Really Bad Girls of the Bible: More Lessons From Less-Than-Perfect Women [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Liz Curtis Higgs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2003

A CBA Bestselling Author

Award-winning speaker and bestselling author Liz Curtis Higgs once again offers her faithful readers real-life humor and grace-filled encouragement in this sequel to Bad Girls of the Bible. Here she introduces eight more women from the Bible whose names you may not recognize, but whose sordid stories all demonstrate God's sovereignty.

Includes study guide.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite the title's italicized intensifier, this sequel to Higg's 1999 bestseller Bad Girls of the Bible profiles many kinds of women, not just bottom-feeding femme fatales. In fact, Higgs does such a remarkable job telling their stories that many of the Good Book's "bad girls" become downright sympathetic. There are the "Bad for a Reason" kinds-characters like Jael, who gamely drove a tent peg through the head of an enemy of Israel. Higgs also looks at the "bad, but Not Condemned," including the hemorrhaging woman who was healed by touching Jesus' garment (though Higgs never adequately explains what, if anything, that woman did to merit "bad girl" opprobrium). "Bad Moon Rising" characters include the seductive bathing beauty Bethsheba, while Jezebel's nasty daughter, Athaliah, and Herod's wife, Herodius, are "Bad and Proud of It." Higgs first fictionalizes each woman's story, using a contemporary protagonist and an American setting for each vignette, then explores the biblical narrative with detailed line-by-line explications and characteristic side-splitting humor. Higgs is a refreshingly astute biblical commentator, challenging the widespread believe, for example, that Salome was a nubile adult temptress-Higgs shows quite convincingly that the dancing Salome was probably only a prepubescent pawn in the hands of her powerful mother, who wanted John the Baptist's head on a platter. Throughout, Higgs ably points readers to "good girl" tips they can apply from the Bible's cautionary tales. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

"Who but Liz Curtis Higgs could so creatively reveal God's compassion, unconditional love, and mercy through such 'Bad Girls' in Scripture?"  
--Carol Kent, speaker and author of Becoming a Woman of Excellence

"This work is God-breathed, the best ever to come from Liz Curtis Higgs. Absolutely life-changing! You'll alternately weep, sigh, gasp, rejoice--and yes, even giggle.  And oh, is it filled with depth and grace."    
--Diane Noble, best-selling author --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 472 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; 1 edition (May 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786249528
• ISBN-13: 978-0786249527
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,197,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Liz Curtis Higgs has been telling tales since she attempted her first novel--handwritten in a marble notebook--at the tender age of ten. Award-winning careers in radio broadcasting, public speaking, nonfiction writing, and children's books honed Liz's storytelling talents, bringing her back to her first love, storytelling.

She is the author of 28 books, with more than 3 million copies in print, including two contemporary novels, one novella, and six historical novels, among them her latest Scottish saga, Here Burns My Candle and Mine Is the Night, a New York Times bestseller.

Her popular nonfiction books include the Bad Girls of the Bible series of books, workbooks, and DVDs, with more than one million copies in print.

And she has written five books for young children, including perennial favorite, The Pumpkin Patch Parable.

Her children's Parable Series received an ECPA Gold Medallion for Excellence, her nonfiction book Embrace Grace won a Retailers Choice Award, and her novel Whence Came a Prince received a Christy Award for Best Historical Novel. Liz was an award-winning columnist for Today's Christian Woman for a decade. Her articles have also appeared in Faith&Friends (Canada), WomanAlive (Great Britian), and Enhance (Australia). More than 4,500 churches nationwide are using her video Bible study series, Loved by God.

A gifted professional speaker, Liz has presented more than 1,600 inspirational programs for audiences in all fifty United States and fourteen foreign countries. When the National Speakers Association honored her with the Council of Peers Award for Excellence, Liz became one of only 32 women in the world named to their CPAE-Speaker Hall of Fame.

Feature articles about Liz have appeared in more than 250 major newspapers and magazines, as well as on Salon.com, Beliefnet.com, and Spirituality.com. She has been interviewed on more than 600 radio and television stations, including guest appearances on PBS, A&E, MSNBC, NPR, TBN, CBC Canada, BBC Radio Scotland, Rhema Broadcasting New Zealand, Radio Pulpit South Africa, Focus on the Family, Life Today, 100 Huntley Street, Midday Connection, and Janet Parshall's America.

On the personal side, Liz is married to Bill Higgs, Ph.D., who serves as Director of Operations for her speaking and writing office. Liz and Bill enjoy their old Kentucky home, a nineteenth-century farmhouse in Louisville, and are the proud (and relieved) parents of two college grads, Matt and Lilly. Visit Liz's Web site: http://www.LizCurtisHiggs.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A witty and insightful look at the Bible's "bad girls", August 13, 2002

By 

Sara (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Really Bad Girls of the Bible: More Lessons from Less-Than-Perfect Women (Paperback)

This book is just as good, and maybe even better, than its predecessor, "Bad Girls of the Bible." In "Really Bad Girls", Liz Curtis Higgs follows the same format and conveys the same message as the first. She brings the reader's attention to often-overlooked women in the Bible, such as Jael, Athalia, and the Medium of En-Dor (no, not the planet the Ewoks live on!). She brings these "bad girls" to life and makes their stories relevent to today's women through modern-retelling of the stories. At the end of each study, she tells us what we can learn from them and that, most of all, God will forgive us and love us no matter what.

Her "Bad Girls" books have really caught on like wildfire in the Christian community, and no doubt have captured the hearts of many non-Christians as well. Her books are different and edgy, which is just what the Christian literary community needs. As a reformed "bad girl" herself, Liz speaks as somebody who has been through it all and lived to tell about it. She welcomes every woman, no matter what her background, with open arms and an open heart. Even if you don't really consider yourself a "Christian", you will be completely won over by her books and message. Actually, I believe she wrote her books as much for those outside the Christian community as those within it.

I was so touched by her books that I emailed Liz herself telling her what a difference they made in my life. She sent an encouraging, heart-felt message back, which totally made my day! How many authors out there will do that? Liz is definitely one-of-a-kind!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You can't put this one down either!, April 9, 2001

By 

Lisa Samson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Really Bad Girls of the Bible: More Lessons from Less-Than-Perfect Women (Paperback)

Liz did it again. Every bit as engaging as the first Bad Girls book. You've just got to love the way Liz deftly chauffers you over the highways of "Bad-dom" and ends up pulling your car right into the driveway of grace. Wonderful! --Lisa Samson, author of The Church Ladies

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Liz Outdoes Herself!, February 11, 2005

By 

Meg C (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Really Bad Girls of the Bible: More Lessons from Less-Than-Perfect Women (Paperback)

I got this book after having read the first one. I really enjoyed the first book, but Liz really outdoes herself with #2. When the title says, "Really Bad," she is not kidding. There are several stories that I had read several times in the Bible and not grasped the severity of them until having read Liz's modern day version. Yet there are some characteristic traits in these women that can be found in every one of us. A must read!