The Good Book: Writers Reflect on Favorite Bible Passages by Andrew Blauner

The Good Book: Writers Reflect on Favorite Bible Passages Reviews

• 
  Joan

  The Good Book, otherwise known as the Holy Bible, forms the basis for an eclectic mix of authors to expound on its meaning [or lack thereof] in their personal lives. From the Bible, the best-selling book of all time, each author, according to the stated premise of the narrative, reflects on their favorite passages, presumably those that hold a particular meaning for each of them.
  
  And, occasionally, one of the discourses in “The Good Book” actually delivers on this promise.
  
  Unfortunately, the majority of the essays included in this volume, although well-written, are shallow and self-serving, sometimes nothing more than thinly-veiled political harangue failing to address the Good Book other than to recount how the author has fallen away from such trite childishness as to actually believe in the Scriptures. As a group, many of these authors are contemptuous of the Bible as sacred Scripture; instead, they tend to posit that the Good Book is an appalling, infantile diatribe, a position likely to offend readers seeking insightful Biblical-related commentary from this group of writers.
  
  In all fairness, Adam Gopnik’s introduction offers readers some forewarning of this when he states that the Bible’s “stories have long ago fallen away; we know that almost nothing that happens in it actually happened and that its miracles . . . crowd the world’s great granary of superstition.”
  
  However, scattered throughout this dismissive mish-mash are some truly inspiring, uplifting pieces. Most notably, they include:
  
  Lois Lowry, writing on the Old Testament story of Ruth and how its basic “wherever you go, I shall go; your people shall be my people” message resounded in her own family. . .
  
  Cokie and Steven Roberts, who find in Zipporah an example of respecting the tenets of faith held by each person in interfaith families and how to honor that unique combined heritage . . .
  
  Kerry Kennedy, sharing an uplifting story rooted in the ongoing earthquake recovery in Haiti with a heartwarming piece on redemption, faith, and resurrection . . .
  
  Lydia Davis, writing on the Twenty-Third Psalm, comparing translations of Scripture, exploring the metaphor, and reaching for the deeper meaning and promise offered in this well-known and beloved psalm . . .
  
  Edwidge Danticat, sharing the heartrending story of her mother’s last days and of the two of them reading together the verses of Scripture that offer meaning and comfort . . .
  
  Kudos to each of these authors for their faith-affirming, thoughtful, eloquent stories. Their inspiring writings deserve a far better home than this lackluster collection that is likely to be nothing more than a sad disappointment for readers who treasure their faith.
• 
  Chuck

  Nice idea but I was imagining a stronger assemblage of writers and more of a literary focus.
• 
  Nathan "N.R." Gaddis

  I'm just padding my 2015 read=shelf. Like with
  State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America, there's only one piece in here I'm interested in. Robert Coover's "The Bad Book", all of which is/was available on the amazon pre=view. I totally disagree with Coover's reading of ta Biblia, but what are you going to do. He turned his Bible=reading into Gold with his two Brunist books.
• 
  Jeff Zell

  The common threads that run through these writer's reflections on different aspects of the Hebrew and Christian Scripture is that they are writers and that they are reflecting on the Bible. The individual writers may or may not have faith in God. They may or may not have been raised in the faith. They have their own reasons for reflecting upon the particular Bible passages that they do.
  
  Avi Steinberg grew up in an Orthodox Jewish household and went to Orthodox Jewish schools for education. He is no longer a person with faith. As he looks at the Bible as literature or stories, he realizes that when he had faith he sought more from the text. Well, the text demanded more of him because how could he be a person of faith AND be rational too. He takes up the issue of the snake in the garden of Eden. What happens though in his asking the question of "Who is the snake in the Garden of Eden?" is we are met with fascinating, creative, and plausible exegesis. Steinberg connects the role of the snake with sibling relationships in Genesis and the points out the role of the trickster is some of the better known stories from Genesis.
  
  Lois Lowry recalls being uninterested in Presbyterian Sunday School in her childhood when she learned some of the basic Bible stories. She did not continue church attendance as an adult. At her son's wedding she heard the promise of Ruth to Naomi, "Wherever you go I shall go. Wherever you live so shall I live. Your people will be my people." When she returned home, she found a Bible in tucked away in her book shelves and read the book of Ruth. She relates how her son's wedding has brought her new people to know and to love in another country. Lowry's is a beautiful story.
  
  Adam Gopnik provides an interesting introduction. He observes that for most people the Bible is an ancient, obsolete book, yet the stories within it have a universal appeal and continue to require reflection. Gopnik aptly describes different ways of engaging the biblical text: aesthetic; accommodationist; anthropological; antagonistic. He notes that any good reading of the bible will include all of these different ways of reading the Bible.
  
  The interaction of these contemporary writers with an ancient text makes for fascinating reading.
  
  
• 
  Kat

  Tried reading this, but just got too bored to finish it. Some of the personal stories are interesting, but it was a little weird to read about people who grew up almost secular rhapsodizing about the Bible (and not always just because they think it a great piece of literature.) I only got about halfway through, but the first story that postulates that the Snake in the Garden if Eden was not an animal at all... but Adam's brother. That the Fall was a tale of familial strife. Kinda intriguing, I must admit.
• 
  Nate

  A mixed bag, but I absolutely loved some of the essays in this collection. The last Coover piece, "The Bad Book" kind of ruined it for me. A dismissive and snooty criticism of the Bible as "mere literature of disputed quality" and a "bad book mostly."
  
  I don't necessarily think it shouldn't have played a part in this collection of otherwise beautifully honest and personal reflections, but why conclude on such a sour note? Felt like a trick played on the reader.
• 
  Heidi

  This had a number of very interesting perspectives from some writers I was not too familiar with. The stories told connect to varying aspects of life and faith. An enjoyable book to keep picking up and reading from the chapters in any order.
• 
  Rebecca

  Some really wonderful essays, some mediocre essays, and some "meh" essays.
• 
  John Addiego

  I loved this book! The reflections on scriptural verse by a variety of writers ranged from skepticism to inspiration but always showed a great deal of personal attachment and usually a good measure of soul-searching.
• 
  Lydia

  The reflections are written by both believers and non believers. It’s a good book and makes me want to read the Bible again—at least parts of it.
• 
  Pam

  This was a good book to read during this unique time of our sheltering in place. It gave me inspiration as I read each favorite passage and the author's reasons for their choices.
• 
  Kathryn Pritchett

  Thought provoking essays worth reading.
• 
  Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken

  So dull. Did not care to finish this one. Didn't connect to any of the stories, did not enjoy.
• 
  Drew

  I like the idea, and a few of the essays spoke to me (Edwidge Danticat, most notably) but I'm rankled the book features so few women writers; in a collection of 33 essays, just 7 are written by women.
• 
  Jennifer

  While I am perplexed that well over two thirds of the contributes are white men (and only one of the thirty-four is a woman of color!) I very much enjoyed reading the various perspectives.