Nine out of ten Americans own a Bible, but how much do they know about the one book that has influenced human history more than any other? Don't Know Much About® the Bible by New York Times bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis is designed to illuminate everything we need to know about the Good Book but never learned. With wit, authority, and intelligence, Davis brings the world of the Old and New Testaments to vivid life, setting the panorama of the Scriptures against the historical events that shaped them; clearing up misconceptions and mistranslations; summarizing Bible stories, parables, and miracles; and adding fresh new insights to the world's most owned, least understood book.Davis is uniquely qualified for the assignment. The creator of the bestselling Don't Know Much About® series, he now illuminates the bestselling book of all time, using his inimitable question-and-answer approach and providing a key to the people, places, and "household names" we need to unlock "The Greatest Story Ever Told." Writes Davis, "I believe people are starved for knowledge. They just want it in a more appealing style than the way it was presented back in school."
Relying on up-to-date research and improved translations, Davis sets out to uncover what the Bible says--and doesn't say. Don't Know Much About® the Bible is the result of his efforts and includes the following observations: There are two different Creation stories told in Genesis, but no apple in the Garden of Eden story. There was no "coat of many colors" in the story of Joseph and his jealous brothers, but rather a long-sleeved robe. Moses didn't write the Torah and he didn't part the Red Sea in his escape from Pharaoh. The Sixth Commandment does not condemn all killing. King David probably didn't kill Goliath and didn't write the Psalms. Jesus wasn't born on Christmas.
Davis brings readers up-to-date on findings gleaned from the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gnostic Gospels that prompt serious scholars to ask such questions as: Who wrote the Bible? Did Jesus say everything we were taught he did? Did he say more? By examining the Bible historically, Davis also shows which biblical teachings may have suited an ancient, semi-nomadic world but no longer apply to life at the dawn of the twenty-first century.
Reviews
From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-Kenneth C. Davis illuminates everything we need to know about the "Good Book" but never learned.
From Library Journal
Davis here gives us a very broad introduction to the scriptures, touching on the history, authority, and compilation of the Bible. Using the same question-and-answer format of other works in this series (e.g., Don't Know Much About the Civil War, Audio Reviews, LJ 10/1/96), Davis shows himself to be an articulate author. However, he has several asides that can be perceived as cynical and condescending, detracting from the program. Davis reads his own introduction well, and the anonymous narrators are a nice match for the text. The author's interpretation of scripture will not f
