Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson (Myths, The) [Hardcover]

David Grossman (Author), Stuart Schoffman (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2006 | Series: Myths, The

Israel's most lauded contemporary writer retells the myth of Samson, one of the most tempestuous, charismatic, and colorful characters in the Hebrew Bible. There are few other Bible stories with so much drama and action, narrative fireworks and raw emotion, as we find in the tale of Samson: the battle with the lion; the three hundred burning foxes; the women he bedded and the one woman that he loved; his betrayal by all the women in his life, from his mother to Delilah; and, in the end, his murderous suicide, when he brought the house down on himself and three thousand Philistines.

"Yet, beyond the wild impulsiveness, the chaos, the din, we can make out a life story that is, at bottom, the tortured journey of a single, lonely and turbulent soul who never found, anywhere, a true home in the world, whose very body was a harsh place of exile. For me, this discovery, this recognition, is the point at which the myth — for all its grand images, its larger-than-life adventures — slips silently into the day-to-day existence of each of us, into our most private moments, our buried secrets." — from David Grossman's introduction to Lion's Honey.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Samson, the biblical strongman whose strength lay in his long hair, has long been viewed as a hero. Before his birth, an angel told his mother that her child would be consecrated to God and save his people. But his is a strange and tragic story. Only in defeat, after his duplicitous lover Delilah cuts off his tresses and hands him over to his enemies, can he fulfill the prophecy and bring down the Philistine temple, killing himself and his captors. Acclaimed Israeli novelist Grossman (The Body) revisits the story in Canongate's series the Myths. He views Samson as an impulsive, lonely, failed man. Grossman's consideration falls squarely into the Jewish tradition of biblical exegesis, imparting both psychological and literary meaning to the story. His mastery of the Hebrew allows for depths of consideration not available to anyone working with a translation. But his reading of Samson is oddly contradictory: on the one hand, he insists that Samson is a man controlled by outside forces; on the other, that deep psychological needs drive him to self-destructive behavior. In the end, Grossman refuses to entertain the most glaring possibility the myth opens up: that only in his failure can Samson succeed and fulfill his life's mission. (Apr. 18)
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Review

"Original and very clever." The Times "The story strikes numerous sparks in Israeli history, and one of the pleasures of the book is where he locates the precise settings of the biblical narrative in Israel and Palestine." Independent "What he does is to deal with an old, neglected text in a way that rekindles interest in and fascination for it." Spectator "His tone is both informal and didactic, the result both enriching and entertaining," TLS" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Canongate U.S. (March 23, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841957429
• ISBN-13: 978-1841957425
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #397,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Literature & Fiction > Biblical Fiction

More About the Author

David Grossman was born in Jerusalem. He is the author of numerous works of fiction, nonfiction, and children's literature. His work has appeared in The New Yorker and has been translated into thirty languages around the world. He is the recipient of many prizes, including the French Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the Buxtehuder Bulle in Germany, Rome's Premio per la Pace e l'Azione Umitaria, the Premio Ischia-- International Award for Journalism, Israel's Emet Prize, and the Albatross Prize given by the Günter Grass Foundation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHLY LISTENABLE NARRATION, June 5, 2006

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson (Audio CD)

According to the Bible, Samson was called by the Lord. In the eyes of Hollywood it was a prime role for Victor Mature. Most will use Samson as a synonym for strong man. Yet little is truly known about the man.

Acclaimed writer David Grossman has an advantage over many would be biographers in that he can read the story of Samson in Hebrew, and for this author the man who brought down the Temple killing not only himself but some 3,000 Philistines was quixotic, troubled, and alone.

As the author describes his hero's psychological characteristics, he ably draws a parallel between Samson and man today by saying, ""Yet, beyond the wild impulsiveness, the chaos, the din, we can make out a life story that is, at bottom, the tortured journey of a single, lonely and turbulent soul who never found, anywhere, a true home in the world, whose very body was a harsh place of exile. For me, this discovery, this recognition, is the point at which the myth -- for all its grand images, its larger-than-life adventures -- slips silently into the day-to-day existence of each of us, into our most private moments, our buried secrets."

Even the most recalcitrant Sunday School student probably remembers the story of Samson as it is packed with excitement, drama, and adventure. According to the text, an angel appeared to Samson's mother before he was born saying that he would be the one to save his people. We remember that the secret of his uncommon strength lay in his long hair, which was cut by Delilah who then gave him to his enemies. It was a tortuous journey to fulfill that early prophecy.

Writer, director, voice performer Mel Foster offers a highly listenable narration of the story of one of the most fascinating yet enigmatic biblical figures.

- Gail Cooke

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opening, July 1, 2006

By 

Nan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson (Myths, The) (Hardcover)

I've always thought Samson one of the least likable heroes in the bible: an infantile bully, a selfish, stupid child in the body of a giant.

Grossman shows a Samson who is much more than that. Yes, he is selfish and violent, but also hurt, lonely, and always yearning for love.

This book contains interesting foreys into literature, etymology, religion and contemporary culture, but stays focused on the main subject: the heartbreaking story of a man born to be betreayed, again and again, by his mother, his wife, his people, the one woman he loved, and maybe most of all, by his god.

Beautiful, fascinating and touching

highly recommended.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars There Are Truths in Myths, August 14, 2006

By 

A. Le Mone "ps51bronx" (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson (Myths, The) (Hardcover)

Grossman's "Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson" is at once a personal relection and a story of a hero in ancient times told with important, relevant, and contemporary examples and illustrations. There're truths in mythology, fables, "folk tales" and ledges. Every culture has them, and Grossman's Samson is no exception.

At once there're lessons for and about life: its weaknesses, its failings, its retrobutions, its tragedies, and its redemptive aspects. Grossman succeeds in spinning a compelling story. Granted there are some flaws, some assumptions that seem too nuanced; others not too logical (the enemy in the same room with Samson, watching the antics with la femme fatale, Deliah). Nonetheless, "Lion's Honey" is a short volume that is engaging reading, it stimulates thinking about human dilemmas equal to our permanent fixture as human beings: How can we control the "demons" around and in us in order to live a quality life.

News from the Middle East, if true, recently reported that Grossman's son was killed a few days ago. That, too, is a "demon" when we out live our children. I was thinking a few weeks ago how Grossman would tell the story of Job. Unforunately, now he can.