There are many gems in this book that will explain otherwise difficult biblical texts. The authors are interested in using the latest archaeological data to shed light on the Scriptures (see, for example, King's earlier commentary on Jeremiah). It will take time for all of the information in this book to make it into popular biblical commentaries (it is cutting edge information, as the authors themselves are active archaeologists). This book is a concentrated collection of journal quality insights written at a popular level.

Before I bought this book, I heard one of the co-authors (Dr. Stager of Harvard) lecture on his contribution to the book. He is a master investigator of the ancient near eastern ideas of temple and garden. Stager brilliantly communicates how Israel's Temple and Garden Story relate to (and are informed by) their original contexts. Adjective fail me, I can only say that his work is staggering.

I would be remiss if I did not make this plug: the pictures alone are worth the price of the book. The book is printed completely on photo quality paper with full color images throughout.

This book is a must have for any student of archaeology, the Bible or Israel.

Though written for the layperson, this book is still an excellent resource for the scholar in Bible, ancient Near Eastern studies, or any study of culture. Life in Biblical Israel describes the setting of the Hebrew Bible, but not in terms of wars, leaders, and elite society. Professors King and Stager recognize, like Fernand Braudel and Annales historians, that a large part of society is often neglected by its own histories. Thus, they seek to describe how that silent majority lived their everyday lives. The authors of Life in Biblical Israel attempt to describe all of the aspects of the lifeways of the Israelites - how they produced their food, built their houses, procured water, defended their cities, organized their society, kept themselves healthy, expressed themselves through clothing, art, and music, and how they interacted with the divine.

For those skeptical of the Bible's credibility, the book may seem to be a simple attempt to draw archaeological correlations, that is artifactual evidence, for Biblical terminology. Certainly, the book does this, but not out of any theological or apologetic attempt to prove the Bible as accurate. Accepting that the archaeological record and the Bible provide two types of descriptions of the same society, King and Stager gather all of the information they can from both sources. The many photographs and drawings in the book show many examples from the archaeological source. A quick glance at the Scriptural Index at the back of the book shows how thoroughly the authors combed the Biblical text. At the same time, the authors use each source to supplement the defficiencies of the other. For example, artifacts can often be identified as to their uses, but they have no names in their native languages, and how they are used is often not known. King and Stager do an excellent job with the details of exactly how the ancient people accomplished what they did.

There have been very few other attempts to so document ancient Israel as a cultural and social entity. Previous works using both the textual and archaeological evidence in concert mostly have focused on one aspect of the culture, usually something relevant to the upper classes or the political or military establishment. Others have subsumed their archaeological and biblical discussion beneath other arguments, in which case they have reduced the amount of evidence and increased the number of conclusions to be drawn. King and Stager, on the other hand, have written a book which deals primarily with the culture of all of Israel as expressed through its material and literary remains; they have no other axe to grind, and they present more data and fewer conclusions. Instead they are working first and foremost to describe as best they can how people lived in the Iron Age in Israel.

This book will serve as an excellent textbook both in archaeology and Bible courses. It can also serve as a reference work both for the layperson and the scholar interested in either subject. Perhaps the best reason to use this book, however, is that it succeeds in its aim of portraying the details of ancient Israelite life. The many illustrations truly enable readers to visualize each aspect of the culture.

Life in Biblical Israel, despite its conversational tone and appealing visual layout (it contains copious and remarkable photographs, many of them in color), rests on a simple premise: great ideas are as much an expression of a culture as the shape of the pots it uses for wine or the letters it uses for writing. This is the central tenet that undergirds the excellent new volume by L. E. Stager (Harvard) and P. J. King (Boston College). In the case of Biblical Israel, of course, the main artifact bequeathed by the Israelite culture to the modern era is the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures, or Old Testament. The idiom of the texts that comprise the canon, King and Stager argue, is as much rooted in the reality of Iron Age western Asia (1200-540 B.C.E.) as are habits of personal adornment (ingeniously illuminated by the authors) or domestic architecture. Biblical texts, therefore, at once express the culture of the Iron Age which archaeologists can reconstruct and are illuminated by that culture. For readers who recognize the productivity of this dialogue and seek the means to enhance it, they can do no better than acquire this book. Ancient interpreters, beginning with biblical authors themselves (who glossed alien terms of antiquity with ones familiar to their audience) and continuing with such seminal figures as Philo and Origen, wrestled with the language, customs, and manners described in the texts. Why? Because texts are not disembodied, even when long traditions of interpretation continuously make those texts meaningful in new contexts. Thus, for anyone who takes the texts seriously, engagement with them requires engagement with the realia of Biblical Israel, from calendars, to family structure, to the implements of war, and the names of pots (ill. 70a-b). These and many other topics are meticulously presented by King and Stager, with insights that go beyond recitation of the data available in standard reference works (including not a few interesting philological observations about the meaning of Hebrew words). This book, then, presents the highest caliber of scholarship in a package that is readable, enjoyable, and very important. It also demonstrates persuasively that the culture of ancient Israel in the Iron Age II-not in the Persian or Hellenistic periods-was the one in which the greater part of the Hebrew Scriptures was conceived and transmitted.

What an absolutely delightful book in every way! My 5-year old friend giggled as I read it to her, as did a group of my 50-year old friends. To read it aloud is such fun. The line, "I'm Penelope, and I am a PRINCESS!" alone presents endless theatrical possibilities. I believe it will find a place on the shelf among classics such as "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Harold and the Purple Crayon."

How many times we have used the "pincess" expression with our little girls thinking we were the only ones with a Penelope! It is interesting that this books views the role through the eyes and ears of a "princess" which Mack has successfully described. Julia Gran's illustrations of a modern princess make the book extremely appealing for bedtime reading by the king and queen. I look forward to more works by Todd Mack and hopefullly teamed up with Julia Gran.
After I read the book I suddenly knew of many friends I just had to share the story with and this is a mark of a winner.

A fabulous book, wonderful and clever. A must have for every family with young children

This book gives you something to chew on on every level. The prose is good, (the English translation can not capture some of the idiosyncrasies of Dutch, but is very good overall) right from its opening sentence "The day Inni Wintrop committed suicide, Philips shares stood ..." All of the characters in the book are memorable and wonderfully sketched. (As an introverted person, I'm always amused by the walk through the woods scene. Taats asks Inni a question which spurs a two-page train of thought, but he answers only in a mono-syllable.) And it goes up to the structure of the book: the first of the 3 parts is called "Intermezzo". Plenty of ideas here.

"Read Cees Nooteboom," a German acquaintance recommended. "You'll remember his RITUALS." Nooteboom is a Dutch poet and novelist. Set in Amsterdam during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, his sparse, 145-page novel opens with "the appalling news" of President Kennedy's assasination (p. 17), and his protagonist, Inni Wintrop's attempted suicide after his wife, Zita, leaves him for an Italian. The novel then follows Inni as he wanders the streets of Amsterdam alone, looking for meaning in a "wonderful, empty universe" (p. 113). Along the way, he encounters Arnold Taads and his estranged son, Philip, by chance. All three characters have lost their faith in God, and attempt to create their own meaning in life through rituals. Arnold Taads is rigidly tied to time. "Time," Inni learns, "was the father of all things in Arnold Taad's life" (p. 46). Philip Taads, on the other hand, attempts to escape time through Zen-like rituals. And as for Inni, "women had become his religion, the center, the essence of everything, the great cartwheel on which the world turned" (p. 60). Intelligent and poetic, RITUALS is ultimately a parable about the importance of learning to ride the inconsistent waves of life in a universe devoid of God.

G. Merritt

This book is also in my top five books of all time. I did a search under the keyword "rituals" and it did not pop up (I had to find it a backwards way), and I had a moment of profound sadness thinking that this most wonderful book could be out of print. "Rituals" truly does inspire me. I haven't read it in four years, but it still is one of the best books I've ever read. I loved the intoxication of love and the meaning of life search of the main character. What can induce you to get off of the floor and live? I've wondered that many times in my life, and Inni (the main character) explores what REALLY matters - if anything. It's not to say that this book is a dour questing life meaning book - rather it is a rich, bravado, humorous, cleansing book that has many many rewards. The part of this book that I often think about (and I hope this wouldn't be a spoiler) is the correlation of Inni's mad, chaotic city (Amsterdam if I remember correctly) with monks in Japan. Very funny and important book. I almost feel akin to all the other reviewers who have read this as if we're in a special club.

this piece of history is cleary written , with factual items as well as tales handed down from generations. it is an entertaining read with an important theme

As a black female living in Orange County I was very touched and inspired by this true masterpiece.I would have rated it TEN STARS if I could. I urge all Americans,Black,White,Hispanic,Asain etc to buy and read how great things are accomplished when the races work together.The heroes are the black runaway slaves and their white friends who helped them at risk to themselves. God Bless Roger King who wrote what could have been lost to history.Those of us who live in Orange County know Mr.King and are lucky to attend his lectures.Keep up the good work Rog. Stacey McKeon.

As a resident of Orange County I was lucky to attend one of Prof.Kings lectures. I was awstruck by this great mans wit and powerful intellect.This thoughtful and informative book is a MUST read for the young people because it tells the story of of Orange Counties past,Americas past and the struggle of the African Americans in the 1850 era.If you get your child one book this year,make this one it.Where can I attend another Roger King lecture?

Hysterical! Truely an enjoyable voice regarding an unenjoyable time in a woman's life. I could relate to Jan and laugh with other women in the world. She brings us together with humor and love. A real gift!

With such a large population of baby boomers now in their menopausal years, Jan King's book is very timely. As I read this book I was able to laugh with her about what I have, and am going through. I also learned more about the whys of what is happening to me. The author's courage to reveal things that she has gone through with her illness was very educational, as well as a reminder to get to know and be aware of changes in your own body. Every man and woman, regardless of their age should read this book so as to better understand what their friends and relatives are living through...
It is a real eye opener to remind us of how precious life is.
Don't miss reading this book....it is the best book yet that this author has written!!!!!

This is hilarious. Women laughing at ourselves --- creates a sense of comraderie that makes this stage almost enjoyable. The author is warm, witty and honest! Boy could I relate to those anecdotes.

This is an excellent book by an excellent author. I've never been disappointed in one of his books and this is one of his best! I wish it could have been longer or that there were a sequel to it. The main characters are Farmer Tubbs and a lot of animals that live on his farm. I recomment this book for anyone who likes pigs, animals, or humorous stories. It's probably more of a child's book, but I think everyone would enjoy it.

This book is very exciting I learned about how ACE the pig can communicate with his owner. He has alot of adventures. I would reccommend this book to any age I think it would brighten anyone`s day to hear about a big fat pig that made me laugh. It`s a book that you can`t put down but sometimes you have to . I would give it five golden stars. ACE the pig, Nanny the lamb and Megan,are all the people that live on Ted Tubbs Farm. ACE isn`t an ordinary pig If you want to find out why, you should read this book.

This is another Dick King-Smith favorite of many people. This author has a way with words..............especially with Ace; he can understand HUMAN WORDS! He and his owner share a bond somehow; they can "understand" each other. Named Ace after the Ace of clubs (because he has a club-shaped birthmark), he doesn't want to go where his brothers and sisters are going, and he's prepared to do anything as long as he doesn't have to......he doesn't really have to do anything, though because of his talent, although he DOES makes peace with the farmer's pets, Megan & Clarence. Ace, along with lots of other King-Smith's pigs, is better than E.B. White's Wilbur.

Jared Mercer was a normal ninth grader at his junior high school. He followed all the rules, never cut class, and hung out with the "right" people. Almost everything worked out the way it was supposed to, and no one suspected he was unhappy about anything. But he had one problem. Since he could remember, he was always second best at the one thing he was truly good at--running. In fact, the only person that he could not beat was Austin Pace, a casual friend who took pride in belittling all of Jared's efforts. Although it first begins as an annoyance, the constant rivalry becomes unbearable for Jared. When his close friend Cheryl proposes that they form a club for all their classmates who are second best at something, Jared agrees and suggests that they play harmless tricks on everyone else's rivals. At first this proves to be a safe and satisfactory way to air their feelings and get revenge, but the Shadow Club soon realizes that if they don't want to be caught, they have to stop their pranks for a while.
The only problem is, the Shadow Club had already been observed, and the outsider who's been watching them has started to talk. So when more dangerous pranks are being pulled on their enemies, everyone thinks that the Shadow Club, which is now believed to be a gang, is to blame. They become so enraged at being framed, that they nearly kill their main suspect, the boy who spied on them. But in order to find the true culprit, they have to admit that what they've done is wrong and face the harsh reality of the truth.
The Shadow Club is a book that is easy to relate to. You can identify with the characters feelings and emotions as they struggle to understand what they really want, not just what they think they want. However, I suggest you find a time when you don't have many things planned before you read it, because once you start, you won't be able to put it down. It is a true suspense story that not only keeps you turning pages, but attaches you to the characters. I recommend it for ages 10 and up.

To start off this book is great.... It's Shusterman at his best. I haven't came across a bad Shusterman book yet. Anyways here's the story in a Nutshell. A 14-year-old boy named Jared and his friend Cheryl are sick of being second best at the things that they do best. These two people gather more and more people that are second best, they decide to form a club.... The Shadow Club. This club has a goal, the goal is to make the people who are best pay, to make there lives a living hell, and play practical jokes and pranks on them. At first the club seems like a joke, they have meetings to plot there next practical jokes, they hang out etc., but.... one day a prank goes to far and people start getting seriously hurt, by the end of the book you find out that...... Wait now If I gave away the ending it would be pointless to read, wouldn't it? Anyways to find out what goes wrong and how the book ends, go buy it, borrow it, I don't care as long as you read it I'll be happy. (*****(5) out of *****(5) stars)

(More books by shusterman: The Dark Side of Nowhere, The Shadow Club: Rising, Downsiders )

The Shadow Club is about a group of second-best kids. They are always trying to beat the "Unbeatables", the kids who always win. They form a group and begin to pull pranks. They are harmless at first, then become reckless when they find out someone is trying to frame them.

The book is really great because it concentrates on things that really happen in Jr. High and High School. It proves that some people will do whatever it takes to win, but in the end they turn out to be no better than the people they were trying to beat.

Much like the effect that the dialogues of Plato these discourses help revive and make you relive the inspiring ideas and subsequent loving conclusions reached by Doctor King throughout his most formidible years.
I was literally glued to it as soon as the book was opened and read it passionately until the end. A master of allegorical and analogous metaphors, parallel to our lives and future lives.

I highly recommend the chapter on "loving your enemy".

Because of his inspiring leadership during the United States civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and because he was assassinated while serving in that capacity, Martin Luther King, Jr., has become an iconic figure in popular culture. And I fear that King the "legend" has become so big that people may be paying insufficient attention to King the writer. If you want to experience King's insight and power as a writer, read "Strength to Love." This collection of sermons is an excellent summation of the philosophy he developed as a Christian clergyman, social critic, and advocate for the African-American community.

Most of the sermons in the book begin with a Bible verse which ties in to the theme of each sermon. One of the main themes of the collection as a whole is King's passionate denunciation of racial prejudice and of the tangible injustice that springs from that phenomenon.

King is also very critical of those sectors of the Christian world that have historically used the Bible and Christian theology as tools for promoting slavery, American racial segregation, and South African apartheid. Indeed, in the sermon entitled "A knock at midnight" he refers to the Christian churches' historic support of racism as one of "the shameful tragedies of history." And he is also critical of those Black churches that have reduced Christianity to either a frenzied form of "entertainment" or a snobbish social club. These are hard words that contemporary Christians need to hear and heed.

King's own vision of Christianity is bold and revolutionary. And this vision is firmly grounded in the person of Jesus, whom he describes as "the world's most dedicated nonconformist." While strongly Christian, King is nonetheless respectful of the truths found in other religious traditions.

One fascinating sermon includes King's balanced critique of Communism. In another sermon, he praises Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, who greatly influenced King's philosophy of nonviolence. Ultimately, King's vision and compassion is vast: in "The man who was a fool," he writes, "All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality."

King's radicalism, his willingness to critique the failings of the Christian world, and his rejection of a rigidly fundamentalist style of Christianity have made him a target of ugly criticism from some more conservative Christians. (Consider, for example, author Paul McGlasson; in his 1994 book "Another Gospel" he condemns King as a "false prophet.") And I fear that others have tried to "sanitize" King's strong message. And that is why "Strength to Love" is such an important book. It is an important historical document of a critical era. And it is also a bold proposal of a Christian path that is compassionate, committed, and open to new truth.

I have good eyes so I don't have a problem reading it, but I have to move it close to my face and it's not exactly pleasant for casual reading. I'd imagine it would strain the eyes for too much reading. Still, every NASB reader (with good eyes or glasses) should own one. Oh yes the clip that holds the covers together when not in use is great because it stops the pages getting crumpled.

I purchased this Bible a year ago and I take with me everywhere I go. It is small enough that it fits in my back pocket, yet the font is large enough and clear enough to read easily. Also, having it readily avaiable allows me to share passages with others when the opportunity arises. I prefer the NASB version over other versions because it's very closely translated from the origional languages making word studies easier. I have been very pleased with it's durability. It has a nice sturdy zipper case that handles everyday use well. I would recommend this Bible to anyone who is looking for a pocket size complete Bible.

This is the full Bible but it is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket. Most Bibles this size only contain the new testament. The only "complaint" I have is that the text is very small. Its definitely NOT for someone with bad eyes!

Culbert is an imaginative, innovative, descriptive writer. The book is full of vivid images that fill the readers mind. It was earthy, real, and wonderful all in one. I would recommend it.

In the spirit of the Beats, Culbert manages to pull off two great stories here, really remarkable prose and full of disturbing imagery that'll make you feel like you're ready to hit the road and meet some strange and interesting people. Check it out. Good stuff.

As a student of Dr. Steven Culberts', I studied Zen Buddhist influences on Japanese Corporate Culture. And in so doing, I learned the true meaning of Dr. Culberts' work--the beauty in nature, the predictable and baffling nature of humans. Dr. Culberts' books read like fine poetry and thoughtful philosophy tightly wrapped into the cacoon of humanity. Our deepest emotions and most unspoken desires are revealed in a disarming fashion. You would do well to read his work. Sincerely, James Giries