The Book of God: The Bible as a Novel [Hardcover]

Walter Wangerin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

Here is the entire story of the Bible, narrated by master storyteller Walter Wangerin Jr. This great historical novel dramatizes the sweep of biblical events, making the men and women of this ancient book come alive and vivid in dialogue.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"This is not the Bible," Wangerin (The Book of the Dun Cow; Miz Lil and the Chronicles of Grace; etc.) says of this newest work. But it is a novel featuring many of the Bible's most dramatic characters. He partitions the whole into eight parts: half focus on personalities (The Ancestors, Kings, Prophets, The Messiah), and half concern themselves with epic themes (The Covenant, The Wars of the Lord, Letters From Exile, The Yearning). Retelling the stories of the Bible in novelized form allows Wangerin to be more selective: no slogging through seemingly endless genealogies or the minutiae of military conflicts for him. Instead, he imagines the finer points of the tension between Sarah and her slave, Hagar; the words Isaac might have used in blessing Jacob; or the drama of Jesus's baptism by his cousin, John. In doing so, he also makes some curious inventions. Does Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, become a justifiably more interesting character, for instance, if he is presented as willingly making nails for the evil ruler Herod to use in crucifixions? For adult readers who are intimidated by the sheer bulk of the Bible, or for those who desire a novelist's different perspective on some very familiar stories, Wangerin is likely to be a welcome voice; for others, however, the novel will feel like an ornate but pale imitation of a great book.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Renowned storyteller Wangerin (Ragman and Other Cries of Faith, HarperSanFrancisco, 1994) here selects portions of the biblical narrative for retelling to a contemporary audence. Ever the raconteur, Wangerin evokes the deep and powerful emotions that motivate all human behavior. Yet rich as these retellings sometimes are, many of his characters lack even the depth with which they are presented in the biblical acccounts. Unfortunately, Wangerin's "novel" reduces the power of the Bible's multidimensional characters to the flatness of much of today's most popular spiritual fiction. Buy only where Wangerin is popular.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 656 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310236126
• ISBN-13: 978-0310236122
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #455,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Novelization adds to, does not detract from, the story, May 5, 2000

By 

Scott Johnson (Ames, Iowa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of God: The Bible as a Novel (Hardcover)

There is absolutely no way to ever tell the story of the Bible in a concise, perfectly edited, all encompassing manner. What I love about Walter Wangerin's work with The Book of God is that he doesn't try to get everything into the story. This is a marvelously edited, fictionalized version of the major points of the Bible, presented in a manner which engages the reader and educates at the same time. I have read this book three times, and each time it has been a blessing to me. THIS IS NOT A NEW BIBLE! Those who are looking for a readable version of the Bible itself should try the Living Bible or another similar translation. Wangerin's work here tells the story; it is not a translation, nor is it canonical in any sense of the word. It is, however, inspired by the story of God acting in and through Creation, and in this understanding, I highly recommend The Book of God to Christians and non-believers alike who wish to get into the story of the Bible.

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for Bible neophytes!, April 9, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of God: The Bible as a Novel (Hardcover)

Growing up Catholic, the Bible scriptures were usually read to us and in a random fashion. For years I gave up on tackling the task of figuring out the Bible. This book provided the chronological context for the Bible in such a wonderful way, that it's caused me to want to read the Bible differently and more consistently. I also read this book while visiting the Holy Land. Interestingly, Mr. Wangerin's story brings the places and events to life just like our tour guide did. It was awesome! That's why I'm now searching for more of his books to buy. I finally understand why so many people refer to the Bible as the "greatest book ever written." As far as I'm concerned, anyone who has the talent to get Bible neophytes like me interested and eager to read the Bible should continue to take risks and do more of it! Thanks Mr. Wangerin!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving Experience, October 1, 2004

By 

David C. Hoffner (Hebron, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of God (Paperback)

I greatly enjoyed reading this book, though I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Some of the reservations about it are well represented in the other reviews on this site. While I was reading this book I was asked about it, and I thought hard about my answer. Some Christians who would consider themselves literalists with regard to the Bible may not be fond of this book. Wangerin takes literary liberties and is very creative with the Biblical narratives and his arrangement of them. This may put some readers off. But as for me, I loved a lot of it. Taken for what it is: a literary exploration of the Bible, I think that Wangerin and his work show great respect for God and his story in the Bible. But some do not agree.

The book is labeled as a novel; maybe the genre of historical novel would best describe it. The book covers thousands of years and many human generations and cultures. So in some ways the book is like an anthology. And like an anthology, some pieces were better than others. My personal favorites included the stories of Joseph, Solomon, Jeremiah, and Andrew. This book was moving to read. Having read the Bible itself cover to cover several times, I had grown used to the stories. Reading Wangerin's take on them helped me recover the vibrant human interest these stories deserve. I feel like I walked through the Biblical narratives in a more vital and personal way than I ever have before. And I am sure that my approach to the Bible itself is now enriched.