Robert Alter's rare combination of fluent translation and insightful commentary makes this the perfect edition of Genesis for anyone drawn to this formative work in our culture. Alter's translation attends to the usages, rhythms, and narrative patterns of Biblical Hebrew and renders them with clarity and literary appeal. His commentary deepens the reader's understanding of Genesis as a cohesive book without being intrusive. The result is "the Genesis for our generation and beyond" (Robert Fagles).
The Biblical book of Genesis contains some of the most sublime poetry known to man as well as the powerful and bloody history of early Israel. Literary critic Robert Alter here joins the ranks of contemporary authors who have tried to mimic, in English, the sonorous rhythms and parallel constructions of the original Hebrew. He also supplies an insightful, fascinating commentary that emphasizes the dramatic unity of the Genesis story. For believers seeking a deeper understanding of the Bible's first book, or for readers interested in the Bible as literature, Alter's contribution is essential.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
A revelation!:
For so long I naively believed in the theory of evolution. But then I discovered this book and realised I was completely mistaken - the world was actually created by God in six days! Quite remarkable. I won't make the mistake of putting blind faith in tatty old folk tales written by senile old loonies again.
book:
Even from a non-religions point of view, Genesis is a valuable piece of literature. Being one of the first texts ever it has had a great influence on our society and is the basis for many of our customs. It isn't the most exciting read, there is a lot of who begot who, but its interesting to see what so many people have put so much faith into.
It is the type of book where you can always look for a deeper meaning, which the footnotes help greatly with, but simply reading it for what it is you're still... more info
Genesis:
Genesis is a difficult read in many ways. The writing style is over a thousand years old, this combined with the density of the material makes it a very time consuming read. The text requires a lot of analyzing and critical thinking while reading. While it is a hard and dense read, in the end it is a very rewarding one. You cannot claim to have an understanding of literature until you have read Genesis. Being one of the first true texts and the guide to life for many, many great novels have drawn... more info
Life Changing:
There are hosts of people for whom reading the Bible has been a life-changing experience. Reading this book was a life-changing experience for me as it changed the way I read the Bible. Alter shows Genesis as a work of literature. This doesn't mean that it holds no timeless truths. Rather the reverse. The fact that Genesis was written with a spirit beyond that found in a mere journalistic account make it more valuable not less. This is one of those books where in the footnotes are longer than the... more info
