram, and GR pages
July 6, 2012
A few months ago, I began my own journey through the Old Testament to try to understand what I didn't understand. Born and raised Catholic, I felt disconnected from the Old Testament. At that point, I had not heard of Bruce Feiler. I selected this book on a whim and I am so incredibly glad I did.
"Where God Was Born" is incredible. In a very real and very emotional journey, Feiler brings Biblical history to life. And in doing so, he paves the way for religious tolerance and understanding--without being overly spiritual.
I think I used the highlight feature on my Kindle more on this book than any other book. The people he meets are insightful. The prose is eloquent. The history is fascinating.
I would recommend this book to two types of people:
1) Those looking to explore ancient history. I felt like I was back in my Ancient World Civilization class in high school. Only this time I was interested! It was fun to follow the path of Biblical history with Feiler as my guide.
2) Those looking for religious understanding. When I started reading the Old Testament, I started to gain a better understanding but I still didn't understand two things: why the Jewish people been continuously persecuted throughout history and what the heck was really going on in the Middle East. Feiler filled the gap.
I would not call myself a deeply religious person. But Feiler helped me understand my relationship with religion.
I plan on reading his other books as well!
"Where God Was Born" is incredible. In a very real and very emotional journey, Feiler brings Biblical history to life. And in doing so, he paves the way for religious tolerance and understanding--without being overly spiritual.
I think I used the highlight feature on my Kindle more on this book than any other book. The people he meets are insightful. The prose is eloquent. The history is fascinating.
I would recommend this book to two types of people:
1) Those looking to explore ancient history. I felt like I was back in my Ancient World Civilization class in high school. Only this time I was interested! It was fun to follow the path of Biblical history with Feiler as my guide.
2) Those looking for religious understanding. When I started reading the Old Testament, I started to gain a better understanding but I still didn't understand two things: why the Jewish people been continuously persecuted throughout history and what the heck was really going on in the Middle East. Feiler filled the gap.
I would not call myself a deeply religious person. But Feiler helped me understand my relationship with religion.
I plan on reading his other books as well!
Want to read
December 13, 2019-
January 30, 2022
Before I speak to this book, I do have to say that I do not believe that God was born anywhere--He revealed Himself to us, starting in this land that the author visited. There has been a strange trend in intellectuals of faith to speak about the Maturing of God, as though God was imperfect and needed to "grow up" to become the God of Grace. I just have to scratch my head that people are ok with this concept of God--who wants a God like that? My God is immutable and just and loving and gracious. It is not God doing the changing--it is mankind. The God of the Flood didn't suddenly achieve success with anger management to become the God of the Gospel. In His perfect plan and knowing full well how mankind would react to Him given free will, God has shaped and guided mankind to come to understand that He is just AND loving.
That being said, this book is just fascinating--a Jewish man, one of God's chosen people, is coming to grips with his Faith in the one true God while visiting the Holy Land for not one but three major world faiths. His quest is to explore the fanatical belief that transforms these faiths that trace themselves back to that one true God into vectors of hate and death---and that part of the text is quite thought provoking. And just the look into a different perspective besides my Christian one is eye opening, to be sure.
A stimulating read and an important one! Great for inducing a lot of self-awareness and self-definition of one's own beliefs.
That being said, this book is just fascinating--a Jewish man, one of God's chosen people, is coming to grips with his Faith in the one true God while visiting the Holy Land for not one but three major world faiths. His quest is to explore the fanatical belief that transforms these faiths that trace themselves back to that one true God into vectors of hate and death---and that part of the text is quite thought provoking. And just the look into a different perspective besides my Christian one is eye opening, to be sure.
A stimulating read and an important one! Great for inducing a lot of self-awareness and self-definition of one's own beliefs.
November 5, 2016
Hard to get through. It feels forced after he did so well with his first book. He follows a script: go to a significant place droll on for pages describing what the Bible says about it. (Some of this isn't too bad, some of it feels like filler) Repeat the history of the area that you can find on Wikipedia or in any other book, then tell us why it didn't really happen that way and how the Bible was made up by some guys with good intent but in spite of its fallacious information the author feels closer to the text, location, people, or some other eureka moment. If you like wishy washy cherry picking of the Bible combined with forced conclusions drawn from someone who appears to have only recently read part of the Bible who then concludes that truth is subjective and you can draw close to God based on your feelings (inspite of the warnings of the text) this is the book for you.
October 14, 2017
I enjoyed this book, as the author visited places where the bible was actually written and the stories happened.
March 28, 2013
Whilst reading the stories along the way, author Bruce Feiler retraces Hebrew Bible narratives in their original locales. As his own faith deepens and broadens, Feiler provides historical, cultural, archeological, and biblical perspectives on how and where the eternal, universal, ubiquitous God of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity began self-revealing to humanity and entered into covenant relationship with creation. Feiler's journey though bible lands is both ecumenical and interfaith; I especially appreciate his articulating some the typically overlooked and ignored fact of the immense influence Zoroastrianism has had on Judaism and Christianity (hey, people in classes I've taught, how many times have I tried to explain that?!).
At first I was disappointed, since a total of about 100 pages near the beginning are the kind of "I went there; he said this; I went to another place; they said that" narrative of encounters a person remembers with warmth and that provide backstory for the entire experience, but that for anyone who wasn't there are better shortened into about a tenth of the space. I remember thinking, "despite my interest in the subject, this is going to be a 3-star review" but when I got into Feiler's substantial theological and historical observations, I discovered I'd been very mistaken.
Yes, Yahweh promised the Exodus wanderers a place and a space, promised to accompany them "into the land," but as Feiler points out, ultimately their identity as the people of God living in a covenant of grace, love, hospitality, and peace depended not upon geography or temple, but meant obediently keeping Torah. Wherever you were, wherever you wandered, any place you were sent, whether in Jerusalem or in diaspora at the furthest ends of the earth, unlike the assorted place gods of the rest of the ancient near east, Yahweh was there. Page 194: "Wandering is holy, too. God is not exclusively a figure of the land; he's also a figure of the wilderness. He's a figure of all lands." On page 196, "With no access to sacred sites, sacred text becomes Israel's lifeline to its past." And the people of the God of history become people with a story.
I love the author's emphasis on the power of prophecy along with God's call to us to partner with heaven in re-creating justice and righteousness in a broken world. As Martin Buber pointed out, it is not the priest but the prophet who holds true power and authority. Through Yahweh's word spoken by prophets, scripture becomes a voice for and the voice of the broken, needy and vulnerable. Created in the divine image, humans also speak and live a creative, redemptive reconciling word.
Where God Was Born includes an informal bibliography of additional resources and a comprehensive index. If any aspect of Bruce Feiler's journey interests you, I trust you'll enjoy and benefit from this book.
At first I was disappointed, since a total of about 100 pages near the beginning are the kind of "I went there; he said this; I went to another place; they said that" narrative of encounters a person remembers with warmth and that provide backstory for the entire experience, but that for anyone who wasn't there are better shortened into about a tenth of the space. I remember thinking, "despite my interest in the subject, this is going to be a 3-star review" but when I got into Feiler's substantial theological and historical observations, I discovered I'd been very mistaken.
Yes, Yahweh promised the Exodus wanderers a place and a space, promised to accompany them "into the land," but as Feiler points out, ultimately their identity as the people of God living in a covenant of grace, love, hospitality, and peace depended not upon geography or temple, but meant obediently keeping Torah. Wherever you were, wherever you wandered, any place you were sent, whether in Jerusalem or in diaspora at the furthest ends of the earth, unlike the assorted place gods of the rest of the ancient near east, Yahweh was there. Page 194: "Wandering is holy, too. God is not exclusively a figure of the land; he's also a figure of the wilderness. He's a figure of all lands." On page 196, "With no access to sacred sites, sacred text becomes Israel's lifeline to its past." And the people of the God of history become people with a story.
I love the author's emphasis on the power of prophecy along with God's call to us to partner with heaven in re-creating justice and righteousness in a broken world. As Martin Buber pointed out, it is not the priest but the prophet who holds true power and authority. Through Yahweh's word spoken by prophets, scripture becomes a voice for and the voice of the broken, needy and vulnerable. Created in the divine image, humans also speak and live a creative, redemptive reconciling word.
Where God Was Born includes an informal bibliography of additional resources and a comprehensive index. If any aspect of Bruce Feiler's journey interests you, I trust you'll enjoy and benefit from this book.
August 19, 2011
Mr Feiler likes to travel to the sites of Bible stories to better understand them. In this book, he shares his journeys to Jerusalem to visit the Western Wall, to Iraq to see the cradle of civilization where the Tigris and Euphrates run, and to Iran. He sees not only the archaeological sites, but also engages in conversations about religion and growing relationships with God. He sees that the Jewish people grew from a faith based on land (building the temple in Jerusalem) to a faith that worked anywhere (as they lived in exile in Babylon).
This is a book I want to read again, because there is so much to absorb.
This is a book I want to read again, because there is so much to absorb.
January 2, 2013
I read this a few years ago. My copy has the subtitle 'A Journey by Land to the Roots of Religion' which I think is a better description as it was neither daring nor an adventure but it was very interesting.
January 9, 2024
This is a book about people more than it is a book about land. The author meets up with significant figures across the Middle East in the early years of the twenty-first century.
Yoram Yair was the first Israeli to penetrate the Sinai during the Six-Day War, the last to hold the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War and the one who led an amphibious landing closest to Beirut during the Lebanon War. For him the first rule of war was: "Don't underestimate your enemy." Yaya pointed out a clear boulevard between two ridges in the central mountains near Shechem. He explained it was clear why Joshua took this path. The people walked on the path while the troops protected them from the ridges. (p13)
What confines the Palestinians to the less desirable land south of Shechem is what drove the Israelites in antiquity: the lesser power must accept the poorer land. Surviving in the Middle East is about water, so the fertile areas with water were conquered earliest in the days of Joshua. (p15)
As Moses warned, conquering the land does not end the challenges it begins them. Balancing life on earth with a life that meets the standards of God is not easy. (p27)
The word for judges, sopet, adds the theological element of divination to the more legalistic English term. (p37)
David's name appears more than a thousand times in the Bible. Some scholars suggest the faith should not be called Judaism but Davidism. (p39)
In the Middle Ages, Jews, Christians and Muslims used the Magen David, the Star of David, to ward off demons. Enlightenment Jews used it to signify that Judaism was a religion, not a race. Zionists used it as a symbol of strength and Nazis as a brand of hate. (p42)
Three days walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem. (p42)
The sword on the king of spades playing card is said to commemorate David's battle with Goliath. (p46) Goliath is outfitted with Egyptian armour, an Asiatic sword and an Assyrian helmet. The battle between single emissaries mirrors that of Hector and Achilles that took place in the same time period. (p47)
Marrying the king's daughter was tantamount to staking a claim on the throne. Michal is the only woman in the Hebrew Bible said to love a man. David does not speak of love, however, but refers to the nuptials as becoming the king's son-in-law. (p54)
Some detractors of the Bible claim that most of it was made up by the Israelites to aggrandise their history. Yet such criticism ignores the deep strain of weakness, even criminality, evident in many of the prominent stories. ‘Abraham permits his wife to philander with the pharaoh and tries to kill both of his sons, Jacob outright deceives his father to swipe the inheritance of his brother, Esau; Moses commits murder and feels to the desert.’ (p55)
Positive, perfectly timed, supposedly coincidental events orchestrate David's rise to power. In marrying Abigail, Nabal's widow, David becomes the most powerful, and possibly the richest, layman in Judah. His ultimate act of cunning is to join forces with the Philistines. He's a cross between Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan, the first Machiavellian prince. Jonathan Kirsch describes him as "Robin Hood with blood-stained hands", Steven McKenzie uses "terrorist" and Baruch Halpern opts for "Hannibal Lecter". (p57)
If the Gihon spring didn't exist, there probably wouldn't be Jerusalem. (p63)
Charles Warren was allegedly forced to resign as Head of Scotland Yard for failing to catch Jack the Ripper. (p67)
David brought the legacy of Mount Sinai to Mount Zion. (p76)
Anne Boleyn's older sister was the king's mistress. (p80)
Solomon means "the replacement". (p81)
Unlike Jesus, David ends his life surrounded by few disciples and even fewer loved ones. He is lonely, weak and pitiable. (p85)
Biblical historiography is unique in many ways because it goes from one character to another, presenting our history through people. And that history is the story of the failure of our leaders. God is our blessing, our leaders are our punishment. Yair Zakovitch (p85)
The retaining wall of Herod's Temple was 17 limestone blocks high. At the corner of the temple was a stone with an inscription, "To the place of trumpeting." A priest would blow at the beginning and end of every Sabbath. The stone with the inscription was broken and fell . It was found in 1968. (p93)
Canaanites often built prayer niches on threshing floors to honour the gods of fertility. David’s message by co-opting an existing threshing floor is ‘My god is stronger than yours.’ It is consistent with ancient practice of using existing sanctified spaces. (p96)
Comparison of Solomon with a pharaoh: enslaves the Israelites, forces them to build monuments, drives them into rebellion. The Hebrew word for temple, "hekal", is similar to Akkadian, Ugaritic and Canaanite words for "great house". The real source of temple wealth is slaves and taxes. Introducing hard labour, he sends 30,000 slaves to Lebanon to harvest cedar, conscripts 70,000 carriers and 80,000 quarriers. The north, ironically, seeks an alliance with Egypt. The ground plan of the temple matches the precise dimensions of the White House. (p97)
The entire Temple structure is nearly identical to that at Karnak in Egypt. (p98)
In 1967, after the recapture of the Temple Mount, Moshe Dayan in seeking peace, returned control to the Muslim religious authority, the Wakf. (p101)
Kidron means "turbid". (p103)
The Golden Gate has two archways: the Gate of Repentance and the Gate of Mercy. (p105)
Praying at the Western Wall only began in the 16th century, as a result of an act of toleration by the Muslim rulers who considered that this was where Mohammed's horse, El-Buraq, was tethered during his ascension to heaven. (p108f)
Proximity to God cannot be confused with intimacy with God. (p119)
The prophet does not suggest what will happen, he or she dictates what must happen if the people don’t alter their ways. He is not a prognosticator, he is a poet, a social critic, a moralist. He is a man of God with all the power, moral vision and contradiction that implies. (p132)
Mesopotamia comes from Greek "mesos", middle, and "potamos", rivers. Euphrates "sweet water", Tigris "fast as an arrow". (p142)
The Sumerian name for ziggurat was Etemennigur, foundation of heaven and earth. Ziggurat is from the Akkadian, to build high. (p159) The Etruscans called them "ekzakkera" or breast of God. (p160)
Abraham may not have been born in Ur. His brother was born there and he left there, but it is not clear he was born there. (p163)
The original name for Sumer was the "place of civilised lords" and its people called themselves "the black-headed people". (p166)
The word Eden is derived from Sumerian "edin", a plain or open country.
A re-creation of the 4000-year-old gold harp Woolley discovered at Tell Muqayyar greets visitors at Nasiriyah today. (p171)
The weekly reading of the haftarah was believed to begin when the Syrian rulers of Judea forbade reading of the Torah. (p176)
In 1781 August Scholzer coined the term "Semitic" to describe the languages of the tribes around Mesopotamia. (p185)
The only surviving example of the Code of Hammurabi is engraved on black diorite, giving us the expression "written in stone". (p186)
The broad central avenue of Babylon was called "May the enemy not cross it." Babylon was roughly square, bisected by the Euphrates and surrounded by an eleven-mile long wall wide enough for two horse carriages to pass without touching. Herodotus reported that the houses were three or four stories high, the streets ran in straight lines, not only parallel to the river, but also the cross streets that run down to the waterside. (p189)
The Sumerians parcelled the day into 24 hours and the circle into 360 parts. The Babylonians perfected the use of sundial, water clock, lunar calendar, solar calendar of 29 or 30 days. (p199)
The word "Chaldean" was a term of respect and came to mean "astronomer". (p200)
The name Baghdad comes from Aramaic "sheep enclosure" or Persian "gift of God". (p212) The Mongols, under Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis, sacked Baghdad in 1258, killing 800,000 people, a blow from which Arab civilisation has never recovered. (p 213)
Gertrude Bell served under TE Lawrence in intelligence in WWI and, as Oriental secretary in Iraq, drew up the present borders. (p216)
At the end of WWII, there were 150,000 Jews in Baghdad, when the author visited there were 22. (p223)
The Talmud, "learning", contains two main parts: the Mishnah, a compilation of Jewish law from about the year 200, and the Gemara, commentaries on those laws. There is one Mishnah, two Gemara. If Jews are "people of the Book", that book is the Talmud. (p224)
Muslim attitudes towards Jews in Iraq did not sour until the 20th century with the rise of Zionism. In 1941, radical Muslims funded by the German embassy staged a pogrom, killing 180 Jews. Other outbreaks followed the founding of Israel. In 1950, Iraqi Jews were permitted to flee. Israel encouraged them with: "O Zion, flee!" "Israel is calling you - come out of Babylon!" More than 100,000 Jews were then airlifted within six months in Operation Ezra and Nehemiah. (p225) About 6000 Jews were left. Many were accused of spying and on 27 January 1969, eleven were sentenced to be hanged. Radio Baghdad urged listeners to "come and enjoy the feast" and ten of thousands did. On international outcry, the response was: "We hanged spies but the Jews crucified Christ." Most remaining Jews then left, and only about 150 remained when Saddam Hussein rose to power. (p226)
During the first Gulf War, 613 jewels were hidden in the basement of the Iraq National Bank. When the Americans arrived, the vault was flooded. It was drained and the jewels recovered. (p149)
Assyrians consider themselves the first converts to Christianity. (p255)
Assyrians undid many of the enlightened laws towards women Hammurabi had put in place. It was harder for a woman to get a divorce, a man could sell his daughters as temporary slaves, the veil was for upper-class women. Prostitutes were expressly excluded. (p177)
Mullahs descended from Mohammed wear black turbans. (p178)
Ahuramazda's chief teaching was that life is a duality of good and bad. God s wholly good but he is not wholly powerful. (p286) Zoroaster advocated a life based on "good thoughts, good words, and good deeds." Before the rise of Islam, there were millions of Zoroastrians. It is now less than 100,000 in Iran. Around the same in India where they are called Parsees. (p287)
Zoroastrians are theists and do not worship the fire. They regard it as a symbol of purity. Only Ahuramazda is worthy to be worshipped. The fire is kept continually burning by a priest who adds dry almond or apricot wood several times a day. (p288)
Zoroastrianism arose out of a merger of different traditions, including shamanism and Mithraism. (p290)
The prophets say it's not about the powerful, but about the people. All humans deserve justice and they must act justly to achieve it. People become co-workers with God. (p290)
Zoroastrianism is not moralistic, but moral. "You are free to choose, choose well."(p291)
Dakhmas, or silence towers, were built by Zoroastrians as places to bring their dead to be eaten by birds. (p291) Humans were not cremated because burning the body would defile the fire. They were not buried because that would defile the earth. (p292)
David is denied the right to build the First Temple. Ironically Cyrus, a Gentile, is credited with building the Second. (p298)
Persepolis has a flight of 111 steps. (p303)
The Achaemenids created the world's first postal system, including staging posts. They also emphasised personal happiness as the fourth creations of the gods. First heaven was created, then earth, then man then happiness for man. (p306)
In 1974, a 200-rial banknote was issued in Iran with a six-pointed star on it. The hexagram is often used in Muslim mosaics, but the banknote led to the rumour that the shah was secretly financed by Israel. It was withdrawn by the end of its first day of distribution. (p323)
The postmen saved the Jews in the time of Esther. They used the postal roads built by Darius. (p336)
The story of the oil for the menorah is found in the Talmud, not in the history of the Maccabees. (p355)
Hanukkah emerged as a major holiday in the late 19th century on the back of Zionism and America. It emphasised Jewish independence through military action, proclaiming it was better than the Christian holiday of Christmas. A popular song boasted, "No miracle happened here," but insisted on human might. (p356)
The lights of Hanukkah are not meant to be lit inside, but on the threshold, proclaiming your faith to the world. (p362)
Mary Magdalene is said to have witnessed to the Emperor Tiberius about the resurrection. Holding an egg, she declared, 'Christ has risen!' He scoffed at her, saying, 'How could anyone rise from the dead? It's as impossible as that egg turning red.' Whereupon, the egg turned red. (p366)
Yoram Yair was the first Israeli to penetrate the Sinai during the Six-Day War, the last to hold the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War and the one who led an amphibious landing closest to Beirut during the Lebanon War. For him the first rule of war was: "Don't underestimate your enemy." Yaya pointed out a clear boulevard between two ridges in the central mountains near Shechem. He explained it was clear why Joshua took this path. The people walked on the path while the troops protected them from the ridges. (p13)
What confines the Palestinians to the less desirable land south of Shechem is what drove the Israelites in antiquity: the lesser power must accept the poorer land. Surviving in the Middle East is about water, so the fertile areas with water were conquered earliest in the days of Joshua. (p15)
As Moses warned, conquering the land does not end the challenges it begins them. Balancing life on earth with a life that meets the standards of God is not easy. (p27)
The word for judges, sopet, adds the theological element of divination to the more legalistic English term. (p37)
David's name appears more than a thousand times in the Bible. Some scholars suggest the faith should not be called Judaism but Davidism. (p39)
In the Middle Ages, Jews, Christians and Muslims used the Magen David, the Star of David, to ward off demons. Enlightenment Jews used it to signify that Judaism was a religion, not a race. Zionists used it as a symbol of strength and Nazis as a brand of hate. (p42)
Three days walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem. (p42)
The sword on the king of spades playing card is said to commemorate David's battle with Goliath. (p46) Goliath is outfitted with Egyptian armour, an Asiatic sword and an Assyrian helmet. The battle between single emissaries mirrors that of Hector and Achilles that took place in the same time period. (p47)
Marrying the king's daughter was tantamount to staking a claim on the throne. Michal is the only woman in the Hebrew Bible said to love a man. David does not speak of love, however, but refers to the nuptials as becoming the king's son-in-law. (p54)
Some detractors of the Bible claim that most of it was made up by the Israelites to aggrandise their history. Yet such criticism ignores the deep strain of weakness, even criminality, evident in many of the prominent stories. ‘Abraham permits his wife to philander with the pharaoh and tries to kill both of his sons, Jacob outright deceives his father to swipe the inheritance of his brother, Esau; Moses commits murder and feels to the desert.’ (p55)
Positive, perfectly timed, supposedly coincidental events orchestrate David's rise to power. In marrying Abigail, Nabal's widow, David becomes the most powerful, and possibly the richest, layman in Judah. His ultimate act of cunning is to join forces with the Philistines. He's a cross between Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan, the first Machiavellian prince. Jonathan Kirsch describes him as "Robin Hood with blood-stained hands", Steven McKenzie uses "terrorist" and Baruch Halpern opts for "Hannibal Lecter". (p57)
If the Gihon spring didn't exist, there probably wouldn't be Jerusalem. (p63)
Charles Warren was allegedly forced to resign as Head of Scotland Yard for failing to catch Jack the Ripper. (p67)
David brought the legacy of Mount Sinai to Mount Zion. (p76)
Anne Boleyn's older sister was the king's mistress. (p80)
Solomon means "the replacement". (p81)
Unlike Jesus, David ends his life surrounded by few disciples and even fewer loved ones. He is lonely, weak and pitiable. (p85)
Biblical historiography is unique in many ways because it goes from one character to another, presenting our history through people. And that history is the story of the failure of our leaders. God is our blessing, our leaders are our punishment. Yair Zakovitch (p85)
The retaining wall of Herod's Temple was 17 limestone blocks high. At the corner of the temple was a stone with an inscription, "To the place of trumpeting." A priest would blow at the beginning and end of every Sabbath. The stone with the inscription was broken and fell . It was found in 1968. (p93)
Canaanites often built prayer niches on threshing floors to honour the gods of fertility. David’s message by co-opting an existing threshing floor is ‘My god is stronger than yours.’ It is consistent with ancient practice of using existing sanctified spaces. (p96)
Comparison of Solomon with a pharaoh: enslaves the Israelites, forces them to build monuments, drives them into rebellion. The Hebrew word for temple, "hekal", is similar to Akkadian, Ugaritic and Canaanite words for "great house". The real source of temple wealth is slaves and taxes. Introducing hard labour, he sends 30,000 slaves to Lebanon to harvest cedar, conscripts 70,000 carriers and 80,000 quarriers. The north, ironically, seeks an alliance with Egypt. The ground plan of the temple matches the precise dimensions of the White House. (p97)
The entire Temple structure is nearly identical to that at Karnak in Egypt. (p98)
In 1967, after the recapture of the Temple Mount, Moshe Dayan in seeking peace, returned control to the Muslim religious authority, the Wakf. (p101)
Kidron means "turbid". (p103)
The Golden Gate has two archways: the Gate of Repentance and the Gate of Mercy. (p105)
Praying at the Western Wall only began in the 16th century, as a result of an act of toleration by the Muslim rulers who considered that this was where Mohammed's horse, El-Buraq, was tethered during his ascension to heaven. (p108f)
Proximity to God cannot be confused with intimacy with God. (p119)
The prophet does not suggest what will happen, he or she dictates what must happen if the people don’t alter their ways. He is not a prognosticator, he is a poet, a social critic, a moralist. He is a man of God with all the power, moral vision and contradiction that implies. (p132)
Mesopotamia comes from Greek "mesos", middle, and "potamos", rivers. Euphrates "sweet water", Tigris "fast as an arrow". (p142)
The Sumerian name for ziggurat was Etemennigur, foundation of heaven and earth. Ziggurat is from the Akkadian, to build high. (p159) The Etruscans called them "ekzakkera" or breast of God. (p160)
Abraham may not have been born in Ur. His brother was born there and he left there, but it is not clear he was born there. (p163)
The original name for Sumer was the "place of civilised lords" and its people called themselves "the black-headed people". (p166)
The word Eden is derived from Sumerian "edin", a plain or open country.
A re-creation of the 4000-year-old gold harp Woolley discovered at Tell Muqayyar greets visitors at Nasiriyah today. (p171)
The weekly reading of the haftarah was believed to begin when the Syrian rulers of Judea forbade reading of the Torah. (p176)
In 1781 August Scholzer coined the term "Semitic" to describe the languages of the tribes around Mesopotamia. (p185)
The only surviving example of the Code of Hammurabi is engraved on black diorite, giving us the expression "written in stone". (p186)
The broad central avenue of Babylon was called "May the enemy not cross it." Babylon was roughly square, bisected by the Euphrates and surrounded by an eleven-mile long wall wide enough for two horse carriages to pass without touching. Herodotus reported that the houses were three or four stories high, the streets ran in straight lines, not only parallel to the river, but also the cross streets that run down to the waterside. (p189)
The Sumerians parcelled the day into 24 hours and the circle into 360 parts. The Babylonians perfected the use of sundial, water clock, lunar calendar, solar calendar of 29 or 30 days. (p199)
The word "Chaldean" was a term of respect and came to mean "astronomer". (p200)
The name Baghdad comes from Aramaic "sheep enclosure" or Persian "gift of God". (p212) The Mongols, under Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis, sacked Baghdad in 1258, killing 800,000 people, a blow from which Arab civilisation has never recovered. (p 213)
Gertrude Bell served under TE Lawrence in intelligence in WWI and, as Oriental secretary in Iraq, drew up the present borders. (p216)
At the end of WWII, there were 150,000 Jews in Baghdad, when the author visited there were 22. (p223)
The Talmud, "learning", contains two main parts: the Mishnah, a compilation of Jewish law from about the year 200, and the Gemara, commentaries on those laws. There is one Mishnah, two Gemara. If Jews are "people of the Book", that book is the Talmud. (p224)
Muslim attitudes towards Jews in Iraq did not sour until the 20th century with the rise of Zionism. In 1941, radical Muslims funded by the German embassy staged a pogrom, killing 180 Jews. Other outbreaks followed the founding of Israel. In 1950, Iraqi Jews were permitted to flee. Israel encouraged them with: "O Zion, flee!" "Israel is calling you - come out of Babylon!" More than 100,000 Jews were then airlifted within six months in Operation Ezra and Nehemiah. (p225) About 6000 Jews were left. Many were accused of spying and on 27 January 1969, eleven were sentenced to be hanged. Radio Baghdad urged listeners to "come and enjoy the feast" and ten of thousands did. On international outcry, the response was: "We hanged spies but the Jews crucified Christ." Most remaining Jews then left, and only about 150 remained when Saddam Hussein rose to power. (p226)
During the first Gulf War, 613 jewels were hidden in the basement of the Iraq National Bank. When the Americans arrived, the vault was flooded. It was drained and the jewels recovered. (p149)
Assyrians consider themselves the first converts to Christianity. (p255)
Assyrians undid many of the enlightened laws towards women Hammurabi had put in place. It was harder for a woman to get a divorce, a man could sell his daughters as temporary slaves, the veil was for upper-class women. Prostitutes were expressly excluded. (p177)
Mullahs descended from Mohammed wear black turbans. (p178)
Ahuramazda's chief teaching was that life is a duality of good and bad. God s wholly good but he is not wholly powerful. (p286) Zoroaster advocated a life based on "good thoughts, good words, and good deeds." Before the rise of Islam, there were millions of Zoroastrians. It is now less than 100,000 in Iran. Around the same in India where they are called Parsees. (p287)
Zoroastrians are theists and do not worship the fire. They regard it as a symbol of purity. Only Ahuramazda is worthy to be worshipped. The fire is kept continually burning by a priest who adds dry almond or apricot wood several times a day. (p288)
Zoroastrianism arose out of a merger of different traditions, including shamanism and Mithraism. (p290)
The prophets say it's not about the powerful, but about the people. All humans deserve justice and they must act justly to achieve it. People become co-workers with God. (p290)
Zoroastrianism is not moralistic, but moral. "You are free to choose, choose well."(p291)
Dakhmas, or silence towers, were built by Zoroastrians as places to bring their dead to be eaten by birds. (p291) Humans were not cremated because burning the body would defile the fire. They were not buried because that would defile the earth. (p292)
David is denied the right to build the First Temple. Ironically Cyrus, a Gentile, is credited with building the Second. (p298)
Persepolis has a flight of 111 steps. (p303)
The Achaemenids created the world's first postal system, including staging posts. They also emphasised personal happiness as the fourth creations of the gods. First heaven was created, then earth, then man then happiness for man. (p306)
In 1974, a 200-rial banknote was issued in Iran with a six-pointed star on it. The hexagram is often used in Muslim mosaics, but the banknote led to the rumour that the shah was secretly financed by Israel. It was withdrawn by the end of its first day of distribution. (p323)
The postmen saved the Jews in the time of Esther. They used the postal roads built by Darius. (p336)
The story of the oil for the menorah is found in the Talmud, not in the history of the Maccabees. (p355)
Hanukkah emerged as a major holiday in the late 19th century on the back of Zionism and America. It emphasised Jewish independence through military action, proclaiming it was better than the Christian holiday of Christmas. A popular song boasted, "No miracle happened here," but insisted on human might. (p356)
The lights of Hanukkah are not meant to be lit inside, but on the threshold, proclaiming your faith to the world. (p362)
Mary Magdalene is said to have witnessed to the Emperor Tiberius about the resurrection. Holding an egg, she declared, 'Christ has risen!' He scoffed at her, saying, 'How could anyone rise from the dead? It's as impossible as that egg turning red.' Whereupon, the egg turned red. (p366)
June 20, 2017
A friend of mine with someone questionable taste in books [1] loaned me this particular volume to read, and it generally matches with many of the other books I have read from this source. If this book was interesting and well-written, which it was, it was by no means a perfect book, nor did I find the author's perspective to be all that impressive. This is a book that seeks to understand God and the Bible from the point of view of a self-sufficient human being, and like Henry James falls into the wrong viewpoint of religion as being for people who fancy themselves well rather than admit themselves to be otherwise. This is a book by a smug person who thinks themselves to be moderate and tolerant and who has insufficient respect and honor for God and a strong and lamentably common tendency to lump together extremists with those who take God's word seriously, having a certainty about scripture that differs in content but is the same in moral result as those extremists whom they view with condescension and contempt. In short, I found much to annoy me about this book even where I found it well-written from the point of view of style.
This volume contains about 400 pages of material in three parts. The first part looks at how this Southern-raised liberal American Jew examines life in Israel, the second part concerns his travels in Iraq, and the third part looks at his travels with his wife in Iran. The author's claim to look at the Greatest stories in the Bible focuses, perhaps a bit predictably, on the New Testament, except that the author of course fails to come to grips with the Gospels. At least somewhat admirably he shows some interest in the Torah and a high degree of skepticism about the value of the Talmud. At least a few of the stories are immensely entertaining and it is clear that the author has developed quite a few connections that allow him to travel to places despite the intense dangers he is sometimes under in the course of his journeys. Throughout his travels the author meets with other adventuresome people and even attempts to get a grasp for history and theology by talking to scholars, as well as a grasp of culture by talking to various ordinary people. Even if the author is not really a religious authority, nor certainly wise enough to avoid speaking about that which he does not remotely understand, he appears to be reasonably good as an interviewer and the book has a high degree of excitement and interest.
As might be expected, the title of the book gives away its fundamental failure. As a travelogue it is a reasonably good book, and the author certainly knows how to write. Unfortunately, this is a book that fundamentally fails to give God what He is due, and rather seeks to view God as having been created by man rather than being the creator of man. And at its heart, this fundamental error makes the book meaningless as theology even if it is at least somewhat entertaining as an account of the author's self-professed daring adventures, at least a few of which are against the laws of the lands the author travels to. This volume is sufficiently entertaining for me to want to know more about the author, but not sufficiently worthwhile for me to think highly of the author's view of the Bible. Those who fancy themselves to be progressive believers in Christianity or especially Judaism will find much that is congenial here, but those readers who take their faith more seriously will likely find the author's illusion of certainty about various biblical matters and the origins of certain doctrines and beliefs to be woefully inadequate.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
This volume contains about 400 pages of material in three parts. The first part looks at how this Southern-raised liberal American Jew examines life in Israel, the second part concerns his travels in Iraq, and the third part looks at his travels with his wife in Iran. The author's claim to look at the Greatest stories in the Bible focuses, perhaps a bit predictably, on the New Testament, except that the author of course fails to come to grips with the Gospels. At least somewhat admirably he shows some interest in the Torah and a high degree of skepticism about the value of the Talmud. At least a few of the stories are immensely entertaining and it is clear that the author has developed quite a few connections that allow him to travel to places despite the intense dangers he is sometimes under in the course of his journeys. Throughout his travels the author meets with other adventuresome people and even attempts to get a grasp for history and theology by talking to scholars, as well as a grasp of culture by talking to various ordinary people. Even if the author is not really a religious authority, nor certainly wise enough to avoid speaking about that which he does not remotely understand, he appears to be reasonably good as an interviewer and the book has a high degree of excitement and interest.
As might be expected, the title of the book gives away its fundamental failure. As a travelogue it is a reasonably good book, and the author certainly knows how to write. Unfortunately, this is a book that fundamentally fails to give God what He is due, and rather seeks to view God as having been created by man rather than being the creator of man. And at its heart, this fundamental error makes the book meaningless as theology even if it is at least somewhat entertaining as an account of the author's self-professed daring adventures, at least a few of which are against the laws of the lands the author travels to. This volume is sufficiently entertaining for me to want to know more about the author, but not sufficiently worthwhile for me to think highly of the author's view of the Bible. Those who fancy themselves to be progressive believers in Christianity or especially Judaism will find much that is congenial here, but those readers who take their faith more seriously will likely find the author's illusion of certainty about various biblical matters and the origins of certain doctrines and beliefs to be woefully inadequate.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
August 2, 2020
This was the 3rd Feiler book I’ve read, the first two of which were outstanding (“Council of Dads” and “Walking the Bible”). Both of those were great. I was expecting as much from this one, but nah. I was disappointed with this book. I’ll start with the title: it isn’t a “daring adventure.” I hate it when titles or subtitles inaccurately hype a book. That’s an indication the book lacks substance. And this book lacks substance. The book is less about the archeological findings and more about the people who happened to be there when he visited and musings about his own faith. (FYI: Feiler is Jewish and his faith has evolved over the course of these books. I’m not opposed to that but he muses too much on his own personal faith in this book.) The book is flat. I’m sorry to say, it is flat. If you are interested in what I’ll characterize as “pre-Abram Lavant/Mesopotamian religion,” I suspect there are better books out there.
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October 23, 2021I borrowed this book from my son when I needed a book while traveling. It is at once a travel memoir and a historical account of the evolution of Judaism. Bruce Feiler, who wrote "Walking the Bible" and "Abraham", returns to the Middle East in 2005, after the invasion of Saddam's Iraq. His trip is a pilgrimage to the major sites of the Old Testament. Against the backdrop of recent military conflict, he attempts to feel the reality of these ancient archaeological sites. His quest is to understand the evolution of his faith and to see how the three Abrahamic faiths coexisted and influenced each other. His account illuminates these sites and brings them to life. Ultimately Feiler finds the courage to claim his own faith, even where it was not wise to disclose it. In the process, he finds hope in a more universal expression of faith than any of the tribal and fundamentalist versions that continue to roil the Middle East.
June 13, 2018
Curiously the subtitle of this follow-up to “Walking the Bible” was changed for the paperback edition. Originally it was “A Journey by Land to the Roots of Religion.” The Scripture featured is actually some of the less familiar. More exciting are the means by which the author gained access to archeologists, biblical scholars & devotees of the 3 Abrahamic faiths in Israel, Iraq & Iran shortly after the fall of Baghdad: sometimes via proper channels, sometimes circumventing them, but always at peril to himself & his guides. The powerful takeaway from examining these often overlooked texts through the lens of his on-the-ground experience is that any notion that Judaism, Christianity & Islam cannot eventually peacefully coexist is an oversimplified view from the cheap seats.
July 19, 2020
This book is SO much more than a travel guide through the Middle East, or even a commentary on Bible geography . It is more of a memoir of the author’s spiritual journey, his yearning to reconcile some of his questions of faith with the Bible narratives and striving to resolve them by “being there.” His “quest” makes him more real and vulnerable, which I admire.
Fifteen years have passed since the author made his journey. I don’t know what new insights he might find if he traveled today, as things change so rapidly in that part of the world. So as I read, that question kept popping up in my mind. It is probable that many of the people he met and engaged with might have different stories to tell today.
July 12, 2017
It was okay but didn't come anywhere close to living up to the hype. Feiler strays too far from the topic, for too long, to be considered a good book, and he repeats himself so often (and repeats interviews in full, even when they don't add much) that, in between talking about how awesome his wife is and how he's searching for his own identity (aside from going to an Ivy League school, how many times did I hear that in the book?), this book feels very padded. I learned a few new things, but I was surprised at how much he discovered that even I, not really being that well-versed in the Bible, knew already.
August 19, 2020
Audiobook. Had the book for years and couldn't motivate myself to read it. Audio got me through, but generally, nice, personal, eh. Maybe what I enjoyed more than the travels to Israel, Iraq and Iran, was watching him evolve from a cultural Jew to a religious Jew. Well, actually I didn't see fruition, but at least some epiphanies. And my exposure to the Middle East is lacking, so a glance and reminders about ancient civilization of modern-day Iraq and Iran and the loving appreciation he has for the land and sites was informative. But it's still 2 stars.
June 17, 2017
A marathon of a book, but a good run. Mr. Feiler explores lands that have a history of religious people. One learns ancient history along with modern day history and traditions. Feiler Quotes Genesis "And God said,'Let us make man in our own image'" His conclusion: "All humans are created in God's image, so disrespecting another human is disrespecting God. From the earliest days of human existence, God compels us to honor hid creation by respecting it'd diversity."
March 16, 2020
Three-line review: Coming off our trip to Israel, I was interested in learning more about the religious history of the Middle East, which is what drew me to this book. Feiler makes his journey through Israel, Iraq, and Iran searching for information and answers about religion while examining his own Jewish roots in an Eat, Pray, Love kind of way. I found his travels more interesting than his spiritual journey, however, and even that wasn't exactly a "daring adventure."
October 12, 2022
It was a bit dull and long winded in some areas of the book, and there were some questionable perspectives the author provided on his take of the Bible, however, I really appreciate seeing a different viewpoint on the scriptures and the author actually going to the places that Biblical people traversed. I did enjoy, 'seeing' from the authors description, the lands he visited and he has inspired me to one day visit Jerusalem.
March 5, 2017
I love reading books that allow me to change my mind. This one does just that: following Mr Feller's footsteps allowed me to 'see' the world through his eyes. I appreciate his candor about being Jewish in today's world. I also appreciate how much he put himself and his wife at risk being there.
My wife bought me this book for my recent birthday as a present. What a present it was. Thank you.
My wife bought me this book for my recent birthday as a present. What a present it was. Thank you.
November 16, 2020
Postcards From The Past
Written by Mandi Chestler on August 27th, 2007
Book Rating: 4/5
From Israel to Iraq, Iran and back again to Israel, the book is like receiving postcards from God's past. Bruce Feiler is part travel writer, part biblical historian, with a smattering of archaeology and political commentary thrown in. The section on Iran and Zoroastrianism were particularly interesting.
January 28, 2019
I really did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I learned a lot about History and Geography of the Bible as well as information about other faiths. Finally, this book helped solidify the importance of strengthening my relationship wit God. I hope I enjoy his other books just as much.
June 22, 2019
A great book that got me to rethink religion and the bible. It covers the stories with a mix of archeology, history and current events which makes it surprisingly enjoyable and highly informative.
Definitely recommend (thought not for everyone, maybe bible nerds :P)
Definitely recommend (thought not for everyone, maybe bible nerds :P)
February 12, 2017
Im not well-versed in the Hebrew bible, so much of this book was lost on me. But I plan to return to it again once I'm better prepared.
August 1, 2017
Too much about the author and not enough about the Hebrew Bible and history. Tedious reading.
January 14, 2018
The last of a series of three - and the best!
February 3, 2018
Highly readable and fascinating information and ideas regarding religious influences from ancient times.
March 11, 2019
It’s always interesting to read people’s views on The Bible, especially when you’re traveling in Israel.
March 16, 2021
I don't agree with all but it is very good
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