- Hardcover: 254 pages
- Publisher: Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd (27 May 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0711213151
- ISBN-13: 978-0711213159
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14.3 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,079,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Age-old stories rooted in the Old Testament are retold in this volume, offering an insight into the cycle of life, the complexities of human nature and the shared human heritage.
From the Author
I wrote this book primarily because I wanted to give back to people the folk tales and legends which religious institutions and people in power, by dogmatism and manipulation have taken away from them.
Almost nobody reads the Old Testament voluntarily, for pleasure, today - the institutional layout, the notes, the pious paper and binding, the moralistic associations. I wanted to make a book of stories rooted in the Old Testament that would exhilarate everyone, not by taking away its poetry, a modern idea which is to me absurd, but by first taking away the religious and political and sociological manipulation; and then building not only on the stories themselves, but on the loving, fanciful improvisations that through centuries have been woven by learned and unlearned people, over them - rather like jazz.
Early in my research I came across a Staff, a Staff of sapphire, blue as the sapphire sky - a Cloak, which had pictured on it every animal, bird and insect in the world - a Book, that had in it all knowledge worthy to be told, including the song of the sun and the thoughts of the rain. In legend these gifts were given to Adam and Eve to protect them when they left the Garden of Delight, and then handed down through the ages. I decided to make them my framework, and to write the book only about the characters who in legend had been given them.
Following Jewish folklore, I made God male and female together, and the first human being male and female together, since it was made in God's image. It was also in legend made all colours, so that it could live happily and freely anywhere in the world. And the earth in legend belonged to God and was to be respected. Today we call that respect for the environment.
The God Stories is a book for people aged nine to ninety, irreligious or religious, who are captivated by stories. I hope they will read it on the train on their way to work or back, or relax with it after school; and that parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, will read it aloud to each other for shared pleasure, as they read other books of powerful stories. It is a book for storylovers and storytellers.
"God made people, because God loves stories" (The Talmud)
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super,
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This review is from: The God Stories: A Celebration of Legends (Hardcover)
Well known stories from the Hebrew Bible - retold in an exciting way.
A great story read for adult and child.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review) 0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
God Stories:A Celebration of Legends,
By LJR - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The God Stories: A Celebration of Legends (Hardcover)
Very well written! I am using this for work, but it is riveting and interesting.Written in a non-biased, non-religious, non-sexist format.
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