Review by Choice Review
Armstrong is the best-selling author of A History of God (CH, Apr'94, 31-4317), The Battle for God (CH, Nov'00, 38-1499), and other volumes on religion. This volume is vintage Armstrong: sweeping, bold, incisive, and insightful. In eight chapters it covers the history of the writing, canonizing, and reading of the Bible, addressing these subjects: the rise of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the New Testament, the Talmud; interpretation of the Bible from the second century to Augustine; interpretation in Christian monasteries and among Jews from Maimonides to Cabala; interpretation among the Protestant reformers and the Puritans; and interpretation after the Enlightenment. The strength and the weakness of this study is that Armstrong presents her perspective on scholarly issues without discussion of alternatives, leaving the impression of certainty where works for scholars would offer differing opinions and extended arguments to support the conclusions. Her choice of topics is impeccable, however, and her brief, 23-page discussion of the rise of the Talmud is masterful. Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduates, general readers, and practitioners. P. L. Redditt Georgetown College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
"For the Books That Changed the World series of brief biographies of momentous books, Armstrong accepted the arguably most daunting assignment. What other book has as long a history of influence as the Bible, or has affected more people and societies? The author of the sweeping histories of religion The Great Transformation (2006) and A History of God (1993) is, of course, up to the task and provides an excellent précis of the writing and compiling of the Bible and the ensuing centuries of biblical interpretation. Armstrong traces the Bible's transformation from a miscellany of texts into scripture, to which the Jesus movement added the Gospel and the other New Testament texts pretty much in tandem with the development of midrash and the Talmud by non-Christian Jews after the 70 CE destruction of the third temple in Jerusalem. She shows both Christian and rabbinic traditions of interpretation subsequently converging upon charity or love as the essence of God. The subjects of the last three chapters the medieval monastic practice of reading the Bible called lectio divina, Martin Luther's doctrine of sola scriptura, and intellectual modernity are each considered for the ways they gave rise to interpretive movements that affected Christianity directly and spurred reactions in Judaism. This is one terrific little book."--"Olson, Ray" Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Part of Atlantic Monthly's Books That Changed the World series, this "biography" ambitiously undertakes discussing not only the Bible itself (including its history, authorship and origins) but more than 2,000 years of its interpretation by Christians and Jews. In eight short chapters, Armstrong brings the story of biblical hermeneutics from the early church fathers through the rise of monasticism, medieval Kabbalists, and Renaissance inquiry up to the Reformation and the Enlightenment. Armstrong has already perfected the concise but erudite primer on religion, so this brief introductory work can be preserved in its entirety without the awkward abridgments that characterize other scholarly religion books that are adapted to audio. Another plus is the crisp narration by uber-British actress Josephine Bailey. She's in top form, lending the clipped and decidedly upper-crust accent that has served her well. American listeners may smile at hearing familiar biblical names such as Hezekiah or historical names such as Tyndale rendered with a British pronunciation, but Bailey's tone is flawlessly in keeping with Armstrong's learned account. Simultaneous release with the Atlantic Monthly Press hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 27). (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Once again, Armstrong (The Great Transformation) has written a groundbreaking history. This one, a well-reasoned and inspired biography about the most influential book of all time (at least in the West), comes complete with the interesting circumstances, people, and places that made the Bible what it is: so important, controversial, and misunderstood a text. Whether writing on Jewish oral history, providing an unobstructed summary of kabbalistic teachings, or conveying the impact of the Christian Right on American politics, Armstrong shows a depth of insight and transparent understanding of complex theological issues. In her closing, she insists that "this short biography makes it clear that many modern assumptions about the Bible are incorrect"; she is not being presumptuous. She argues persuasively for a more compassionate hermeneutics and a more charitable exegesis-a theme common to many of her books in their exhortations toward a kinder and more tolerant world of faith. This book is a miqra, or a "call to action" for all Jews, Christians, and Muslims. And Armstrong is Armstrong-simply one of the best writers ever on religion. Recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/07.]-Gary P. Gillum, Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Detailed review of the creation and study of the Bible through the centuries. Religion scholar Armstrong (The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions, 2006, etc.) opens with the accepted explanation for the creation of Hebrew scripture, then moves on to the prophetic and wisdom writings. The book's early chapters are especially notable for the author's strong presentation of historical background. After discussing the basics of the Hebrew Bible, Armstrong moves on to the life of Jesus and the written documents that ensued. From this point forward, she does an exceptional job of balancing and interweaving Jewish and Christian approaches to scripture. She discusses the tradition of Midrash both as an art in its own right and as an influence on early Christian perceptions of scripture. Likewise, when exploring Christian study of the Bible in medieval monasteries and universities, she compares their work to that of contemporary Jewish counterparts. The narrative advances chronologically into the Protestant Reformation, the Enlightenment and finally the modern era. Today, Armstrong avers, readings of the Bible are influenced by the techniques of scholarly criticism, which lessens the faith of some while fueling a fundamentalist backlash among others. Again, she seamlessly weaves together the history of Jews and Christians in this period. Little here is new, although that is not really an issue for an entry in Atlantic's Books That Changed the World series. More troubling: The text often reads like a long academic paper, with only limited original insight from the author. Armstrong concludes by urging scholars to employ charity and compassion in their biblical exegeses--though her faith in humanity's ability or desire to do this seems shaky at best. Overshadowed by Armstrong's more ambitious A History of God (1993), but religion students will find this a worthwhile resource. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
