Reviews for The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels

The average rating for The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-07-29 00:00:00 Rocky McMahon This is an excellent book and harmonizes well with the other two Cahill's that I have read, "How the Irish Saved Civilization" and "Desire of the Everlasting Hills". The last twelve pages in the book is one of the best summaries I have ever read and comes very close to my own belief system. I especially relate to the fact that in the book he distinguishes an attempt to recount history with the underlying evolution of a belief system. It is refreshing to read someone who recognizes that people are people and it takes them time to get everything right. A strong and lasting belief system like that of the monotheistic religions id not emerge completely formed the first time God spoke with Abram, who became Abraham later. A people coming from Sumer did not instantly become full fledged Hebrews. The time spent in Egypt was not uneventful and left its mark as did every stage in the development of this fascinating people. I also was very impressed by the obvious accuracy of Cahill's description of how the shift from the cyclical to time directed view of events impacted so many aspects of modern life. It is wonderful to read a book written by someone who thinks of things in a new way and conveys that view so clearly to his readers. I gained a lot for m reading this book.

Review # 2 was written on 2007-10-05 00:00:00 Michael Murphy First, I think Cahill writes like no other. His sentences are clean and lucid and his prose simply makes you want to keep reading. This book is about the origins of the people of Israel, but it is not a dry, boring, wake-me-when-it's-over kind of book. Cahill had me hooked from the first page through his wonderful insights into the Bible as story. If you're on the more "conservative side: you might be alarmed at his view of the origins of Scripture, but since I try not to choose "sides" I'll go ahead and say that what Cahill says makes more sense than any other. Cahill offers no defense of "traditional" evangelical interpretation (i.e., "inerrancy") and for that I was thankful since that subject is fraught with plenty of pitfalls and shibboleths. Cahill simply walks through how the canonical Hebrew Scriptures were formulated and how they "worked" in every day life for the Jewish (and later Christian)communities. More importantly, he deftly shows how many of the "rights" and "freedoms" we take for granted today came directly from a little bunch of desert nomads. Wonderful reading and sure to stimulate a craving for more Biblical knowledge and how the canon is supposed to change our lives and our cultures!