Rating: 
Summary: A Common and Contentious Denominator
Review: Author Bruce Feiler has written an excellent, concise and accessible book about a religious figure that is unique. "Abraham", is both the title and the subject of the author's exploration of the significance that three major religions place so much emphasis on. Abraham is central to the beliefs of the Muslims, Christians and the Jews. They share custodianship over critical religious sites, agree on much and unfortunately disagree on enough that the modern world uses Abraham and the various interpretations of his life and actions to justify conduct that is at times atrocious.Mr. Feiler meets with very senior members of the three faiths that are mentioned, whether here in The United States, or in one of the more active shooting galleries of the world, Hebron. As the book begins and progresses I was left wondering at how much commonality existed and the centuries it has been in place. How could these three faiths that are daily portrayed as expressing hatred for one another have a common denominator in Abraham? Unfortunately as the book continued and the author spoke with persons closer and closer to the physical locations associated with Abraham, the thoughts of those he met very often, though not always, became familiar and accepting of violence. The majority of the people the writer meet with share no hatred toward other faiths; they are as unlikely to become a human bomb as any other person. He does speak with a few who either live where they are routinely shit at and share beliefs that are not hard to understand, or he meets with others who clearly accept random violence as something God approves of. Individuals tend to quote passages from the Bible, Koran and Torah that condemn violence, the problem is when Faiths are represented as opposed to individuals, and much of what their own writings tell them are either reinterpreted or rationalized. Reviewers that know a great deal more about this topic that I have commented eloquently and more completely on this book. I chose to add my thoughts because the book is well presented and easily read by anyone with a modicum of interest in the topic. The author cannot be commended highly enough for the balance he brings to the sometimes deadly interpretations of various people he meets. He does not hide his shock, anger, or even his fears, but he is a member of one of these groups, not all three, and the book he has written is remarkably balanced. I have not read his previous book however based upon this work I most certainly will. A second reading of what will become a reference book for me is on the horizon as well.
Rating: 
Summary: AbrahamA Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths
Review: I found the author of this book unreliable as to both facts and scriptures. Linking the three faiths to Abraham is a very promising idea. However, failure to modify sweeping statements, unhistorical interpretations of some incidents recorded in scripture, treating matters of faith as matters of established fact, all contribute to a book that is less than it might have been, less than it should be.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for beginners
Review: I have a limited religious background and I was looking for this book to give a high-level explanation of the 3 religions and to try to understand why they are so violently different (especially since they originate from the same place). But it was difficult to follow, mainly because I think that the author assumed you have a fairly solid religious background; he used a lot of terms which he didn't define. I may have had different expectations than what the author was trying to convey.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, thought-provoking but hardly accurate
Review: I enjoyed the book thoroughly but was disturbed by Feiler's tendency to make sweeping statements without giving any authority for them. Certainly many of his statements about Christianity are incorrect. For example, he mentions in passing that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah. This is not true. Among many other things, Jesus purported to forgive sin (which only God can do), claimed that He has always existed and will come to judge the world at the end of time. His teachings pointed to Himself ("I am the bread of life", "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father", "I am the Light of the World," etc.) rather than away from Himself and toward God. Feiler also discribes Paul as "not formally educated." The common understanding among Christians is that Paul was highly educated, born into a family of Pharisees (the most rigorous observers of ancient Jewish law), was sent to Jerusalem at a young age to study under the great rabbi Gamaliel where he surpassed his contemporaries in religious knowledge and practice. If there is authority for the statement that Paul wasn't formally educated, Fieler doesn't give it to us.
Rating:
Summary: a disapointment; everything BUT well refined
Review: The author's effort into writing this book may have been extensive; however, i found it to be completely lacking in fact on all levels. The book seems to be a compilation of his inner "ramblings". Of which, he did not put on paper very clearly. Furthermore, he disrespects his own religion and misrepresents the accuracy and authenticity of Holy Scripture. More importantly He blasphamies the Almighty God be insinuating several things such as "God needed Abraham". note to the author - The Almighty needs nothing. He is all.
Rating: 
Summary: Not scholarly, but a good read
Review: Do NOT expect this book to answer your questions about Abraham and his relationship to Christianity, Judaism or Islam. This is a chatty, pleasant, first person account of the author's views on Abraham and the middle east. This is most emphatically NOT a scholarly book and should not be purchased or read with that expectation. It is, however, a good primer on Abraham and the three faiths of the middle east. You can move on to more informative and informed books from this one or not, as you choose.
Rating:
Summary: A Thought Provoking Read
Review: Bruce Feiler's Learning to Bow is one of my favorite books of all time. I enjoyed the mix of social commentary and travel essay. Therefore it was with great pleasure that I sat down to read his biography of Abraham. Do not be fooled by the small size of this book. Just because it is a short book do not think this is a light book. I was surprized at how deep this book is. Perhaps after 9-11 or perhaps after his previous trips to the Middle East as in Walking the Bible, whatever the inspiration is, Feiler has written a deep, thought-provoking look at Abraham and what unites and divides all three monotheistic religions. It is a short book and will not take too much time to read, but the consequences of what the book brings up will keep you talking and your mind working. This would be an excellent book for a readers group or discussion. If you read this book, be prepared to think!
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, Enjoyable And Informative -Read it!
Review: In this intelligent and engaging book, Feiler a gifted story-teller, digs into the books, explores the land, and meets the clerics, then spins different stories of Abraham, his children (Ishmael and Isaac) and his people (Jews, Christians and Muslims) that are sure to enrich the reader's mind and spirit. It was very interesting to notice that the details of the stories differed not only between the 3 religions, but also in the same religion during different historical periods. Interpreters looked at the same text and made different conclusions that helped them deal with the circumstances of their lives at a given time. It shows that we (Jews, Christians and Muslims) are only human after all. As a Muslim, I've only come to know our father Abraham as described in the Qur'an and it was enlightening to see him from the perspective of the other two religions. If we look beyond the details, the essence and morals of the stories are the same: surrendering to one God. Unfortunately throughout history all the people of Abraham never tried to emphasize their similarities but concentrated on their differences, demonizing and killing one another while trying to attain God's blessings as the sole heirs of Abraham.
Ignorance breeds intolerance, and this book is an honest and unbiased attempt at teaching us about one another and is hopefully a step towards bringing the people of the 3 faiths to common grounds. This is not impossible since the essence is one: surrendering to one God, believing in the Day of Judgment and doing good deeds. God tells us in the Qur'an," Those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians (probably means the followers of John the Baptist)-all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds- shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve."(2:62)(Translation from: the Message of the Qur'an by Mohammad Asad) Reading the chapter on Islam, I thought it was good however, the author seemed to imply that Islam is a religion invented by Mohammad, and some of the statements were without any foundation, for example:" The Koran says...During Noha's Flood the Ka'ba had been taken up to heaven, where angels fluttered around it,.." Actually, nowhere in the Qur'an is this statement made or even implied! Another important point that the author failed to clarify (although he mentioned it in passing) is that Islam has 2 meanings. The original meaning is: surrendering to one God, later it came to mean the religion revealed to Prophet Mohammad. So when the Qur'an says" The only true faith in God's sight is Islam." It means that the only true faith is surrendering to one God. If you read the Qur'an its all about that. Mohammad, Jesus, Moses, Abraham, all the prophets are only men who delivered the message of "worship one God" to mankind, they are all secondary to God. And since they all delivered this message of one God they are all "Muslims" or in other words believers in one God. To be honest not all Muslims understand this concept in this way and the majority interprets the verse differently. Finally, one thing I personally found shocking is the way the author talked about God at times, as if God was human: with needs and whims! Overall, an interesting, enjoyable and informative book that everyone should read.
Rating:
Summary: Great read, but soft conclusion......
Review: -First of all, Bruce Feiler is clearly a great adventurer who walks deserts to descend into caves in the midst of war-torn countries. Additionally, he has an intense and admirable passion for this subject and writes an engaging book that ends up being part history, part travel literature, and part theology. -However Feiler seems to stretch at times in making his case that Abraham 'unites' the three religions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. On the contrary, Abraham is more a point of contention than one of unity. I wish Feiler had made the statement that all three positions on Abraham cannot be equally true since they often directly contradict each other. A worthy goal is always to divide truth from error in order to understand which position, if any, is accurate. Instead of taking this path, Feiler seems to desire peace at the expense of truth as he places religious harmony higher than a right understanding of theology. -Feiler is correct that the most mesmerizing story of Abraham's life--his offering a son to God--plays a pivotal role in the holiest week of the Christian year, at Easter. This is surely the case as Christianity sees Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac as a foreshadowing of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. However, this is a radically different interpretation of the event from either Judaism or Islam. -Feiler states that Abraham, is a character who has shape-shifted over the millennia to the extent that the religions don't even agree on which son he tried to kill. This is true, and the interpretation may have shape-shifted, but that does not mean the scriptural documents were changed. That is, with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the claim that documents had been changed in order to fit with dogma, has little foundation. -Feiler claims that Abraham is a type of metaphor and that this historically elusive man embodies three religions. That's a difficult claim to back up. Abraham 'embodies' all three religions? Certainly Christian scholars would not make that claim. They would claim that only Jesus would fit this role. Abraham was the one to whom the promise was made and Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise. Abraham's role would be significantly secondary. -Feiler concludes with a passionate and prayerful argument for peace between faiths. This is a valiant attempt and his motives are surely good. However, it would have been refreshing if he would have explained that when two people theologically disagree with each other that does not mean that they necessarily hate each other. The existence of truth means that at least one party is wrong, but that does not mean that the parties cannot respect each other as people, even though they may not respect all theological positions. Grace, peace, and love can and do exist side by side with truth - and if truth exists, so does error. One party being 'wrong' is part of the package and it is the reality. I wish Feiler's final sentence had been, "Call your brother wrong and love him with those words."
Rating:
Summary: A father who binds and divides his children
Review: It's been said that England and America are two peoples divided by a common language. Judaism, Christianity and Islam represent three faiths divided by a common founder: each looks back to Abraham as the first of the faithful, and each is uplifted by the hope, as Abraham's children, to come into the inheritance of God's blessing on him and his "seed." Feiler has chosen the figure of Abraham as a concrete way to explore the question of what these three great religions have in common, how they differ, and whether our many common elements offer any credible hope that we will learn to live together in peace and mutual respect. He explores the question from Jerusalem, where the hopes of the three faiths run the highest, and where the hopes for peace these days seem dimmest. There are no facile reassurances here, but Feiler's generosity to the other two faiths, his willingness to re-imagine Abraham from their point of view as well as from his own Jewish tradition, and (no less) his refusal to paper over the controversial or the politically incorrect, convey the depth of his own determination that we have to find our way to a "yes." The book is simply written, readable in one or two sittings. It makes no pretension to being scholarly or exhaustive; it is an account of one individual's study and exploration of the question. But its simplicity is clearly the achievement of judicious selection and pruning. As fascinating as the varying portraits of the patriarch are in their own right, he recounts no story or midrash unless it illuminates the different approaches of these religions to God and to one another. He makes every anecdote count. Perhaps the greatest ground for hope lies in the historical pattern he discovers: for each of the three religions of the Book, Abraham was initially understood as a common spiritual father of all mankind; and only after centuries did each tradition succumb to the temptation to lay claim to exclusive status as Abraham's heirs. Those exclusive claims have laid deep grooves by now in all three spiritual paths; but the roots remain to be rediscovered and reclaimed. This book deserves to be widely read, among all three communities. It has no final answers; it is really only the barest beginning of the critical trialogue that has to take place. But its honesty, its painful urgency, its commitment to hope, and its publication in one place of narratives so long heard only within the confines of this tradition or that, make it a valuable beginning.
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