by David Plotz ★★★★★
100% recommended! This romp through the Hebrew Bible is much more than just fascinating and funny. It’s also engrossing, mildly irreverent, thought-provoking, disturbing--you'll love the Good Book whether you’re a believer or not. This is the Bible unveiled in all its grime and greatness. The characters in Genesis are especially unforgettable, from the story of Abimalech lusting after a 90-year-old woman (Sarah, Abraham's wife) to a diabolical mother-and-son plot to rob the simple-minded Esau of his blessing from an over-trusting father.
Book by book, Plotz takes us through the scripture. If Genesis is the best part, then the appendix runs a close second. There you'll learn the Bible's twelve best pick-up lines, the thirteen most spectacular murders, the nine best parties, the best prostitutes, the most hellacious divine punishment, the trippiest dreams, and more.
This is for all you skeptics who think reading the Bible is a waste of time. Plotz apparently thought the same thing before taking on this project. After thirty-nine books, 929 chapters, more than 600,000 words, and just over a year, Plotz admits he's become "a full-on Bible thumper. Everyone should read it--all of it! In fact, the less you believe, the more you should read."
Start with this book as an introduction to get the juices flowing. Plotz is more than a good researcher, he's a great writer. I'm in awe. I could enthusiastically read anything he writes, I'm sure of it. So, when he tackles a topic already fascinating to me (the Bible) it's pure delight. He's also unfortunately a Jew, which means we only get the Old Testament in his Good Book. Please, David, can't you give Billy Graham a listen?
No comments:
Post a Comment