Sons of God: Daughters of Men (Paperback)

by Edward F. Malkowski (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
While we may never know what the real history of Genesis is, Malkowski has painted a viable and well-documented alternative -- Jeff Masters, Student of Theology, August 12, 2003

Product Description
Sons of God – Daughters of Men is a history book written for a general audience. It inherits it’s title from the peculiar introduction to the story of Noah’s flood, in the 6th chapter of the biblical Genesis, where the "sons of God" saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and took them as wives. There, they are described as "heroes of old" and "men of renown", supposedly at a time when mankind was just created, eight generations before Noah.

This rather eerie reference to seemingly divine men has been, for myself, a continuous source of curiosity. If they were so famous, why then are there no other writings of their acts and deeds? And why were their offspring and descendents referred to as giants? Never having obtained a plausible answer from anyone, I contend that something significant happened a very long time ago. And whatever happened was hidden or lost during subsequent generations. The intriguing part is that traces of their existence made their way into the most popular book in the history of civilization.

Sons of God – Daughters of Men is about history and not theology, although it is difficult not to mention and discuss various theological ideas and trends. It is about setting aside any preconceived ideas and doctrinal notions, recovering the prehistory from the earliest chapters of Genesis, and placing them in their proper context. This book’s intent is to reveal the historical facts behind the stories.

There is abundant archeological evidence concerning the prehistory of man. And, although its interpretations are often debated among the scientists themselves, their factual basis is irrefutable. If the Bible, in general, is historically accurate, then it’s earliest stories must agree with the archeological and other historical sources. Human events in ancient history did not occur in a vacuum and therefore, are not without an historical context. Sons of God – Daughters of Men hunts through the pages of history in search of facts, in an attempt to establish Genesis as a far more believable and literal text than anyone’s wildest dreams.

Our search begins in 19th century America when settlers moving into the Ohio River Valley unearthed the remains of a forgotten civilization, a society where giants lived among men, and a culture that encompassed the vast, eastern territories of North America. For their posterity, numerous county histories and eventually the United States Geological Survey documented the events of this almost forgotten chapter in U.S. history.

We follow the historical evidence of giants back to ancient Israel and the legendary King David, to Joshua and the conquest of Canaan, then to Abraham and his flight from the Sumerian City of Ur; and finally to Noah, his great-grandfather, Enoch, and the antediluvian world of Genesis where a clash of cultures sparked the most famous fable of all. With scientific and historical evidence cast in complementary light we can see fact in myth, and reveal the truth behind Adam, Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden. We also discover the culture of long forgotten people, the true progenitors of civilization whose origins reach back 40,000 years.

Human culture has had a long history of conflict and order. Those who succeed tell their story, almost always as the only story. It is cliché, but true, history is written by the victor. Nations, societies, movements, and ideas that failed somewhere along the way are often depicted as inhuman or evil and in most cases were probably neither. Their vain struggle offers valuable insight into our past and own way of thinking. To truly understand the triumphant we must also understand the defeated.

Sons of God – Daughters of Men does not find its answers in angels, demons or extra-terrestrials, only history and the mountain of evidence produced through 150 years of archeology, anthropology and comparative mythology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Bits of Sunshine Publishing Company (November 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0974395005
• ISBN-13: 978-0974395005
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,017,170 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars But what about the GIANTS?!, June 30, 2006

By	K. Lambert (Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Overall this is a well-written and researched book with lots of good information. However, I kept expecting the other shoe to fall... but it never really did.

As the title implies, this book attempts to explain the origin of the "Sons of God and Daughters of Men" and the legends surrounding them. In the first few chapters Malkowski details various early myths about "giants" and the "Sons of God", as well as more recent documented discoveries of unusually large skeletal remains and tools. In subsequent chapters he then examines the possible origin, migration, and development of Neolithic man up through the birth of civilization... but never does he provide any explanation for, or further discussion of, the giants discussed in the opening chapters.

The author's basic premise is that the "Daughters of Men" represent early Neolithic cultures; peaceful hunter-gather communities who became agrigarian (farmer-shepherds) after the Ice Age, venerated the Mother Goddess, recognized gender equality, and freely shared all resources and possessions among clan members. The "Sons of God" also likely began as hunter-gatherers, but somehow(?) became a more agressive society where weapons, once used only for hunting, became symbols of power and dominance. They developed the concepts of ownership and social class, the Mother Goddess (and women in general) was pushed aside to be replaced by predominantly male warrior gods, and the domestication of the horse gave them a significant advantage in mobility and warfare. Long story short, one group conquered the other.

Malkowski wisely acknowledges that ancient myths often contain seeds of truth, but cautiously keeps both feet on the ground by brushing off some of the more "far-fetched" claims in these legends. He does, however, admit that there seems to have been an unknown "advanced civilization" that influenced and/or shared their knowledge with ancient Egypt and other early cultures who show little to no signs of progressive cultural development -- cultures that appear fully developed in every way from their inception. Yet there isn't even the slightest speculation by the author as to who these people were, or how advanced they may have been.

The reader is led to *infer* that the giants were simply another extinct branch of our family tree. Large, yes, but still very human. But if that were the case why haven't archaeologist and anthropologists made any attempt to examine the evidence and welcome "homogigantus" into our family? I mean, other early hominids have been accepted as human ancestors based on far less physical proof, many of which are genetically further removed from modern man than the "giants" presumably were.

It's not that I was expecting Malkowski to confirm (or refute) my own beliefs, but I *was* expecting a more thorough exploration of the giants, even if speculative.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A story of prehistory and the birth of civilization, March 8, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in antiquarian history and/or the history of religion, In Sons Of God Daughters Of Men, Edward F. Malkowski pieces together a story of prehistory and the birth of civilization from the myths of Genesis discovered through the revelations of archaeology. Exploring the legends of history and various culture folklore, as well as cities from Biblical times, the search to locate Eden, the evolution of religious and spiritual thought since prehistoric times, and so much more, Sons Of God Daughters Of Men offers a thoughtful and thought-provoking wealth of insights into the gradual process of an increasing cultural sophistication in humankind's attempts to grapple with both real and spiritual dilemmas.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening, March 8, 2004

By A Customer

"Sons of God: Daughters of Men" is a very well written book. It is thoroughly researched and well put together. This book offers an alternative view of history, not bound by religious or academic doctrine. Every author should be as thorough and unbiased as Mr. Malkowski.