Why does a fifth-generation American Jew feel the need to take a 10,000 mile trek, across three continents, four war zones, and five countries with the Bible as his guide? Bruce Feiler's Walking the Bible, a New York Times bestseller, is an enlightening and thought-provoking book as well as a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Book Description
In retracing the Five Books of Moses, Feiler travels from Mount Ararat in Turkey, where it is believed that Noah's Ark landed after the flood, through the Palestinian territories, where Abraham buried his wife, through Israel, where the patriarchs traversed, through Egypt, where Joseph rose from slavery to power, through Sinai, where the Israelites fled from bondage, to Mount Nebo in Jordan, where Moses overlooked the Promised Land.As Feiler travels, his vivid descriptions bring the ancient Fertile Crescent to life. Readers gain new understanding of the stage on which biblical events occurred and thus of the Hebrew Bible itself.
In "traveling" today through the ancient Bible, Feiler gains and offers readers an appreciation of the Bible's timeless relevancy and applicability.
Through Feiler's exploration of his personal motivations for taking this spiritual journey, his own faith becomes more grounded and his readers are encouraged to open themselves up to spiritual introspection. In his own spiritual evolution, Feiler relates to Abraham, "Abraham was not originally the man he became.... He was a traveler, called by some voice not entirely clear that said: Go head to this land, walk along this route, and trust what you will find."
Book Recommendation
Walking the Bible is a "must read." Feiler's vivid descriptions of people and places and his wonderful storytelling skills make the book a joy to read. The book is enlightening as it provides a better understanding of the landscape behind some of history's greatest events and most enduring stories. The honest quest of a fifth-generation American and non-orthodox Jew into his own faith is provocative and inspiring. An interesting, enjoyable and spiritually uplifting book.
