Four Reviews Coming in Publishers Weekly on Monday, August 27
-- Publishers Weekly, 8/8/2007
The Bible: A Biography
Karen Armstrong. Atlantic Monthly, $21.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-87113-969-6
Of all the "Books That Changed the World"—the recently launched series to which this book belongs—surely the Bible is among the most important. And of all contemporary popularizers of religious history, surely Armstrong is among the bestselling. Who better, then, to recount the history of the Bible in eight short chapters than this former nun and literature professor who relishes huge topics (The History of God) and panoramic descriptions (The Great Transformation)? Armstrong not only describes how, when and by whom the Bible was written, she also examines some 2,000 years of biblical interpretation by rabbis and bishops, scholars and mystics, pietists and critics, thus opening up a myriad of exegetical approaches and dispelling any fundamentalist notion that only one view can be correct. Readers unfamiliar with ecclesiastical history may feel overwhelmed by dense chapters that read more like annotated lists than narrative—a hazard of trying to cover so much in so little space. (A glossary helps to anchor the bewildered.) At her best when she pauses long enough to expand on a topic, Armstrong offers intriguing insights on, for example, the allegorical method developed by Origen in the third century and the mystical midrash of the Kabbalists in medieval Spain and Provence. (Nov.)
Do You Believe? Conversations on God and Religion
Antonio Monda. Vintage, $12.95 paper (192p) ISBN 978-0-307-28058-9
Monda, a Catholic who teaches film at NYU, offers 18 interviews with renowned writers, thinkers, artists and film directors in this brief collection about God and faith. Though many subjects express skepticism about religion, some reveal a deep longing for faith: Novelist Michael Cunningham discusses his childhood fascination with religion, when he painted religious scenes and made communion wafers out of Wonder Bread, and Jonathan Franzen speaks of being influenced by the simultaneously terrifying and comforting character of Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia. Most of the interviewees voice concern about religious absolutism and fundamentalism, particularly when connected to politics; when Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., states that "there is nothing more dangerous than a person in politics who is certain that he is acting in the name of God," he represents the group well. But there are also key differences here, from the Catholicism that infuses Martin Scorsese's films, to the pantheism that Paula Fox espouses, to Toni Morrison's idea of God as "an infinite growing that discourages definitions but not knowledge." As a collection, there are uneven moments; Monda refers throughout to his interview with poet Derek Walcott, but Walcott's interview doesn't appear until almost the end of the book. Overall, though, this is a thoughtful, provocative and concise volume. (Nov. 6)
The Nativity: History and Legend
Geza Vermes. Doubleday, $17.95 (192p) ISBN 978-0-385-52241-0
Despite the cover's gold-stamped Old English script and stylized medieval Nativity scene, this book does not belong in a display of inspirational Christmas gifts for great-aunts, unless the aunties are willing to consider that Matthew and Luke often contradict each other; that Jesus was probably born in the spring; that "virgin" may simply have meant prepubescent; that the census that supposedly brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem never happened (and anyway, Jesus was more likely born in Nazareth); or that virgin births and guiding stars were quite common in classical literature of the time. As Vermes notes, "the truth ... belongs only very slightly to history and mostly derives from man's hopeful and creative religious imagination." Vermes, perhaps the world's foremost authority on the Dead Sea Scrolls, writes as a scholar, not an iconoclast. Dismayed that Christmas "has become the climax of a season of overspending, overeating and uncontrolled merrymaking," he wants to set the record straight. Some readers, however—even those who value understanding the first-century historical and literary context—may be unsatisfied with his conclusion that "the ultimate purpose of the Infancy Gospels seems to be the creation of a prologue, enveloping the newborn Jesus with an aura of marvel and enigma." (Nov. 6)
The New American Judaism: The Way Forward on Challenging Issues from Intermarriage to Jewish Identity
Arthur Blecher. Palgrave Macmillan, $24.95 (256p) ISBN 978-1-4039-7746-5
Blecher, rabbi, psychotherapist and self-described maverick, believes that American Jews have been given misinformation and misinterpretations by their Jewish teachers. He aims to correct such myths in this strident, iconoclastic book. Among his targets is the notion that Judaism is a 4,000-year-old religion. He claims that American Judaism, which he labels "denominational Judaism," is a 20th-century invention that has little connection to ancient patriarchs, priests or animal sacrifices. Furthermore, he insists that it is false to envision the Jews in America as a dying breed based on assimilation and intermarriage. Indeed, he argues, "in-marriage reduces the Jewish population" by leading to "the proliferation of genetic disorders," including many that affect fertility. Blecher takes particular delight in shattering the myth that the shtetl of Eastern Europe provided an "emotionally fulfilling life." Among the sources he criticizes for painting a false, romantic picture of life in the shtetl are Fiddler on the Roof, Abraham Joshua Heschel's The Earth is the Lord's, and Life Is With People by Mark Zborowski and Elizabeth Herzog. Some readers will find this provocative and contentious book irritating; others may be stirred by its controversial assertions. (Nov.)
Four Starred Reviews Coming in PW on Monday, August 27:
The Faith Between Us: A Jew and a Catholic Search for the Meaning of God
Peter Bebergal and Scott Korb. Bloomsbury, $24.95 (256p) ISBN 978-1-59691-143-7
What's the saying? Never discuss sex, God or politics if you want to keep your friends? In this particular case, the questions of faith and God are actually what brought Bebergal and Korb together, initially through a correspondence related to their writings for various online magazines. Faith was not something either particularly discussed with their other friends, even though both hold advanced degrees in religion. Like a conversation that continues all night into the early light of dawn, this collection of stories is filled with the deepest of personal feelings and confessions as well as the mundane details of everyday life. The format—the telling of a story by one, followed by a reflective epilogue by the other—highlights not only the seamlessness of their dialogue, but the depth of their friendship and understanding of each other. No topic is taboo; amid their questioning of faith and God come tales of addiction, neuroses and ineptitude. These thirty-somethings are diverse as their upbringings, yet between them they represent a little bit of all of us in this thoughtful, engaging debate about the virtues of faith and the existence of God. (Nov.)
Soul to Soul: Communications from the Heart
Gary Zukav. Free Press, $25 (256p) ISBN 978-0-7432-3700-0
In 1990 Zukav shifted from science (1980 National Book Award for The Dancing Wu Li Masters) to the realm of the soul (The Seat of the Soul, etc.), ultimately scaling the New York Times bestseller list four times. This new work claims to be written directly from his heart, and the personal, intimate tone fulfills that promise. The first half explores "soul subjects," or "observations of physical circumstances plus a recognition of what they mean." The second half answers philosophical ponderings labeled here as "soul questions." In very brief essays both sections address key subjects: love, fear, choice, responsibility, letting go, trusting life's processes, etc. In Zukav's understanding, we are all attending Earth School, where in repeated incarnations we are given opportunities to fulfill our soul's mission. He cogently asserts that as more of us gain multi-sensory perception—the ability to intuit meaning beyond data gathered by our five senses—we are coming to understand how our choices impact our every moment and therefore our soul's work. Zukav's Green Beret background seems to inform his writing style: blunt, terse, effective, commanding. Rich in insight and compassion, Zukav's advanced efforts will likely zoom to the top again. His probing choice—revenge or compassion—regarding September 11th is alone much more than worth the cost of the book. (Oct. 23)
Soul Provider: Spiritual Steps to Limitless Love
Edward L. Beck. Doubleday, $22.95 (304p) ISBN 978-0-385-51552-8
Sometimes in the quest for a deeper spirituality, we need to be reminded of the basics—the fundamental stepping stones that aid toward spiritual progress throughout life. Beck, a Catholic priest, member of the Passionist religious order, and author of God Underneath, has an extraordinary gift for diving into the Christian spiritual tradition and emerging with profound perspectives and wisdom that speak directly to the heart. For this project, Beck looks to early seventh-century mystic St. John Climacus and his classic work The Ladder of Divine Ascent, and shows, step by step, how these ancient spiritual prescriptions for the good life are just as vital today. A gifted writer and storyteller, Beck delivers straightforward, honest and at times poignant prose, tying his own life experiences in when appropriate. All of the chapters integrate helpful quotations and end with reflection questions to aid readers with their own prayers. Writing about his inspiration for this book, the author states, "I was encouraged to face my vices and demons, assured that they didn't have the power to overcome me, and then to move on." Beck conveys similar encouragement through this work, and many people will benefit. (Oct. 16)
A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Love, Adventure and Faith
Lori Smith. WaterBrook, $13.99 paper (256p) ISBN 978-1-4000-7370-2
In this engaging, deeply personal and well-researched travelogue, Smith (a PW contributor) journeys to England to soak in the places of Jane Austen's life and writings. The book is sure to ride the wave of Austen-philia that has recently swept through Hollywood and a new generation of Americans, but this is an unusual look at Jane Austen. Readers will learn plenty of biographical details—about Austen's small and intimate circle of family and friends, her candid letters to her sister, her possible loves and losses, her never-married status, her religious feelings, and her untimely death at the age of 41. But it is the author's passionate connection to "Jane"—the affinity she feels and her imaginings of Austen's inner life—that bring Austen to life in ways no conventional biographer could. Smith's voice swings authentically between her own raw, aching vulnerability as a single Christian woman battling a debilitating and mysterious chronic illness and the surges of faith she finds in the grace of a loving God. And yes, Smith even meets a potential Darcy at the start of her journey. This deliciously uncertain romantic tension holds the book together as Smith weaves her own thoughts, historical research, and fitting references to Austen's novels into a satisfying whole. (Oct. 16)
An Original RBL Review
People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture
Terryl L. Givens. Oxford, $35 (432p) ISBN 978-0-19-516711-5
With his fourth book on Mormonism, Givens (By the Hand of Mormon; Viper on the Hearth) earns his place as one of the great LDS scholars of his time. Students of religion, history and culture will find this an authoritative analysis of four fascinating and powerful tensions at the core of Mormonism that feed into its cultural life: authority and radical freedom; searching and certainty; the sacred and the banal; and election versus exile. In the first section, Givens fluently translates the often-insular views of the LDS faith into the language of Western philosophy and puts Joseph Smith's teachings into historical perspective alongside Hegel, Marx, Faust and others. The remainder of the book is divided into two time periods: the formative years of a beleaguered and isolated religion from 1830-1890, and the period since 1890 characterized by normalization and global growth. For each, Givens explores Mormonism's wide-ranging cultural contributions in architecture, city planning, music, dance, theatre, film, literature, rational inquiry, and the visual arts. Sprinkled with photos and illustrations, with topics ranging from the "art missionaries" of Utah who studied in Paris at the turn of the century, to the Mormon dominance in science fiction, this scholarly tome actually lives up to its ambitious subtitle. He convincingly concludes that Joseph Smith has provided Mormonism "with sufficient paradoxes to generate vigorous artistic and intellectual expression for another 200 years." (Aug.)
