Where God Was Born

Author Bruce Feiler may have intended this trip to the Middle East to be primarily a historical trip, but it is clear that it became a genuine pilgrimage, during which encounters with living individuals in the present put him in touch with the past and the deep roots of his own religious sentiments. Robert Blumenfeld's narration fits the story wonderfully. Feiler's account wanders and doubles back on itself, and Blumenfeld allows his pace to change accordingly. At times, Blumenfield's voice is so full of emotion and discovery that it's hard to remember that the events described didn't happen to him. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine


Continuing where WALKING THE BIBLE left off, Feiler narrates his own journey throughout the Middle East, tracing the history behind the biblical stories of Joshua, Sampson, King David, Cyrus of Persia, the Maccabees, and more. His speaking style is gently clear, personal, and immediate. At times, his enthusiasm shows as his voice speeds up, but without loss of clarity. The contents are equally clear and enthusiastic. Disc 6 is labeled as an enhanced CD, which amounts to nothing more than links to Harper Audio's and Feiler's own Web sites and a set of 10 photos from Feiler's new WALKING THE BIBLE: A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY. The best enhancement, however, is the 20-minute interview with the author, in which Feiler speaks about how he came to write about the Bible and about his revelations along the way. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

Starred review from July 11, 2005
The third of Feiler's books on the Bible and the Middle East, this is another absorbing blend of travelogue, history, Bible commentary, memoir, current events and passionate preaching. In Walking the Bible
(2001), Feiler surveyed the Torah. This sequel picks up with Joshua, first of the prophetic books, and follows Israel's story through the Hebrew scriptures: from the invasion of Canaan through the reigns of David and Solomon to the Babylonian captivity and the Diaspora. What differentiates Feiler from most other Bible commentators is that he actually visits the places he describes, despite Palestinian suicide bombers, Iraqi insurgents, Iranian fundamentalists and his very worried family back home. Readers will almost effortlessly learn a lot about antiquity—thanks again to his travel companion, archeologist Avner Goren—and also about recent history, today's headlines and Feiler's own spiritual journey. Enlarging on his vision of unity in Abraham
(2002), he contends that the Bible's moral vision transcends land, power and nationality. "The only force strong enough to take on religious extremism," he concludes, "is religious moderation." For Feiler, now ready to affirm his Jewishness, this means "willingly asserting your faith in public, not with raging fire but with a single, quiet flame." Agent, David Black.
20-city author tour.