Sonderbooks Book Review of Walking the Bible

Reviewed September 5, 2002.
A Sonderbooks' Best Book of 2002 (#6, Biographical Nonfiction)
William Morrow, 2001. 451 pages.
Available at Sembach Library.

Wow. Walking the Bible is a fascinating journey through the lands of the Pentateuch. I thought I knew a lot about the Bible, but discovered that I knew almost nothing about what the land is like today. Bruce Feiler dramatically communicated the story of the land, and how it affected him deeply.

His mission was to see the lands of the five books of Moses. As a guide and companion, he travelled with Avner Goren, an archaeologist, scholar and teacher with friends among Israelis, bedouin and Arabs. They found their way into war zones, deserts and cities.

Bruce Feiler didn’t come with his mind made up about the Bible. Whatever your own views may be, it was probably good that as a writer he came with an open mind, so he could tell us all his experiences and the facts he learned without bias. He started in Ararat, walked in the steps of Abraham, went down to Egypt, wandered in the desert, and finally viewed the promised land from Mount Nebo.

This book is amazing. It talks about the archaeology and history of the Bible, but also touches on the people who live in those lands now and the people who go there on pilgrimage. It talks about the Pentateuch as a product of its time but also how it touches lives today. This is a long book, but well worth reading for anyone interested in the Bible. I feel that now somehow I have a deeper understanding of the patriarchs and the children of Israel. A fascinating book.

Reviews of other books by Bruce Feiler:
Walking the Bible (Children's Edition)
Abraham

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Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

*****Walking the Bible*

A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses

by Bruce Feiler