Adam and His Kin: The Lost History of Their Lives and Times

by Ruth Beechick, Michael Denman (Illustrator)

A rare blending of the Bible account with information from sciences, archeology, ancient traditions and other sources. Reads as easily as a story, yet teaches actual history. Narrates from creation to Abram, encompassing the whole period usually called "prehistoric". Charts, maps and illustrations help to give a clear picture of times and places. Gives insights into the world before the great flood and into the rebuilding of civilization afterward. Shows the sources of all pagan beliefs. Used as supplementary reading with the course above on Genesis. For the whole family.

Genres: Christian, History, School, Ancient History, Christianity, Nonfiction, Theology

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 2, 1990

About the author

Dr. Ruth Beechick spent a lifetime teaching and studying how people learn. She taught in Washington state, Alaska, Arizona and in several colleges and seminaries in other states. She also spent thirteen years at a publishing company writing curriculum for churches. In "retirement" she wrote for the homeschool movement. Her degrees are A.B. from Seattle Pacific University, M.A.Ed. and Ed.D. from Arizona State University.

Reviews

[Elise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Crap. Utter crap. Granted I only got to chapter 5 but it was such rank nonsense that I abandoned this book right fast. I can't quite figure out why this little book was recommended so highly to homeschoolers. Children don't need their heads filled with non-biblical extras when they're trying to get down the basics & some of those extras are actively contradicted by the actual text. For example, page 24:"Adam must eat the fruit, too. He must not leave her alone in this condition. Frightened & distraught, she ran to Adam..." That must have been something to see given Gen 3:6b "...she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." For a different project I researched the first 4 chapters of Genesis in several respected, mainstream commentaries. Every single one of them noted that Adam was present for the whole deal.
That's just 1 example out of many in only the first few chapters. Homeschoolers, don't use this or if you do, be prepared to have your kids be wrong about the narrative a lot. It's not hard to teach Genesis. It's already a story. Just tell it.

[Flew Flewelling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fascinating! It was very interesting to read a narrative account of the beginning of Genesis. Although the author takes some liberty in story telling, she is up front in the intro about this.

There were several different things that I had never really considered, but this book addressed. For instance, I read about how long Adam lived, but I never put the logical conlclusion to this: that he would be alive to see some ten generations of his descendants. The same for Shem. I never really thought about the fact that Shem would be around during the days of Abram.

Over all, I thought the book was insightful and added a personal glimpse into what the lives of those early men might have looked like.

[Kellyn Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book containing many theories about what went down in the first few chapters of Genesis. Although fiction, I think it's a pretty realistic account.

It doesn't stray from the Bible - it simply fills in some of the chinks. I'm not saying that the Bible isn't perfect that way it is, but it's really cool to see Genesis shown in a different way, especially since I've read that particular book of the Bible maybe fifty times and am therefore somewhat dead to the words. ;)

I truly believe that "Adam and His Kin" contains a lot of truths about how life was back then. I mean, Shem was still alive at the time of Abram! It says so in the Bible. It makes sense that he passed the stories on to Abram. Perhaps it happened; perhaps it didn't. Other things I'm more sure about, such as the layer of water in the atmosphere; I really think that existed. Where else would the Flood waters have come from? And it would explain why men lived so long then, too.

Anyway, this was a fantastic book and I'd recommend it to any Christian who'd like to explore Genesis more thoroughly. :)

~Kellyn Roth, Reveries Reviews

[Shera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I once took an Old Testament Course during my Sophomore year in college. It turned out to be a revealing of some mythological stories that I was unaware existed at the time. I was introduced to the Babylonian Genesis and a small portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Instead of these texts being presented as a corruption of the Biblical Genesis account, however, they were presented as being its influence. At the time, I had my doubts, but was very encouraged after doing my own study to believe that Genesis was the original.

In Adam and His Kin, not only did Ruth present a very plausible explanation in order to fill in the gaps. She presents some very interesting sources for further research. For those of us who enjoy ancient history in light of a biblical worldview, this book is only the beginning. This was a very quick and enjoyable read!

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This unique book is historical fiction set in the first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis. I have not seen any other books that deal with this subject matter via the historical fiction methodology and that alone makes it outstanding. The writer includes a foreword that clarifies her intention is NOT to declare authoritatively what happened in earliest time, but rather to use what we know and a healthy dose of imagination to create a logical picture of how it COULD have been. The foreword advocated for the value of the work, while illustrating the humility of the author and her submission to Scripture. I thought it well done.

Rather than saying (as secularists do) that Mesopotamian culture pre-dates the Bible, she is asserting that it is (just as) logically possible these correlations exist because the Biblical account comes first. Therefore, mythological, religious and historical variations of the Biblical record are a corruption of the account by those who reject God. This is a theory that has firm grounding in Romans 1:18-32. Even if you don't agree with her imagination, you can concede what she has laid out is possible.

Historical fiction is a tricky endeavor, and BIBLICAL historical fiction is even tougher to do while maintaining respect for the inspiration of Scripture. From a rational perspective, Beechick has threaded the needle, however from an artistic perspective, the story lacks the vibrancy of strong characters. To be fair, I'm not sure it's possible to create fully fleshed personalities and preferences without being presumptuous. She explains the storyline in which they live and suggests how they may have logically responded to the events of their lives - it's that illogical piece, the emotional part of humanity that is lacking. This is not the best writing you will ever read, as the narration amounts to more of a series of sketches linked together, but I love what she is doing here.

I was particularly struck by how she dealt with the ages of the patriarchs and the alienation that Adam and Noah must have experienced, being the older by far of their peers, and the last one to recall a world transformed by sin. I was also struck anew by the incredible patience of God in HOW LONG He waited and warned of judgment before the flood. While it is not covered in this book, I see parallels to our current day experience of knowing that judgment will eventually come, and unbelievers mocking of the possibility, while God tarries. This a persistent reminder that 1) God is NOT like me, as I would bring the judgment much sooner; and 2) God is more faithful, more patient, more self-sacrificing than I can imagine.

I also like that she includes several supplements:
Appendix A: Deals with questions of Genesis authorship, and includes plenty of bibliographic information for those who wish to do their own research.
Appendix B: Records the King James Version of the Genesis text, Chapters 1-11:27a. I read this book the first time through in about 18 hours (while still maintaining my family!), and I was captivated by the narrative, so I didn't read Appendix B until the end, but I imagine in future readings, I will consult this appendix as I go.
Appendix C: Study Project Ideas. Ideas to inspire further exploration through discussion and projects, as well as a challenge to take her work further.
Appendix D: Annotated Bibliography. Especially helpful to those who will be inspired by this writing to do their own, non-fiction, research. Also, an opportunity to track down those works that Beechick pulls from to hear more from those with whom the reader may agree or disagree.

Personally, while I understand the astrological tie-ins to the wise men in the Gospel of Matthew, I'm a bit uncomfortable with many of her theories about astrology. I am intrigued at the thought that there may have been changes to the solar system at the time of the fall and the time of the flood, certainly possible, but I thought the foundation she lays for these ideas too easily abandoned at the time of Nimrod and out of step with the Biblical cautions against astrology connected with worship.

Overall, this work is a unique contribution to discussion of the first 11 Chapters of Genesis. It is the kind of book you WANT to talk about with others, but cannot really engage in unless they have read it. I would love to hear the thoughts of other Goodreads readers. Even though there will probably be parts with which you don't agree, this work challenges your thoughts and inspires further investigation. I have ordered a copy for our home use from Amazon. I would give this 4.5 starts, but since we cannot do halves, I'm giving it 5 because I think everyone can benefit from reading it, particularly those who want to understand the first 11 chapters of Genesis better.) Highly Recommended.

For younger readers or to explore a different approach to the same history, see
In the Days of Noah, Clanin, 1996
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second look.
I read this again about 6 weeks later. I noticed more niggly things (such as opening a JAR of raspberry jam), but I continue to find the book compelling. I enjoyed reviewing her ideas now that I've had more time to think about them. Hoping some of my friends will pick up this title so I can discuss while it's still fresh!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In discussing this with others, I wish she had footnoted source material for her ideas to help the reader tease out pure imagination from valid theories.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible is the deepest, most intelligent, and powerful writing ever penned. Because it is such a profound book, parts of it may at times seem confusing. Many times I struggled through the pages of the Old Testament trying to comprehend the history. Sometimes I would give up, becoming weary of the long string of names or descriptions of who begat whom.

Why did God's Word have to be so difficult for me? I so wanted to be able to read the Bible and be as interested in its history as I was in the Tudor Era. Of course, I never dreamed that there was a book out there just for me.

When my Mom presented me with Adam and His Kin by Dr. Ruth Beechick I immediately devoured it. The story, the history, the Bible! Mrs. Beechick retells the story of Genesis like no other author has. I found myself intrigued and delighted as I read about Eve's heartbreaking struggle in the Garden of Eden, the tragic murder of Abel, the fascinating story of Noah, and even the tower of Babel.

It was like reliving history beside these amazing figures and the spectacular events which surrounded them. I could actually feel Eve's longing for the forbidden, I mourned for Noah as he was made fun of and taunted while he built the most amazing boat in the world, the boat that God instructed him to build.
In Adam and His Kin history comes to life and you experience what life was like thousands of years ago. In my opinion, this book is a masterpiece and I can give it nothing but the highest praise.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting narrative of what “maybe” happened pre-flood up to Abram. I am also reading Genesis: Finding our roots, by Beechick, which is much more straightforward with scholarly facts, historical research and archeological support. I think reading these two books together works well.

[Littlewren00 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it provided insight into a part of history most history books don't record.

It had thought provoking ideas about what it might have been like at that period of history.

[Marcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Turning the Bible into fiction is pretty weird. This tried way too hard to explain discrepancies between the Bible and science. Even my 7yo who was the one really assigned to read it was picking it apart.

I liked some of the themes, like how the world before the flood was so much more beautiful and colorful and no one today even has the capacity to imagine what it was like. If the author had concentrated on things like that it would have been a more enjoyable read.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting fiction account of what the days of Adam through Abram could have been like. Some of it seemed far fetched and some seemed entirely possible.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a work of well-researched, realistic fiction, this was intriguing. I really enjoyed reading about Noah and his family in the post-Flood world. It must have been so disheartening for Noah to watch as the generations after him turned away from God and lived just like the pre-Flood world did.

This imagined account makes an interesting case for some possible reasons for the confusion, idol-worship, hatred, and rebellion in the generations after Noah, as well as the morph from reading the signs and stories in the skies as a way to remember God and what he has done, to astrology and using the stars to tell stories about false gods. There were many glimpses into history and culture as we have learned from archaeological studies in the Fertile Crescent and elsewhere. I really did enjoy this book and think I have read it before, in high school perhaps. Bits of it came back to me as I read.

Taking into account the caution mentioned below, I think this can be a fascinating addition to a study of ancient times.

Original review: I'm partway into this book and, while I normally don't review books before I've finished them, I just want to throw this out there as a caveat:

Generally I do not care for Bible history rewritten with poetic license, imaginatively filling in blanks in circumstances and dialogue. I think you have to be very, very careful, ESPECIALLY when you are dealing with words and deeds of God the Father and Jesus Christ. You cannot put words in God's mouth that the Bible does not say he said, or you risk blasphemy. I don't think it is possible for fallen human minds to innocently and rightly attribute words and actions to God that we don't know about expressly as told to us in Scripture. For this reason I almost never watch or read any retellings of Biblical histories, because there is always a risk of coming away with something unbiblical, contrary to His character and purposes, that we may wrongly absorb as truth.

This book begins with a lengthy forward, explaining about the liberties taken and things imagined. The author even goes so far as to say that we are free to disagree with whatever she imagined, because there are things we as people just don't know and she has speculated on many things. I appreciate that disclaimer.

That said, there are several circumstances related a little ways in that were a bit off to me, and Eve and the serpent at the tree is one of them--something about her needing to go get Adam and have him eat along with her so she wouldn't be left alone in her fallen state, and Adam doing it out of pity for her. Biblically we know he was with her the whole time and said/did nothing to protect or counsel, but went along with it, bringing sin into the world on his shoulders. So this book is imagining motives, emotions, and dialogue, which sometimes seems/is contradictory to Biblical accounts.

My high schooler has expressed distaste for this book, because he found it very confusing and really just preferred to know the real Biblical history that we know for sure is true. I respect that and don't disagree. He read Genesis alongside this and did not want to finish "Adam and His Kin." I am reading it too so that we can discuss it better. It remains to be seen whether we'll finish it.

I am enjoying some of the imaginative descriptions; I think they can be helpful in picturing these real events. With discretion, and a strong foundation in knowing God's Word, even comparing it side-by-side with Genesis, I think this can be a thought-provoking read. Like the author said, we do not need to agree with everything she imagines.

Perhaps I will add more to this review as I progress further in the book.

[Phyllis Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The early chapters of Genesis, with their cryptic summaries of the history of the young earth, provide sparse ammunition for an earnest discussion with an atheist about the truth of the Bible. Much of the Genesis account seems pretty fantastic.

Ah, but look again! Ruth Beechick, one of the grande dames of homeschooling, provides an insightful interpretation of history from creation down to the call of Abram. Her story fill many of the puzzling gaps in the account.

For example, the sky may have been pink, not blue, in pre-flood days. A large amount of moisture was probably suspended in clouds above the earth, making the earth warm and hazy, somewhat like the atmosphere of Venus. There was also a lot of water stored under the ground, Beechick supposes. When the cataclysm came, it wasn’t just rain but also violent earthquake. She doesn’t mention it here, but I know the theory is that at this point, layers of mud and fossils were laid down quickly, and folded quickly. Organic matter laid down in this way became beds of coal and deposits of oil, under pressure. (Coal and oil are not under formation today! So where did they come from?)

Beechick focuses on the people, their personalities, and how the account came to be written. She supposes that the first writer of the history is Adam, then Seth, and so on. Each contributor signed off with the words, “these are the generations of [contributor].” Why wouldn’t Adam have been able to read and write? He was created in the image of God, after all! Looked at this way, the early Genesis history makes a lot more sense to me!

So what is the value of this book, a history that’s not a history? For me, it’s a delight to be able to visualize these early days. I highly recommend this book, especially to anyone struggling with trying to believe the Bible, all of it, and finding the Genesis accounts hard to swallow.—Phyllis Wheeler

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over six thousand years into humankind, our view of God is colored by thousands of years of church history. It's a blessing, I know -- to have the wisdom of the writings of church fathers who have gone before, to be able to glean insights into the character of both God and man from what we know of church history. But reading even speculation about Adam's perspective of God -- of Seth's, Enoch's, Lamech's, Noah's... to read about the fresh-off-the-boat life of Noah and his sons, looking across a soggy landscape at the first rainbow ever stretched across the sky...to read about Eve and Adam discovering what it means to toil, to sweat, to work with delayed reward -- to imagine them wondering which son would be the seed that crushed the serpent? The serpent they'd actually met... and then at some point, to wonder which grandson it would be ... or great grandson ... or great great ... Adam lived long enough to grieve over the generations who forgot the God he'd met in person in the garden. It adds another dimension to the stories that have grown so familiar over the years.

Growing up in a Christian family is a microcosm of being a Christian after thousands of years of church history -- you inherit the mess, mistakes, and familiarity along with the rich heritage of the faith. It's rare that I find a new perspective on the stories I've heard all my life -- but this book gave me that. I took it all with a grain of salt -- I feel my ignorance in some of these matters too acutely to allow myself to believe anything new without careful study -- but to me it's beautiful to have my perceptions and perspectives challenged.

Anyway, there were definitely some strange ideas in this book as well, but I think for someone with a firm grasp of what is Biblical truth and what is added in by the author, it's a great jumping-off point for thinking and talking about that period of history.

[Sarah Coller · Rating 3 out of 5]

2022: I reread this earlier this month to see if I wanted to pass it on to the kids to read. I have a better understanding about Bible culture history than I did a couple of years ago and see nothing in this book that directly contradicts what we know from Scripture. I plan to have Selah read this next.


2020: This book is on my kids' homeschool reading recommendations list but they've never read it. I'm really glad I read it first because, while I do think it's a valuable story, I don't think it's wise to have children read it without a lot of discussion throughout. A lot of reviewers have gotten fired up about this book but she prefaces that it's speculation---imagination---she never claimed it was historical in every way! I really loved the beginning when she imagined life in the Garden of Eden and man's relationship with God and nature. As the book progressed, I liked it less, but I think that's because she spent a lot of time "making the case" for Enoch. I just don't know what I think about the Book of Enoch but I do know that no one alive today knows the true story. I also liked her imagination of the tie between Shem and Terah, the father of Abraham. I've always wondered how Abraham ended up following God---maybe this is how!

[Margaret Metz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved to use historical fiction to supplement my lessons in history. When I read this book, I approached it as yet another well-researched work of historical fiction about something very true and we enjoyed it very much. This has been one of those books we have read and re-read several times since discovering. We love to discuss this book and all the issues it brings up.

That's the kind of thing that makes learning about the Bible fun. This is a very well-written and interesting book. I can't say enough good about it. :o)

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Adam and His Kin: The Lost History of Their Lives and Times very interesting and thought provoking. It has some interesting ideas about Genesis that made me go over an read it again in the Bible. For instance it says that the Patriarchs wrote a part of Genesis over time. And I believe that some people say that it was Moses. All up it was a great book! Loved reading it.

[Bill Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we read read the early histories in the Old Testament, there is so much that is missing, so much more that we want to know about the lives of the patriarchs, the flood, Babel, and more. Ruth Beechick attempts to fill in the gaps with this short, easy to read book geared toward children, but still interesting for adults. Taking us from the beginning of time through Shem's meeting with Terah and Abram just before they begin their journey out of Ur, she fills is a lot of gaps with dialogue and action drawn out of the Biblical accounts. Well worth reading with your kids, or own your own.

[Bjyoungblood · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brave foray into such a mysterious chapter of early history! Through her well-researched work Beechick presents the great men and women of Genesis as you never would have expected. These are not the flat characters of a Sunday School presentation. These are the great fathers of mankind in the formative years after the Fall. Hers is a work of historical fiction and has served as an excellent supplement to my own research into Biblical History and Ancient Times. With balance, skill, and all fairness Beechick has done great credit to Adam and his Kin through her work.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really made my kids and I study Genesis in depth. I loved that a fictionalized version of Genesis gave us such a desire and hunger to dig into what was actually written. It was fun imagining what the lives and dialogue might have been like. What was very interesting for my 8th grade son and I was the timeline that we filled out about who was alive and when. They lived to be hundreds of years old and through multiple generations. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but my 6th and 8th graders enjoyed discussing it with me.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids wanted to read ahead with this one. It is the recommended reading for Adam to Messiah Curriculum, with the Genesis Finding our Roots unit study. They have this book available at Mardel. This one will give you a new perspective on the story between the lines of Genesis. Remember, this is a book that takes the Bones of the Genesis story, and Mrs. Beechick puts hypothetical muscle and flesh to the history, makes it more interesting for the kids (and me too!).

[Rick Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting to like this book very much, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a lot of fun reading Beechick's imaginative filling in of the gaps in Genesis 1-11. Whether you agree with all her decisions in the story or not, it's an entertaining tale. My son is reading it right now for school and enjoying it.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! Although you should not substitute this for the actual scripture, this is a wonderful history book! I enjoyed every page! It definitely was not the usual boring history book!

[Marty · Rating 5 out of 5]

She puts the peaces together. Much of it may be conjecture, but it's honest conjecture, unlike what evolutionists and old-earthers are doing.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting somewhat fictionalized account of the early days of Adam and Eve. I especially liked the parts that showed Adam teaching his descendants all the he had learned from God.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gospel truth? Okay, so no. Not at all. But an enjoyable, imaginative fleshing out of plausible details? Absolutely. It's just good storytelling.

[Fivewincs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting take on the Genesis story and used with Finding Our Roots, provides an intellectual investigation into world views of the Biblical account.

[Ellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book didn't make any sense, whatsoever.

[Rebecca Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adam and His Kin by Ruth Beechick (published by Mott Media, 1990) is titled to be a book telling a narrative story of the early patriarchs of the Earth, beginning with Adam and going through Abraham. Unfortunately, it really feels like a paraphrase retelling with very little narrative.


It seems unfair to say: there was a narrative line going through the book that gave a little bit of personality to each of the patriarchs from Adam through his descendants, but the emphasis seemed on strange things. For example, there was emphasis on the knowledge of the stars and the things they learned through it, and the calendar years that they measured. There was emphasis on the writing of the record and the study of various pursuits.

The end of the book has appendices with the King James version of Bible text so that those reading the novel can go back and look at what the Bible had to say. Also, there’s a section for further research and further learning, which is geared towards maybe high school kids and what they might be interested in studying, such as the Sumerians or the mythological traditions and how they might possibly relate back to the actual biblical record. These are interesting points.

Is it supposed to be a middle grade book? The emphasis was too detailed and the lack of dialogue would not keep their attention. A high school book or a book for adult? It’s just somewhat boring. The book was interesting; it just was disappointing to me because I could not ever imagine reading it with my children and having them feel engaged and interested. I also couldn’t imagine handing it to an older child and expecting them to keep reading on their own.

I really wish I could find a book that looked at the perspective of someone going from hunting and gathering to farming as a new thing and what it would have been like in those early days. I wish Adam and His Kin had been a book like that, providing a unique perspective on the early days of our Earth and how civilization developed, something that would be more interesting than Ruth Beechick’s offering, which unfortunately did not engage me very much.

See on Rebecca Reads: https://reviews.rebeccareid.com/adam-...

[Amy Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lively retelling of Genesis 1-11 with some conjecture, more or less depending on the chapter, in parts. There were possibly a few mistakes, I believe in Beechick's attempts to put in details. I appreciated her big disclaimer to put a "maybe" or "probably" over the entire book. It would have severely hampered writing style to insert it throughout. But I mostly appreciated Beechick's support of Genesis 1-11 as REAL history; this is not myth or only poetic literature. It really happened, and she completely supports YE creation and an actual worldwide flood. Excellent job. Other smaller details may be debatable--for example, should she lean on the Book of Enoch, as she apparently does? or should she say that the different "tolodoths" were written by the person or people signing off at the end of that section? Interesting theory, which I had read in a Christian fiction novel years ago. My husband had said that Jesus quoted Genesis 1 in the NT as being from Moses, so no, Noah, Adam, and Seth and others didn't write it and pass it down to Abram. But I like to think there may still be an explanation to reconcile the idea with Jesus quote. I also liked that she did try to explain the Nephilim theory with being angelic beings having children with people. She didn't dwell much on it. But she showed bravery in her attempt at all to write this book and certainly to include some things that people might laugh at. I was intrigued by her astronomical theories as well. Very good overall; I only mark it down to a 4 because there was conjecture, so it wasn't completely credible, as of course, only the Bible can be on this topic.

[Seeker of Truth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ruth Beechick tries to imagine how the stories in Genesis could have been lived out. The problem with this style of writing is that the Bible doesn’t include all the details of the story, so authors are just guessing what to add. While some of Ruth Beechick’s guesses and ideas make sense, a few of them seem improbable, baseless, or plain wrong.

For instance, a prevailing idea which comes up frequently is that people got prophecies from the stars. Characters often read the stars, looking at the constellations and then finding prophecies from God in them. There is no indication in the Bible of this being what God’s people did. I also noticed that some of the prophecies were never given out in the Bible, such as the prophecy that two judgements, one of water and one of fire, would come. Prophecies like this don’t seem to appear in the Bible or hadn’t been given when these people would have been alive.

Ruth also thought that maybe before the flood the devils and demons who had chosen to follow Satan might have revealed themselves to people in the forms of humans. While it might have been possible that the fallenness of humans was because of demons, I think we could have done it without them. The book also thought that Babel was in a town which was ruled by a man who took orders from a demon, who was Satan. I don’t find any indication of demonic activity and, while it too could have happened, I don’t think it’s probable.

Personally, I didn’t really enjoy reading a book about the Bible where most of the information was guessed. So, while you can read this book, I would check with the Bible to verify things whenever you have any doubts.