Review by Choice Review
Barnstone (emer., Indiana University), poet, translator, biblical and literary scholar with 80 books to his credit (among them his translation The Restored New Testament, rev. ed., CH, Apr'10, 47-4363), has produced yet another of his original translations of the Bible. Here he renders salient portions of scripture as free verse poetry. From Genesis to Revelation, he translates passages usually presented as prose into poetic lines, forcing the reader to pay attention in new ways to the sometimes overly familiar. Included in this translation are brief introductions to each book of the Bible and the Apocryphal books, parts of which are presented as brief poetic dramas. Most but not all of the poems are short, and each has a title--for example, "Breaking the Matzot Bread" (Luke), "To His Students Sleeping after Their Grief" (Luke), "A Living Dog Is Better than a Dead Lion" (Ecclesiastes), and "The Rich Have Cheated and Killed the Laboring Poor" (James). With this translation Barnstone offers a helpful and vibrant way into ancient texts, uncovering the rich poetry that has lurked for centuries beneath prose translations. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergradutes through faculty and professionals; general readers. --Jill P Baumgaertner, Wheaton College (IL)
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Scholar, poet, and translator Barnstone (The Poetics of Translation) draws from biblical, apocryphal, and gnostic texts for this absorbing collection of religious poems, which he categorizes as either "Old Testament" or "New Testament." In his own translations from Hebrew and Greek, Barnstone renders the texts in a variety of poetic forms, including long narrative poems in eight-line stanzas from Samuel, Job, and Ruth, and aphorisms, such as "Lily": "A lily among thorns/ Is my love among women." Barnstone uses Hebrew and Aramaic, rather than Anglicized names, as in "Expulsion from the Garden": "The man names his woman Havah/ Because she is the mother of all the living." His translations allow familiar narratives to be heard in fresh ways: "Those who live in a land of shadow/ See the dawn blaze." Brief introductions offer insights into the poetry of each book, such as the "secret sayings" from the Gospel of Thomas: "What you look for has come/ But you do not know it." Thoughtful selections, a visually arresting presentation, and intriguing translations make these collected poems a valuable addition to biblical literature. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Poet, translator, and religious scholar Barnstone (emeritus, comparative literature & biblical studies, Indiana Univ.; The Restored New Testament) continues his biblical restoration project, here turning his attention toward poetry. Using a straightforward, generally literal approach to his translation from Hebrew and Greek to contemporary English, he has created an accessible and often gorgeous volume that contains biblical passages traditionally rendered in verse, such as the Psalms. He also considers passages frequently overlooked as poetry because they typically appear as prose, such as the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. In addition to selections from the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, Barnstone also includes poetry from the Apocrypha and several Gnostic Gospels. Brief introductions to each author or book provide narrative context and background information. One curiosity is Barnstone's tendency to deliver most verbs in the present tense, regardless of the tense of the original language. Overall, this lovely and ecumenical volume beautifully illustrates Barnstone's overarching conviction that the Bible contains some of the world's greatest-and sometimes -underappreciated-poetry. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers interested in comparative religion, world literature, or works of inspiration.-Brian Sullivan, Alfred Univ. Lib., NY © Copyright 2017. 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.
