Sisters Of Sinai
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Review
Soskice tells the story with scholarly conviction... [this] biography is one to be earmarked.
--www.thebookbag.co.uk
--www.thebookbag.co.uk
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`a cracking tale of two irresistible characters'
--This text refers to the
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
68 of 71 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Janet Soskice has brought to vivid life the extraordinary story of the Smith sisters, Agnes and Margaret, staunch Scottish Presbyterians, who did the unthinkable for two respectable ladies of the mid Victorian era. Not only were they well educated, in itself unusual at a time when education for ladies tended to stop at watercolouring, embroidery, a little piano playing and possibly a smattering of French. The Smith sisters were fortunate in having considerable private means, but their intellectual vigour ( encouraged from the earliest by their widower father ) led them to pursue biblical scholarship. They learnt to speak and read, (besides the customary European languages, French, Italian and German), Greek, classical and modern, Arabic, Hebrew, and Syriac.
It was knowledge of the latter which enabled Agnes to make the discovery that transformed their lives, and propelled them into the front rank of Biblical textual scholars. Alerted to the possibility by a scholar friend, they set off for St. Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, specifically to track down an ancient gospel manuscript in one of the monastery's store cupboards. It turned out to be a palimpsest, an over-written vellum book, containing in the partially erased original writing, one of the very earliest copies of the four gospels. It was written in Syriac, a language very close to the Aramaic spoken by people in Israel at the time of Jesus.
The journey, one they were to repeat six times, was arduous enough, even with the financial means to assemble the large caravan of camels, dragomans, porters, cooks and so on necessary for an extended crossing of the Sinai desert. It was an even more outstanding achievement for two Victorian ladies to organise the expedition for and by themselves. But they were always encouraged by their thought that they were following in the footsteps of characters from the Bible.
In the 19th century, at a time when the literal written word of the Bible was still sacrosanct to most Christians, Biblical scholarship was beginning to show that the manuscript sources of the Bible were many, varied, and often contradictory. The Gospel of St.Mark in the Sinai Syriac palimpsest, for instance, ends with the discovery of the empty tomb guarded by shining beings, but no further post-resurrection events. And it is still one of the earliest known versions of Mark's Gospel.
Janet Soskice has written a stunning account of the adventurous Smith twins, their lives, loves and ferocious determination to pursue their scholarly goals in the face of academic and social prejudice against women intellectuals. It is a gripping page-turner, as thrilling as any Victorian romance. Whether you are interested in Biblical studies or not, as a story of detection, courage and scholarship, it is a fascinating and enthralling read. Unputdownable.
It was knowledge of the latter which enabled Agnes to make the discovery that transformed their lives, and propelled them into the front rank of Biblical textual scholars. Alerted to the possibility by a scholar friend, they set off for St. Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, specifically to track down an ancient gospel manuscript in one of the monastery's store cupboards. It turned out to be a palimpsest, an over-written vellum book, containing in the partially erased original writing, one of the very earliest copies of the four gospels. It was written in Syriac, a language very close to the Aramaic spoken by people in Israel at the time of Jesus.
The journey, one they were to repeat six times, was arduous enough, even with the financial means to assemble the large caravan of camels, dragomans, porters, cooks and so on necessary for an extended crossing of the Sinai desert. It was an even more outstanding achievement for two Victorian ladies to organise the expedition for and by themselves. But they were always encouraged by their thought that they were following in the footsteps of characters from the Bible.
In the 19th century, at a time when the literal written word of the Bible was still sacrosanct to most Christians, Biblical scholarship was beginning to show that the manuscript sources of the Bible were many, varied, and often contradictory. The Gospel of St.Mark in the Sinai Syriac palimpsest, for instance, ends with the discovery of the empty tomb guarded by shining beings, but no further post-resurrection events. And it is still one of the earliest known versions of Mark's Gospel.
Janet Soskice has written a stunning account of the adventurous Smith twins, their lives, loves and ferocious determination to pursue their scholarly goals in the face of academic and social prejudice against women intellectuals. It is a gripping page-turner, as thrilling as any Victorian romance. Whether you are interested in Biblical studies or not, as a story of detection, courage and scholarship, it is a fascinating and enthralling read. Unputdownable.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent story that needed to be told. Meticulously researched, beautifully and authoritatively written by Prof. Janet Soskice. Just like the Scottish twins, who rose from the ranks of amateur linguists to international scholars of theology and philology, no extensive prior knowledge is required but an open mind will go a long way. How infuriating to learn that only a century ago, Cambridge did not award degrees to women!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A remarkable book about two women who were able to fulfil many of their dearest wishes. The fact that they were able both to amass 2,000 mss and even learn the necessary languages to read many of them is their triumph of education. Sinai has never been easily accessible for Westerners, so they must have charmed their way in. The Bete Noire who could so easily have frustrated their attempts was the 19th Century German Scholar, Tischendorf, but they built up a new relationship with the monks of Sinai, which is truly commendable. When the New Sinai website started up, last year, in its first three hours it had 20 million hits. Such is the interest in Mt. Sinai.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Sisters of Sinai
Having enjoyed the book myself, I ordered a copy for a friend who was equally satisfied, both with the contents of the book and its delivery condition. JW
Published 1 month ago by J Whitby
The Sisters of Sinai
Others have alraedy provided a synopsis. A brilliantly told story - a novel in a academic text. It is a story that should be much more widely read and known. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Flaherty
Inspiring and exciting tale of two lady adventurers
Sisters of Sinai is a tale of adventure, of exotic travel and of persistence (or sheer stubbornness) in overcoming trials and adversity. Read more
Published 11 months ago by H. M. Holt
Engaging tale of two likeable and determined women
This is a wonderful true story in the best traditions of intrepid 19th century scholarship-cum-exploration, combining the discovery of biblical manuscripts, ferocious academic... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jeremy Bevan
Victorian academic heroines brought to life.
The human drama of this biblical research - the journeys and the jealousies, the diligence and determination, the erudite and the oecumenical - makes this a remarkably good book... Read more
Published 15 months ago by A. Hunter
19th century women heros telling us who we are
A brilliant book telling the story of two (very) rich Scottish widows, Dr. Agnes Smith Lewis and her twin sister Dr. Margaret Dunlop Gibson, who searched the Sinai desert (! Read more
Published 17 months ago by Dr. C. Jeynes
sisters of sinai
a well researched book about a little known but important item in early church history.
it does reflect on how much primary evidence has been hiden away for many years. Read more
it does reflect on how much primary evidence has been hiden away for many years. Read more
Published 20 months ago by al
Fascinating, approachable and insightful
Other reviews on this page have summarised what this book is about: two highly educated, wealthy and independent Victorian sisters who made some of the most important theological... Read more
Published on 4 May 2010 by Brixtonian
Captivating
I think this was the best book I read in 2009. It is a mixture of academic intrigue, undaunted vision, travel adventure and a cock at the establishment all in the name of revealing... Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2010 by John Wood
Bought this for my Mother-in-Law
My mother-in-law, who went to Cambridge, as did the author of this book I believe, asked me to get this for her birthday. Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2010 by Great Scot
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