Walking the Bible
A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“An instant classic. . . . A pure joy to read.” —Washington Post Book World
Both a heart-racing adventure and an uplifting quest, this acclaimed travel memoir presents one man’s epic spiritual journey—by foot, jeep, rowboat, and camel—through the greatest stories ever told. From crossing the Red Sea to climbing Mount Sinai to touching the burning bush, Bruce Feiler’s inspiring odyssey will forever change your view of history’s most legendary events.
The stories in the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Torah, come alive as Feiler searches across three continents for the stories and heroes shared by Christians and Jews. You’ll visit the slopes of Mount Ararat, where Noah’s ark landed, trek to the desert outpost where Abraham first heard the words of God, and scale the summit where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Using the latest archeological research, Feiler explores how physical location affects the larger narrative of the Bible and ultimately realizes how much these places, as well as his experience, have affected his faith. A once-in-a-lifetime journey, Walking the Bible offers new insights into the roots of our common faith and uncovers fresh answers to the most profound questions of the human spirit.
“Smart and savvy, insightful and illuminating.” —Los Angeles Times
“An exciting, well-told story informed by Feiler’s boundless intellectual curiosity . . . [and] sense of adventure.” —Miami Herald
What does it mean to see the Bible’s holiest sites with your own eyes? This book is a profound exploration of that question. It offers:
A Modern-Day Pilgrimage: Follow in Feiler's footsteps as he journeys 10,000 miles by foot, jeep, rowboat, and camel to the legendary sites of the Old Testament.History and Holy Land: See how the latest archaeological findings shed new light on the slopes of Mount Ararat, the summit of Mount Sinai, and the desert outpost where Abraham first heard the words of God.An Inspiring Quest for Meaning: Join a deeply personal exploration of how the physical landscape of the Bible lands can transform a person's own faith and understanding.Shared Roots of Faith: Discover the common ground and enduring stories that connect Christians and Jews to the same foundational heroes and holy places.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Prolific author Feiler has turned from his earlier subject (clowning, in Under the Big Top) to more serious fare: the Bible and the Middle East. Jewish author Feiler offers himself here as a pilgrim, walking through biblical lands and interviewing individuals from many religious traditions and walks of life. He reads the stories of the Pentateuch in the places they are thought to have happened, he records the latest archaeological understandings of the Bible, and he wrestles with his own faith. Of course, contemporary politics sneaks into the story, too; Arab-Israeli conflicts are hard to avoid when one is writing about the biblical Canaan. Feiler is an accomplished wordsmith. When he describes the "smells of dawn cinnamon, cardamom, a whiff of burnt sugar," the reader is transported to Turkey. He has the rare talent of being able to write in the second person, a gift he uses sparingly here: "Light. The first thing you notice about the desert is the light." In the sections of the book where his content is banal (readers can only take so many descriptions of dusty museums, bustling streets and breathtaking sunsets), Feiler's prose carries the narrative through. This book belongs on the shelves next to classics such as Wendy Orange's Coming Home to Jerusalem. Readers who find Westerners' encounters with the Holy Land enchanting will cherish this book.
