Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses

by Bruce Feiler

Both a heart-racing adventure and an uplifting quest, Walking the Bible describes one man's epic odyssey—by foot, jeep, rowboat, and camel—through the greatest stories every told. From crossing the Red Sea to climbing Mount Sinai to touching the burning bush, Bruce Feiler's inspiring journey will forever change your view of some of history's most storied events.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, History, Travel, Christian, Middle East, Memoir

451 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

BRUCE FEILER is one of America’s most popular voices on contemporary life. He is the author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers; the presenter of two prime-time series on PBS; and the inspiration for the drama COUNCIL OF DADS on NBC. Bruce’s two TED Talks have been viewed more than two million times. Employing a firsthand approach to his work, Bruce is known for living the experiences he writes about. His work combines timeless wisdom with timely knowledge turned into practical, positive messages that allow people to live with more meaning, passion, and joy. His new book, LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS: Mastering Change at Any Age, describes his journey across America, collecting hundreds of life stories, exploring how we can navigate the growing number of life transitions with greater purpose and skill.

For more than a decade, Bruce has explored the intersection of families, relationships, health, and happiness. His book THE SECRETS OF HAPPY FAMILIES collects best practices from some of the country’s most creative minds. The book was featured on World News, GMA, and TODAY and excerpted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Parade. THE COUNCIL OF DADS describes how, faced with one of life’s greatest challenges, he asked six friends to support his young daughters. The book was profiled in PEOPLE, USA Today, and Time and was the subject of a CNN documentary hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Since 2001, Bruce has been one of the country’s preeminent thinkers about the role of spirituality in contemporary life. WALKING THE BIBLE describes his 10,000-mile journey retracing the Five Books of Moses through the desert. (“An instant classic,” Washington Post). The book spent a year and a half on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into fifteen languages.

ABRAHAM recounts his search for the shared ancestor of the monotheistic religions. (“Exquisitely written,” Boston Globe). WHERE GOD WAS BORN describes his trek visiting biblical sites throughout Israel, Iraq, and Iran. (“Bruce Feiler is a real-life Indiana Jones,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution). AMERICA’S PROPHET is the groundbreaking story of the influence of Moses on American history. THE FIRST LOVE STORY is a journey across four continents exploring how Adam and Eve shaped our deepest feelings about relationships. (“A miraculous thing—the literary equivalent of breathing new life into a figure of clay,” New York Times Book Review; “Feiler’s best work yet,” Publishers Weekly).

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Bruce lives in Brooklyn with wife, Linda Rottenberg, and their identical twin daughters.

Reviews

[Ensiform · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the subtitle suggests, the author retraces the Pentateuch as best he can, Bible in hand and affable expert in tow. Mostly a disappointing book, I’m afraid. First, Feiler is a rather laborious writer – the 424 pages are packed with rather stilted purple prose at times (his imagery is wild and uninformative: mountains resemble pies, “a drip castle,” “sweet potatoes,” “rancid hamburger meat,” or bizarrely, “melting dinosaurs” [!]). Second, Feiler is one of those travel writers who feels the need to make every single thing an epiphany: this is okay for places like Mount Ararat, or the possible site of the burning bush; but I counted at least ten places where Feiler recorded a soul-shaking discovery (Egypt isn’t the bad guy in the Bible!, The actual spot where things happened doesn’t matter! “The desert was part of my own geography”! The desert gives you confidence by showing you how small you are! Etc etc). By the way, he feels fear of that inner geography ebbing away not once, but twice. Third, Feiler is a rather naive scholar. He tries to get at the “truth” of the Bible by asking stupid questions about the context of the stories: yes, they really had birthrights that could be sold, for example. Well of course: the stories don’t take place in a fictional universe, they’re products of their time! It’s like approaching the “truth” of Dickens by triumphantly showing that people really did talk like his characters in 19th century London.

His naivete is deeper than that: “I basically believed there was a unified notion of God,” he writes. What?! He never considered that God differs in Islam, Christianity, Judaism, even within the Bible itself?! Is he really the best person to write this book? Obviously not. There’s a lot that’s very informative and interesting in this tome – ruminations on and possible explanations for manna, Moses’ name, the location of the Sea of Reeds, even the abundance of quail during the exodus. But there’s too few gems to justify slogging through this mountain of banality, really.

[Bill on GR Sabbatical · Rating 3 out of 5]

My biggest takeaway from this book was a better understanding of the geography of the Pentateuch, which was also Feiler's goal when he undertook the travel that is his subject. Although he touches on his own thoughts as a secular Jew visiting many of the most important sites described in the Bible, this is not really an account of personal spiritual growth. Nor is it a systematic exploration of biblical archeology. I enjoyed it as an interesting travel book, but would have appreciated it if the Kindle book included the map that's in the print edition.

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because the topic- wandering through the Middle East and connecting to sites/events mentioned in the first five books of the Bible- seemed interesting. Also, I knew that the author would be mentioning some places I visited last year.

The author's motivation for his trip was twofold: first, he felt the same longing that many people feel to experience the Bible more fully by visiting its home turf. Secondly, he wanted to write a book. His trip was work, basically. So here you have a sort of spiritual quest married to a job:
air and earth.

From the start it is clear that his visits to various places where Biblical events took place is extremely speculative. There are multiple possiblities as to where Moses crossed the Red or Reed Sea, where Jacob wrestled with an angel, which mountain God gave the Ten Commandments on, etc. How anyone manages to find deep meaning when no site is sure is beyond me...but it clearly wasn't beyond the author. He has emotional episode after emotional episode.

As if this wasn't enough, the author repeatedly trots out examples showing how the first five books could not factually be true and then claims that they don't have to be, that the main importance of the Bible is its story. He still finds value in what he reads even though he's sure it isn't true. (The problem here is that the Bible presents itself as factually true.)

So- what we have here is the author indulging in a form of romantic, religious superstition. (He doesn't claim that it's faith.) I can't imagine the Bible gained its appeal by asking its readers to turn off their brains and just FEEL whatever their imagination supplies.

As a result, reading this book was a long, difficult slog through shifting sands. It has been said that the Bible has timeless appeal because it reinvents itself. No, it doesn't. It has been reinvented by people like the author, to suit their personal wants and needs.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I might go to Israel and almost did...twice. Once I had my passport ready and had nearly signed up to go with my pastor's tour, but had to stay to help move the family. And this time...walking through the bible with Bruce Feiler.

This author (who I have heard comment on All Things Considered (NPR) started at Tigris/Euphrates and up to Mount Ararat and migrated to Canaan then traveled to the Nubian Nile up to the pyramids of Giza then through the Sinai peninsula on to Petra and then to the edge of the promised land on Mount Nebo. All the while, I virtually saw and rode with him and experienced not only the adventure, but the passion and awe that only this land could bring to the words of Moses from Genesis to Deuteronomy. I enjoyed knowing the bedouin way of experiencing the vast Arab desert. I am glad it was Bruce and not I who took a camel through many of these miles uphill and downhill.

I came away with much more than archaeology or history. I came to a knowledge of why our Lord picked this particular place on the planet to form a nation of people to know and worship Him only...with especially these deserts and these hills and these wadis and these rivers. I count this book as a unique insightful blessing and a humorously rough travel guide to the first five books of the Bible which I will keep handy when I eventually do have the opportunity to actually go to the holy lands.

And... I see Bruce Feiler's heart in illuminating how this place...the birthplace of faith... is set apart to hold the key to world peace.

[Anne Hawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Bruce Feiler begins his journey, he has no particular attachment to the Biblical lands. He is not even sure of what he hopes to find. With the help of an Israeli anthropologist, he visit the places mentioned in the Bible, or those that are traditionally believed to be the place where certain events took place and he finds his tie to land and his faith are growing deeper and deeper. The reader can’t help but to be carried along by his vivid descriptions and powerful narrative. I found that the explanations of what happened in these places and what life was like in Biblical extremely compelling. I felt that I had journeyed with him. It doesn’t matter what your religious background is, this book is for people of all Biblical faiths.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been waiting a while to start reading this book, after a study trip in 2013 to Israel to study Hebrew and the Bible. My final graduate class was an in-depth study of the Pentateuch, which turned out to be so intense and stressful, it required a more relaxed state of mind to return to the subject.

Thankfully, Feiler’s book turned out to be a fascinating exploration of the five Books of Moses, from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. I was captivated by Feiler’s descriptive journey and insights as he retraced how people of antiquity experienced the Bible. This book will have a place among my book collection.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I donned my hiking shoes and backpack and expected a lengthy traipse through the Middle East, but no. Yes, there was plenty of walking, often up a hill here or there, but mostly it was a trip via vehicles (and some camels) to various places highlighted in the Bible. That fact did not diminish the enjoyment of the tale though, as Feiler weaves a nice account that blends travelogue, history, theology, and commentary. Although I have read some travel accounts of trips to Egypt, I was happy to follow this trip to Israel, Jordan, and other places as well. One of the special joys of reading this kind of book is to be introduced to places I will likely never go, and I was fascinated by St. Catherine's, Petra, and the desert. I got a much broader vision of Israel that you don't expect. Sometimes the religious stuff and contemplation of personal impact was a bit wearying, but I loved the descriptions. Overall, a welcome read. And it made me reconsider a few things about the Biblical story as well.

[Jenna Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I deeply disliked this book. I'm not even sure why I finished it - probably because the perfectionist in me would hate to leave it unfinished. It was so filled with prose and epiphanies that it came off as a floaty recounting of a journey of personal enlightenment, rather than a quest for the historicity of the Pentateuch. Maybe that's what he was going for, I don't know. Feiler often made sweeping statements on the authenticity of the five books that he presented as hard facts, but he never provided evidence to back these statements up, i.e. statements to the effect of "even if ____ didn't happen the way it's written in ____, it still has a lot of meaning...". After making a statement such as this, he wouldn't bother to back it up with any sort of solid proof. He just continued with the story. If you're looking for a book that talks about the history of the Five Books of Moses in a way that presents facts and hard evidence to go along with it, don't go to this book.

[Tyler Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Feiler, with his travelling partner and esteemed archaeologist Avner Goren, takes you on a journey where he explores the historical and spiritual significance of the land in the first five books of the Bible. He travels from Turkey, where the Ark may have landed on Mt. Ararat; to Israel, where God first called Abraham; to Egypt, where God brought Joseph and the descendants of Jacob; to the Sinai, where the people wandered after the Exodus; and finally to Jordan, where the Israelites prepared to finally cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land.

"I was surprised by how the stories and the places seemed so intimately connected as if each carried the memory of the other deep within it. Bring them together, as we were doing, and both were enhanced" (pg. 57).

Throughout the book, he shares the history that he is learning from the archeological sites they visit, from Avner, and from the many unique people he encounters on the way. While traveling, he discovers that the land is beginning to have a profound impact on him in ways he wasn't prepared for. Although not a Christian, and only trying to explore the Bible for what it is, Feiler makes interesting observations and shares his honest feelings about what he is experiencing on the trip, and I appreciated his candor. He concludes that the Bible "is one of the greatest sources of cultural DNA ever invented" (pg. 413) and that "only by entering the story ourselves can we truly understand its meaning" (420). He says that "it was as if the act of touching these places, walking these roads, and asking these questions had added another column to [his] being" (421).

"This chameleon-like quality is what makes the Bible so vital. It's an organism so universal it has the ability to engage its human interlocutors in whatever form they desire—geological, ecological, zoological, philological, psychological, astrological, theological, illogical. It can even regenerate itself in locations where it's been dead for years... Put tautologically: The Bible lives because it never dies" (pg. 408).

"This scientific interrogation, from every conceivable corner—archaeology, history, physics, metaphysics, linguistics, anthropology—was designed, in many cases, to undermine the Bible, to destroy its credibility. But in every case (at least the ones involving historical events, after the primeval stories of Creation), the Bible not only withstood the inquisition but came out stronger, with its integrity intact, and its nuances more on display. This doesn't mean that the stories are true, but it does mean that they're true to their era. The Bible lives today not because it's untouchable but precisely because it has been touched—it has been challenged—and it remains undefeated" (pg. 409).

"There were times when I felt I was winning that struggle, that I was close to getting my mind around the puzzle of God. I was this close to an answer. But then, just as quickly, that feeling would go away, and I'd be overcome by waves of ignorance and opaqueness. I was defeated by unknowingness and the limits of my own imagination. Ultimately, rather than try to win this struggle, or succumb to this struggle, I realized that the struggle itself was the goal" (pg. 423).

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much more than a travel essay as the author describes his adventures following the land through which the Israelites traveled and lived through the five books of Moses. As a Jew, Bruce Feiler begins his journey with interest in the history, the topography and the archaeology of these lands. However, as Mr. Feiler admits on pagew 182, "...I was strenuously--at times acrobatically--avoiding showing interest in the central character of the entire book." It was impossible to leave God out of the story. I found this to be a gripping story as the author experienced deep spiritual metamorphosis throughout the trip as well as fascinating visits with the desert people of Israel, Jordan, Egypt,the Sinai and the Negev. I was somewhat disappointed with his summation at the end but nevertheless I believe this book would appeal to anyone wanting to know more about the first five books of the Bible, the current Middle East deadlocks amongst various countries, Muslims & Jews, and the spiritual aspects of God's relationship with the Israelites and theirs with Him.

[Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Footsteps of the Israel

An enjoyable and informative read though light on reference notes. The title is slightly misleading as the focus is mainly on the 5 books of Moses with small bits covering the reign of King David. The geography and historical references are mostly about Egypt and Sinai with the last couple of chapters taking place in Jordan in the area of Petra and Mount Nebo. Feiler does an admirable job of discussing how the context of the Bible both meshes with and contradicts other historical evidence from the region.

From the title I’d been hoping to hear more about the era of latter Kings and Prophets. Unfortunately there’s no 2nd book. Also the companion web site, now no longer in service but available through the Wayback Machine is lacking in substance. Nevertheless Feiler’s enthusiasm shines through and the discussions with his travel partner the archaeologist Avner Goren are highly illuminating.

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I have repeated many times in previous reviews I have done, I went to a Parochial School when I was a child. I went for eight years and starting from the second grade, I went to church every morning. I went so often that I could recite the mass from memory. It was part of the reason that I lost my faith in the first place, though I do admit that most of my problems come from things that could be human inventions.

Bruce Feiler has a similar story in that he lost his way. On the other hand, Feiler mentions that he was a Fifth-generation American Jew from the South, so what little way he had might have been distilled over time. That is something to take note of though, Feiler examines these things from a Jewish perspective, not a Christian one, so if you want a Christian view of these places you might have to look elsewhere.

In any case, Bruce Feiler went to the Middle East for some reason and got it into his head that actually seeing the putative locations from the Bible for himself would lend more credence to the stories. This actually makes sense to me in a visceral sense; reading about being somewhere and actually being there are two very different things.

Feiler meets an esteemed archaeologist there, and they decide to go to the places listed in the Bible which would be enhanced by actually visiting it. Sadly, many of the places in the Bible are now located in militarized zones or fought over by the local populace. Off the top of my head, the places I remember are Mount Ararat where Noah’s Ark was thought to have landed and a number of various settlements. Lugging along a Bible becomes the standard for Feiler and his guide.

Feiler writes well and his enthusiasm for this subject is apparent. As far as being a travelogue goes, this book is well done. Along the way, Feiler gets into how oases form, the history of the region and its culture, how the major development of agriculture led to cities, and so much more. Feiler only focuses on the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, but this still lends itself to a wealth of locations. Feiler even talks to the locals to find out how they relate to the location, which makes it more personal to him.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is pretty open throughout the book about his purpose. In the beginning of the project, he was emphatically not on a spiritual quest. His goal was to visit the places mentioned in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, interview biblical scholars, and spend time with the current-day residents of these biblical locations. As he reflects later in the book, his initial impulse was to test the facts of each story.

But of course as the project continues, the inevitable happens. The Bible seems less like an ancient text and more like a living document, reflecting timeless truths and encouraging personal application. And to fully understand the stories of Scripture, we must somehow step into the story ourselves. The author goes on to express how doubt and struggle can lead to a more complicated but richer understanding of the Bible.

I was surprised at how sensibly the author (and many of his interviewees) handled passages in the Bible. Often he shares several views on various questions/studies. This book probably doesn't answer every question it raises but I think that's kinda the point. And while he doesn't land spiritually where I would have liked to have seen (yes, I was rooting for a certain kind of internal shift in belief!), I really had a good time joining this guy on his trip. Good stuff.

[Nancy Bandusky · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is slow, repetitive and poorly documented (no footnotes, just some source notes at the end.) The author continually states how he feels a connection to the different areas of land he travels to; this becomes so repetitive that it loses any significance and instead provides support for the view that one reason people can't agree on the exact locations of places is because if they could then people would probably worship the place instead of the Creator - God.

The book was a major disappointment. While the author stated he was not out to prove the Bible, he took great effort and time to use words that clearly expressed his views - myth, Biblical storytellers, possibly factual. As I read, I wondered why he bothered "journeying" through the Bible since he didn't seem to believe it. He might as well have given a "tour" of Disney World with its "fairy tales" instead of attempting such a one-sided unsupported debate.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book. I love history and archeology, and I know that I will not get the chance to go to the Holy Land anytime soon. However, my interest laid in experiencing this story from the perspective of a believer. Although I knew that the author began the journey as a secular Jew, I thought that this was about his journey of spiritual growth. The author says that his faith grew from his experience, but, from what I could tell, it didn’t. He doesn’t believe that the Torah is anything more than a collection of exaggerated stories of which you can derive some moral lessons, and that didn’t change. His spiritual journey was non-existent. Told from a secular perspective, this is just a travelogue.

As a travelogue, I’d say it was good. Feiler meets interesting people, and includes archeology, history and culture, but it is a little self-indulgent and long winded. I lost interest about halfway through. It took me many months to finish.

[Jef Sneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read when you are traveling in Israel or the middle east!
Bruce Feiler takes his assignment seriously as he tries to find the real places where biblical events took place, starting with the garden of Eden and the mountain that Noah finally landed on. He hikes and climbs and suffers bad weather and bad guides, friendly locals and a series of experts to dig up information and then travel to far off places like the pyramids and Sinai in Egypt, mountains and deserts in Turkey and Jordan, and, of course, Israel.
He ends his journey in Jordan near the site where Moses was permitted to view the Promised Land, and the place where Joshua crosses the Jordan River with all the people. I was at that very spot on the Israeli side of the river just about the same time I was reading about it! It made the place come alive.
Well written, entertaining and educational, even this seasoned traveler and bible reader learned a lot from this book. You will, too.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 bk 372. I'm taking a college class on the Hebrew Bible. I wanted something that could let me see and feel the region and the time and ran across this title just as I was beginning the class. Bruce Feiler, his archaeological friend, and the reader are whisked to the middle east, the lands of Moses life and travels in this well written and well researched book. I was pleasantly pleased to find that some of the books in the bibliography are among my coursework texts. It has taken me since August to complete this - it is a book to read slowly, to savor, to refer to an atlas, the books of the Bible, to ask questions, and to ponder. This book is a keeper - I have used an entire mini folder of post-a-note tabs on it so that I can return to think things over again as the coursework continues.

[Trista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really focuses on the reality of bible stories - that they are the local stories of indigenous peoples and their invaders. Something I would say as Westerners we tend to lose sight of. Living, working, dying all in the shadow and vicinities of famous biblical locations like Mt. Sinai gives the people there a very intimate relationship to the stories of Moses, Abraham and Noah in a way I'm not sure as Westerners we can appreciate or understand.

A glorious book that incorporates the spiritual reality of these biblical stories as folk stories without getting too bogged down in religion.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this book for a long time--especially having been to Israel once myself, and thinking ahead to the next time I go. I had high hopes for the read, accordingly, but found Feiler's writing style to not really mesh with my reading style: wordy, overly epiphanous/descriptive, etc. And, he came at the trip/land/everything incredibly speculatively. Other reviewers have noted already (so I won't repeat what they already excellently state) how the book regularly proposes that the Bible is more figuratively than literally true, and that really bothered me.

[Myrna]

This is a time-consuming book. I find myself reading scriptures along with it, which is a good thing. I suppose it will take me the rest of the year to finish but I am enjoying it now.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book several times now. I am pulled in to his story as it changes from being an attempt to write a travelogue to an immensely personal reconnection with his beliefs.

[Alarra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reading of the first 5 books of the Bible (the Pentateuch, the Torah) by retracing the path of the Israelites and pilgramage to noted 'holy sites'. Feiler sums up his approach towards the end of the book as: "We asked everybody basically the same question: "What does the Bible mean to you?" And everybody had an answer." (p. 408)

And what he ends up with is part travel book, part religious meditation on faith, and part biblical academia. I really enjoyed this, but I think it depends on your familiarity with the stories and incidents of the first 5 books of the Bible, and your level of tolerance for the beliefs contained within. It's not a polemic - it doesn't ask the reader to believe the same way the author does - but it does assume a certain level of belief in a divine God, the God of at least Christianity and Judaism and Islam. Still, it's a fascinating look at the people who live in the region most touched by the mythologies of the Bible, and their considered responses to it, while gently touching on the political unstableness that results from different religions and cultures holding to different ideas of God contained within the same territory and the same sites.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading of the first 5 books of the Bible (the Pentateuch, the Torah) by retracing the path of the Israelites and pilgramage to noted 'holy sites'. Feiler sums up his approach towards the end of the book as: "We asked everybody basically the same question: "What does the Bible mean to you?" And everybody had an answer." (p. 408)

And what he ends up with is part travel book, part religious meditation on faith, and part biblical academia. I really enjoyed this, but I think it depends on your familiarity with the stories and incidents of the first 5 books of the Bible, and your level of tolerance for the beliefs contained within. It's not a polemic - it doesn't ask the reader to believe the same way the author does - but it does assume a certain level of belief in a divine God, the God of at least Christianity and Judaism and Islam. Still, it's a fascinating look at the people who live in the region most touched by the mythologies of the Bible, and their considered responses to it, while gently touching on the political unstableness that results from different religions and cultures holding to different ideas of God contained within the same territory and the same sites.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how much I would like this book, but I ended up loving it. At first I was afraid it was going to be all about searching for physical proofs to the biblical stories which is not that interesting to me. But the author spends very little of his time on questions about physical proof. Most of the book is spent describing the land and the people Feiler meets and reading the bible passages in their settings. I felt like I understood the text much better after seeing how people live in the areas where the stories were written and took place, and encountering the trials, dreams and joys that the desert inspires.

I'm not usually good about writing down quotes, but here is one of my favorites from early in the book:

Abraham was not origionally the man he became. He was not an Isrealite. He was not a Jew. He was not even a believer in God, at least innitially. He was a traveller, called by some voice not entirely clear, that said, "Go. Head to this land. Walk along this route. Trust what you will find."

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked this out at random. It was available for audiobook immediately, and I'd run out of books. More than "Walking the Bible", it's more "Walking the Torah". I am not sure why the first title was chosen, other than that it might appeal to a larger audience.

I enjoyed learning the really interesting points about how the geography of where Abraham resided, then Isaac, then Jacob, and how this demonstrated political growth/power of the nation the Lord was creating. I'm not as familiar with Old Testament geography as I am with New Testament geography - probably because there are more NT maps in my Bible. We know more about those areas (especially where, exactly they are) due to how much newer they are.

It was interesting that taking the Bible (or any religious relic) into the Temple Mount is forbidden. I'd suppose that anyone who wanted to preach the Bible could do so without actually holding in hand, but I can understand the dilemma what with all the killing over religious differences. It was something to think about, though, that if Abraham wanted to enter, he couldn't bring in his own story in with him. Oh, the irony.

I loved the point Feiler makes about the Akedah - how looking at it through different points of view continues to illustrate Isaac's binding to Abraham, Abraham's to God, and the perspective of each person involved. Also, I appreciated that Feiler points out the perspective that the symbolism of the Akedah points towards the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I have always believed so and am astonished to find that other Christians don't. It seems to obvious to be overlooked. Though Feiler is a Jew, I appreciated his including that in there regardless.

It was odd to me that Feiler sites the Akedah as the first "test" of the Bible. I'd have cited the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden as the first test, though I can understand why Feiler and/or others might not agree. I can see it argued as a different vein, but I certainly see it as the first big test of the Bible.

Feiler's recounting of the story of Joseph and his brothers really bothered me, because it completely overlooks what is one of the most important points of the story - the repentance of Joseph's brothers and his forgiveness of them. I wish that had been brought out more in the retelling of the story - not only for its importance but its beauty.

The retelling of the plagues and how they undermined the Egyptian gods by showing power of what their imagined gods were was a completely new concept for me. I also thought it was interesting to think of it as the world's first "top 10 list". I'd certainly never thought of it that way before. I was so intrigued about the plagues being a response to Egyptian gods, that I read up on that separately here: https://www.stat.rice.edu/~dobelman/D... Very interesting.

Now to a couple mistranslations of which I was either not aware or didn't remember from past classes on Bible history. Feiler points out that "Red Sea" is from the Hebrew, "Yam Suph", and a mistranslation of what should have been "Sea of Reeds" i.e. Reed Sea - not Red Sea. Likewise with the mistranslation from "shine" or "radiant" and "horn" It was interesting to see the art refernce to Moses and his horns and have the mistranslation cited to Jerome's Vulgate - an early Latin translation of the Bible.

It was interesting to me also that in exploring the possible geography of where the Israelites were in the desert 40 years, then40 years is what it would have taken on a more or less direct path. However, the Bible is explicit that the Israelites "wandered". Wandered is anything but a direct path, and as is touched on many times - even in this recounting, it's because they weren't ready for The Promised Land - not necessarily because the geographical distance from Egypt to The Promised Land was a 40 years' walk. Joshua 14 and Numbers 14 speak of this. Num 14:33 is explicit about the wandering and why. Distance is pretty irrelevant here.

Another thing that really surprised me was the recounting of Moses striking the water from the rock, and that because he "didn't trust God and affirm God's sanctity," Moses didn't go into the Promised Land. Though Feiler reads the text here directly from Numbers (though the audiobook doesn't cite which translation), I have always found v.10 (not cited) as critical here. Moses says, "Must we fetch you water out of this rock? " as if it were his and Aaron's power instead of the Lord's power. They took the credit. It was interesting to go back and read that the chapter does read just as Feiler says. Without looking at the entire context, it can indeed appear so though the Lord was offended solely that Moses struck the rock to draw water instead of talking to it. The Biblical and Qu'ranic differences about Moses that are mentioned throughout are also interesting - especially in how Moses' not reaching The Promised Land being entirely overlooked in the Qu'ran really upset Feiler.

Last of all, Jesus isn't anywhere - except mentioned as a symbolic reference when the Akedah is discussed. In a book about the Bible, it is the most gaping hole you could have. If the book's title were not misleading then you'd know you'd not find Jesus anywhere. Knowing that a Jew wrote it from a Jewish perspective, and therefore would cover only the Torah gives a much more accurate idea of what to anticipate.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I liked Feiler's providing different religious perspectives and a lot of history behind the geography. I found all of the information really interesting. In many ways, what was left out was as interesting as what was included.

At the end, Feiler says he has a website so that others can see what he and Abner saw, which I thought was very generous and helpful.

[Nicole Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I have grown up, I have moved away from the Bible. I still have the religion and beliefs in me; but the Bible became more of like a "story" to me than anything else. I had always believed as a child that these places were imaginary and far from existent. Reading Feiler's book reminded me that it really happened; and I have a new found faith for what happened in the Old Testament. Reading his book wasn't like reading another memoir and it wasn't preachy... instead his book read like a true account into a travel show that I plan my vacations from or a retelling of a friend's past travel adventure. I learned so much from his book than I would ever from just reading the Bible.

[Alyssa Lamers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start with the good: I was really interested in this book. I enjoyed the stories of his journey and the relation of the physical places and experiences to the books of the Bible. I was eager to continue reading throughout the story, which made for an overall good reading experience. The book offered me some food for thought about my own beliefs. Here's the bad: the writing is somewhat difficult to wade through. Fieler employs analogy after analogy and metaphor after metaphor, most of who had nothing to the descriptions he's trying to enhance. It gives the impression of trying too hard and an overworked text. Just try to ignore this and enjoy the story.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent travelogue, and what I loved about it especially is that, though it follows the routes depicted in the Old Testament, it is not about religion. It is about the land, its history, and its people, their relationships with their neighbors, their challenges and achievements. The author provides great anecdotes and illustrates the complicated relations between Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and the bedouins. There is no preaching and no overly emotional, sentimental asides. The book is an example of great travel writing and fair portrayal of peoples usually perceived as bitter enemies.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walking the Bible was an inspiring, readable, thought provoking, and interesting book that used an unorthodox method to cover much of the old testament (the five books of Moses.)Feiler's exploration and journey of many of the key ideas, personalities and places of the first five books of the Bible was extremely enlightening on many points because he combined so many different sources and narrative s into his own personal journey. The vast amount and variety of sources Feiler used combined with his own personal insight make this a book worth re-reading. Highly recommended.

[Libbydale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this about 10 years ago and it's been on my to-buy list ever since. (I don't quickly spend money, period). I picked it up off the New Books shelf at my library, and really loved it. It gives a first hand modern day perspective on the places in the Torah I believe. Feiler is Jewish, but admits that the faith part of his life was never important, but on his "walk" it comes to life a bit. I love that he integrates theownership of all three major faiths to the places he visits and tells the stories of the places' importance.