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akingston5's review against another edition
"Rather, in the prescriptions of Jewish law we cannot but note a presumption that all people, even slaves, are human and that all human lives are sacred. The constant bias is in favor not of the powerful and their possessions but of the powerless and their poverty; and there is even a frequent enjoinder to sympathy: “A sojourner you are not to oppress: you yourselves know (well) the feelings of the sojourner, for sojourners were you in the land of Egypt.” This bias toward the underdog is unique not only in ancient law but in the whole history of law. However faint our sense of justice may be, insofar as it operates at all it is still a Jewish sense of justice."
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I really loved Cahill's "How the Irish Saved Civilization" so I picked this up as well. I don't think it's as strong and feels a bit dry in places, but I do think there are lots of good things here to think about, in particular his articulation of justice.
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I really loved Cahill's "How the Irish Saved Civilization" so I picked this up as well. I don't think it's as strong and feels a bit dry in places, but I do think there are lots of good things here to think about, in particular his articulation of justice.
davehershey's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization so when I saw this book on sale at a book fair, I figured it was worth the $2. It was a quick read, basically summarizing the story of the Jews from the call of Abraham through the exile, or as Christians call it "the Old Testament." Anyone with a good knowledge of the Bible would probably find it unnecessary to read, though the way Cahill seeks to integrate the ancient cultures in contrast to the Jews is helpful. But for anyone looking for a nice overview of the story of the Old Testament, this book would be a good choice.
k_whatsit's review against another edition
3.0
Love the abbreviated historic context mapped with well-documented theory. The middle part going deep into the basics stories of Judaism dragged for me. Loved his little snippy modern comments scattered throughout. Still digging this Hinges of History series, onto book 3.
josiahdegraaf's review against another edition
4.0
Unlike some of the other books in Cahill's Hinges of History series, this book was essentially a literary analysis of the Bible. For the most part, Cahill's insights were excellent and he revealed several aspects to some of the biblical narratives that I hadn't noticed before. Confessional Christians like myself should note, though, that Cahill does not believe in the Bible as the Word of God. So while his analysis of what the Bible says is often excellent, his views on what the Bible is should be taken with a grain of salt.
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).
nickjonesreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Thomas Cahill is highly readable. I loved How the Irish Saved Civilization. This second volume in his The Hinges of History series is a mixed bag for me.
First of all, I appreciate that Cahill is approaching this subject matter as someone who has skin in the game. It is obvious that he believes in God and has a high regard for the overall story of Scripture.
However, he also believes that Ut-napishtim was the basis for Noah (and not the other way around) and that the Red Sea crossing was through a marsh. He also says things like:
"It is no longer possible to believe that every word of the Bible was inspired by God...we must reject certain parts of the Bible as unworthy of a God we would be willing to believe in."
There were numerous times that I strongly disagreed with him in one line of a paragraph and loved what he wrote a couple of lines down. He certainly helped me re-imagine several of the Biblical stories that he covers, and I love that he didn't have some of the prudish hang-ups that many Bible scholars do. Most of the times he skipped the euphemisms and just called a spade a spade.
First of all, I appreciate that Cahill is approaching this subject matter as someone who has skin in the game. It is obvious that he believes in God and has a high regard for the overall story of Scripture.
However, he also believes that Ut-napishtim was the basis for Noah (and not the other way around) and that the Red Sea crossing was through a marsh. He also says things like:
"It is no longer possible to believe that every word of the Bible was inspired by God...we must reject certain parts of the Bible as unworthy of a God we would be willing to believe in."
There were numerous times that I strongly disagreed with him in one line of a paragraph and loved what he wrote a couple of lines down. He certainly helped me re-imagine several of the Biblical stories that he covers, and I love that he didn't have some of the prudish hang-ups that many Bible scholars do. Most of the times he skipped the euphemisms and just called a spade a spade.
elsiebrady's review against another edition
4.0
His perspective is fresh with interesting insights. His last chapter always sums it up great!
macthebrazen's review against another edition
5.0
Cahill weaves the story of the Old Testament into a beautiful and cohesive narrative. I'm planning to start Desire of the Everlasting Hills right away.
lazygal's review against another edition
2.0
Hmmmm... my second Cahill and still not impressed. Actually, I was even less impressed with this than I was with Mysteries of the Middle Ages! Why? Because it really didn't live up to the title. There was little here that actually talks about how the Jews "changed the way everyone thinks and feels". Instead, we get chapters on the events that led Avrahm to Canaan, the tribes, the Egyptian exile, the exodus, etc.. - don't get me wrong, that's interesting but the scholarship was sometimes sloppy and exactly how does the story of David change how people thought or felt? Very unclear on that one.
saraleoni's review against another edition
3.0
While the author makes clear his disdain for biblical literalists, he provides an otherwise unbiased account of the Jewish people from Abraham to the fall of the kingdom of Judah.