The World Of Biblical Literature

The Bible is one of the world's great literary masterpieces and, increasingly, literary scholars as well as general readers have enthusiastically joined the ranks of the religious orthodox in reading it. Robert Alter, who has long been in the vanguard of this movement, reflects on the paradoxes inherent in considering this great religious work as literature. This book builds on, and in some cases takes issues with, the new wave of literary and bibilical studies to reexamine the elusive, endlessly fascinating texts that have nourished our culture for millenia.