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by: Bruce Feiler  List Price: $26.95 Amazon.com's Price: $7.99 You Save: $18.96 (70%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Binding: HardcoverFormat: Bargain Price Label: Amazon Remainders Account Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 416 Publication Date: September 01, 2005 Publisher: Amazon Remainders Account Studio: Amazon Remainders Account Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: Bruce Feiler's latest book combines now familiar elements into his own peculiar, delightful alchemy. Any particular page may be found effortlessly weaving together strands of theology, biblical exegesis, physical exploration, history and personal reflection as Feiler continues his journey of discovery, looking at the common roots of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The Middle East has become a more dangerous place since the writing of his first book in this vein, Walking the Bible. But Feiler is impelled to answer his continued call, even when a flak jacket is necessary. He explores tunnels under Jerusalem. Goes to where David may have slain Goliath. Even looks for the Garden of Eden in Iraq while acknowledging that "the garden would never be found." It is this externalization of searches typically only made in the heart that fascinates us and brings power to Feiler's narrative. In one of the more compelling sections of the book, a meditation on Jonah, Feiler makes a persuasive argument that "God cares only that you conduct yourself in a moral way… And what might come across as preaching in another context is instead organic; Feiler's ideas seem to grow as much out of his travel and present-day experience as they do from Scripture and history. Of particular interest is his writing on King Cyrus II. He travels to Persepolis, in modern-day Iran, and finds an ancient precedent for religious tolerance in this king who helped the Jews build the Second Temple. Feiler provokes us to reflect that if the Bible itself can sing the praises of a king who accepted the various religions of those he ruled, perhaps there is hope we can find room for more tolerance in our own time. Highly recommended.--Ed Dobeas Product Description: At a time when America debates its values and the world braces for religious war, Bruce Feiler, author of the New York Times bestsellers Walking the Bible and Abraham, travels ten thousand miles through the heart of the Middle East—Israel, Iraq, and Iran—and examines the question: Is religion tearing us apart ... or can it bring us together? Where God Was Born combines the adventure of a wartime chronicle, the excitement of an archaeological detective story, and the insight of personal spiritual exploration. Taking readers to biblical sites not seen by Westerners for decades, Feiler's journey uncovers little-known details about the common roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and affirms the importance of the Bible in today's world. In his intimate, accessible style, Feiler invites readers on a never-in-a-lifetime experience:
In Where God Was Born, Feiler discovers that at the birth of Western religion, all faiths drew from one another and were open to coexistence. Feiler's bold realization is that the Bible argues for interfaith harmony. It cannot be ceded to one side in the debate over values. Feiler urges moderates to take back the Bible and use its powerful voice as a beacon of shared ideals. In his most ambitious work to date, Bruce Feiler has written a brave, uplifting story that stirs the deepest chords of our time. Where God Was Born offers a rare, universal vision of God that can inspire different faiths to an allegiance of hope. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Very Interesting and EnlighteningSince I have a great interest in Israel, Iran and Iraq at this time, I was very pleased to read a present day personal account of Bruce Feiler's journey to those places. He made me feel as though I was there with him in each instance. I appreciated his spiritual search as well. Rating: - Where God Was BornThis was a fascinating and educational book. I learned so much from reading it and although the author referred many times to the Hebrew Bible, I found the King James version very similar to the scriptures he quoted. The main thing however; was his ability to describe all the biblical sites he visited. I bought the book from Amazon.com at a great price because I wanted to make notations and underline. The book is well worth any price. Rating:  - Slight of Hand....I'll approach this from the standpoint of writer and engineer because a number of people have already amply tackled the Biblical aspect. If you read this book, read it carefully and with a critical eye. There were far too many times when the author implied "if A then B" when the result was by no means justified. Secondly, there were too many occasions where he took the end result and worked backwards to show how the forces colluded to achieve the result, much in the same way modern conspiracy ... Read More Rating:  - Great physical & spiritual walk, but in the end reverts to the secularBruce does an amazing job of making the Bible and its lands and history real. While he doesn't fall prey to the all too often use of analysis to subtley, but irrevovably trash religion and God, he does in the end lean to the secular, all the while proclaiming his Jewishness. Despite his spiritual longings, he seems to think Judaism is flexible and what you make of it--rather than a pilgrimage to find ultimate truth--a concept he runs from. In the end it seems his greatest joy is that no matter ... Read More Rating: - where god was bornVery much second best to his earlier book, walking the bible. seems like the author thought he had to write another book on the same topic, which is too bad. 
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