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Rating: 
Summary: Danger, Will Robinson
Review: A fascinating anthology of Middle Eastern mythology, legal texts, historical chronicle, poetry and vernacular literature. The main character, who actually seldom appears, is one of the wackier figures in the book. He starts off by creating the universe, then once he's added people to it he warns them not to eat a particular fruit. Surprise surprise, they go and do it (well, full points for imagination and obedience, guys) and he gets perhaps unjustifiably upset. I found this a bit psychologically implausible - seems like whoever wrote this part was rigging the bets somewhat - but it does move the story along very quickly, at least in the first few pages. Much of the next few hundred pages consist of a rather interminable historical novel with no very clear direction, although there's an extremely sexy bit called The Song of Songs which would make splendid bedtime reading, and some remarkable cartoon violence. The second half begins with four stories about a revolutionary Palestinian, all of which appear to recount the same events, but actually the subtle differences and nuances work together extremely well (Italo Calvino fans will love it). The next several chapters slacken again, but the final bit is an impressively wacked-out description of the end of the world. Tolkien himself never did any better. The publishers are to be congratulated on making this anthology available. Not only is it a remarkable insight into Jewish and early Christian mythology, which will undoubtedly be of interest to scholars of the period, the English translation (though, I believe over three hundred years old) is really fine, although perhaps a little po-faced for some tastes. A good book.
Rating: 
Summary: A great Bible
Review: A very handsome copy of a great translation of the greatest of books. Highly recomended. Looks great in a personal library.
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Summary: The Greatest Stories Ever Told
Review: I cannot describe how wonderful the whole Bible is, but it has been a wondeful blessing. While you may have been read Bible stories by your parents at bedtime when you were young, you may not have had all of the stories. But with the whole Bible (both Old and New Testaments) you can get the full story. The Holy Bible has been read for about 2,000 years, and it still has a powerful impact on people. The Bible is the story of God told by man. And because many believe that God spoke through the writers of the Bible, a collection of books, it has been called "The Word of God". Learn the teaching of the Christian and Jewish faiths with the Bible, which will give you imformation on their beliefs. The Bible is you #1 guide to learning about those two religions, and it is also your #1 guide when learning their cultures, teachings, and morals. For thousands of years, millions of people have been using the Bible as their morality book. With dozens of stories to live by, many people can learn from the Bible. Journey with the Israelite people, told in the Old Testament, as they struggle to live a good and Godly life. Not only is the Bible the story of God, but it is also the story of man and woman, and how they struggle to avoid sin and do good. To tell the story of evil and sin, the Bible describes the consequences of doing bad things, such as death, suffering, and destruction. When there is sin, there is death. But the Bible is also a book of hope and happiness, which describes the happiness of good people, the joy of the world, and hope for bad people. It describes the forgiveness given to evil people who turn away from their wickedness. The Bible is also a book of poetry, which includes the Book of Psalms and the majestic and moral Book of Proverbs. With many of those things, the Bible is a book that many can benefit from. Yes, people can misinterpret it, just as the Taliban misinterpreted Islam, but study and understanding of God's word can help you understand it. It will last forever!
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Summary: Not a bestseller for nothing
Review: I know. I know. After reading through Exodus, you will feel that God is a monster who should be tried and hung. He makes Mike Hammer look like nothing! Brrrrrrrrr. Rough Dude. I like to think of God as trying to help us. That HE has created Cosmic Law for are own good. And it is not He that causes our suffering, but us. Despite the personification of God in the Bible, I like to think of Him as a benevolent force. Like when your Mommy told you not to touch the hot stove, but you did it anyway. I really hated reading the Bible the first two times. But now I can see it in a more brighter light. When God told Moses to tell the Egyptian King that He would take the lives of all the eldest boys in Egypt if he did not let His people go, we can easily project attributes on the subject, God. But what did He look like? What color were His eyes? Was He tall or short? Did He like popcorn? I think that the silliness of these questions brings us to a state of mind which concludes that He is a force of somekind. And what if we do remove the personification of God? Then how can His actions be personified as well? That is, he killed as he pleased? Doesn't quite fit, does it? Personally, I now feel that these horrendous actions were caused by a violation of Cosmic Law. A couple other things. I'm a Self-Realizationist. But I tried to keep my mind completely open when I read the Bible. It does seem to me that God advocates vegetariansm. I know I may be wrong. But it seems to be stated and repeated so often that a reader would conclude that. Also, reincarnation. I don't know. This is a tough book to entangle. I'm going to try to read it my THIRD time. The vegetarianism stuff seems to get really hit hard in Neurotomy(?) I believe. I advise a 365 daily reading list which costs about a quarter at a Bible store. Then you can read it in one year. Most readings will just take you 10 minutes daily. Some will take an hour. But they are rare. I think that happens in NUMBERS. Now I know why God titled it NUMBERS! I like the King James version. I just think that it's more pure. Please don't argue with other Christians about what is right or wrong in this book with other Christians. That's really crummy and makes you a "Crummy Christian". I have to wait until January 1, 2001 before I start my oddyssey again. To be honest, outside my own findings that reincarnation and vegetarianism seem to be stated, I haven't found anything real juicy yet. I hope you do. Good luck.
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Summary: Amazing Tome of knowledge
Review: The most amazing book ever written, and the most beautiful story ever documented on paper. A Must have.
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Summary: Great Edition For New Believers & Serious Readers
Review: This edition of the King James/Authorized Version of the Holy Bible is solidly bound and printed clearly on good quality paper stock. There are many inexpensive paperbound editions available, but this hardback edition will hold up beautifully for those who read their Bibles daily (and everyone else, too!) and is well worth the extra dollar or two. Makes a wonderful gift to new Christians. :-)
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Summary: This book has it all!
Review: Violence, romance, passion, sex, betrayal, prophesy, war, victory, defeat, wisdom, foolishness, advice, guidance, knowledge, it is all there. The Bible is indeed, the Book of books. I double dog dare ANYONE to read this book cover to cover and THEN claim that it is not an interesting and compelling book. But beyond being interesting, it is The Word of God. For many years, I investigated a number of different philosophies and faiths, trying to find answers to those 1001 questions us deep thinkers can come up with. The Bible soothed my troubled thoughts and satisfied my heart's hunger. It is the wisdom of the ages. Having problems in life? No need to reinvent the wheel. The Bible tells of folks who have been through exactly what you're facing and tells how they resolved their problems. Need some Proverbial wisdom? Check out proverbs. Corrie ten Boom, (whose books I HIGHLY recommend) survived Germany's worst prison camps and in the dozens of books this great Christian writer penned, she would frequently refer to the Bible as "God's Love letter to his child." That just sums it all up.
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