Travel to Middle East

Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses (P.S.)

Format: Paperback
Author: Bruce Feiler
ReleaseDate: 02 August, 2005
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Rating:

Absolutely Beautiful
He questions a lot of tradition and applies it to himself and all the people he meets along the way. Bruce Feiler writes in a way that pulls you into the story, takes you along the journey of the patriarchs, Joseph, and Moses. His guide seems to know a great wealth and only adds understanding to the story - a pure joy to read.
I have been waiting for a book that describes the Bible in a realistic sense. After all, these humans are just humans. Maybe a little significant in the least, but just people nonetheless. Too bad Feiler hasn't written for other parts of the Bible! Highly recommended for all scholars and readers of the Pentateuch.

I felt the absence of studied Christians and Muslims...
He admits that he is not `religious' (in the heavy zealous sort of way) but that he feels a pull to the land of the biblical personages, Moses, Abraham, and Jacob, for example. Feiler is an American Jew and a journalist who, fascinated by the land involved in the Pentateuch (the first part of the Hebrew Bible), undertakes a months-long trek from Turkey to Jordan (Mount Nebo, where Moses was shown the promised land) at times in the company of a learned Israeli archeologist. His trip takes him through the Middle Eastern countries of the bible and he examines for the reading the various aspects of the geography he is exploring and the relationship the geography has with the legends, stories, and archeology of the biblical period.

Although I was keen to read this book, having lived in Jordan, I was a little disappointed with the uneven nature with which Feiler dealt with various people depending on their own religions. It was clever that the Jews he interacted with were generally intellectually religious - basing their faith on study and scientific knowledge (like the archeologist) whereas the Christians and Muslims with whom he interacted were identified as sometimes zealous but without any intellectual base - simple people. He was careful not to mock them but I very much felt the absence of studied Christians and Muslims.

Although his travelogue is quite interesting and some of the historical information he provided was quite thought provoking, the book simply did not move me. It was more like reading someone's diary and since I have seen many of the places he describes, I found that our reactions and experiences were different enough so as to leave me hesitant to `buy-in' to his view of an issue or a place.

Lastly, while a good book for the general American public who is unaware of the rich history of the lands he traveled, I agree whole-heartedly with the reviewer who wrote, "(Feiler) also can't resist flashing an 'Admire Me' sign every time he's been 'enlightened' -- and these breakthroughs occur with rather exhausting frequency. "
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Walking the Bible
I sent it to my nephew who looks and talks like the author Bruce Feiler. The book was in good shape. I appreciate the timeliness of its delivery too.
Donna.

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