Don't Know Much About the Bible

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Summary: Excellent Writing Style. I've learned a lot.
Review: This book is an excellent survey of the old and new testaments. The writing style is engaging. Skeptics will enjoy the book, but so will anyone who wants a review of most of the main ideas in the bible. The biblical contradictions are interesting to read about. But even fundamentalists should read the book to better understand the historical meaning of certain biblical events. The idea that there are so many different versions of the bible would seem to make it difficult for people to believe in a literal interpretation of the bible (as well as to believe in a bible code), yet this does not take away from the mystery and beauty of the biblical tales.

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Summary: Great book ! Very interesting and revealing...
Review: Christian fanatics will tear this book apart, but open-minded, interested people will appreciate this book. You'll never get too old to learn new things. This is the kind of book you either love or hate...like always when religious themes are concerned...

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Summary: The title says it all!
Review: The title of this book could not be more appropriate. If you Don't Know Much about the Bible when you start it, you will find yourself in that same condition when you finish. The reason is evident to any reader who starts off with a rudimentary understanding of the Scriptures, the title also describes the author. His other books may or may not be wonderful. I have no basis on which to decide. But this work is superficial. It has some interesting facts and conjectures, but no substance or grounding in Biblical scholarship or any scholarship for that matter. If you want to be entertained, it might do that. If you want to understand the Bible, get a good, modern translation and read it for yourself. This book is not worth your time.

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Summary: Poor Research Yeilds Poor Results
Review: Don't Know Much About The Bible is aptly titled, because the author obviously does not know a lot about the Bible. Kenneth C. Davis presents a series of complex Biblical issues and tries to distill them into neat little packages in one-sided arguments that can be explained away by any first year seminary student. Do not waste your time with this book if you are looking for an introduction to the Bible because you will only go away with a lot of misinformation. The argument that Jesus could not have been who He said He was because it was foretold that the Messiah would be from Bethelehem, and the author's assertion that since Jesus was from Nazareth, He couldn't have been the Messiah is a good example of faulty logic since Jesus was born in Bethlehem, thus making the prophesy relevent to Jesus. This is one example, and there are many others.

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Summary: It was swell.
Review: This book does exactly what it is supposed to do: It fills you in on what is going on in the Bible, and exposes how many incorrect assumptions we have about the bible and what it contains. Did you know there are two creation stories in Genesis? I didn't. Perhaps this book is not high scholorship, but it seems to have been written to make accessable to the layman a sometimes very difficult book, and for those who prefer their reading more academic, there is an extensive bibliography in the back. For the person who wants to arm himself with a working knowledge of the Bible, without wading through a sea of begats, Don't Know Much About the Bible is your book. For the Fundamentalist out there... What are you reading something like this for anyway? Jeeze.Get a King James version and go at it.

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Summary: He really doesn't know much!
Review: It's on thing for the author to say he doesn't know much about the Bible, but then he goes about proving it in his book.

The premise had potential and the hype surrounding the book made it sound like a fresh take on the Bible--much needed these days. Unfortunately, it just doesn't deliver. I've never been so anxious to get to the apocalypse. By the time I reached the book of Revelations, I was ready for the Second Coming.

Definitely browse the book at a store before buying--even if it's on the discount table.

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Summary: Disappointing and Poorly Researched
Review: The narratives of the Bible stories were the only reason I gave the book two stars. The strong point of the author is his excellent command of the English language. This book is a perfect example of shoddy liberal scholarship repackaged for the masses. The statements Mr. Davis makes are at times just simply not true. For example, he states that there is "no archaeological evidence of those tumbled walls at Jericho". How absurd! This city was unearthed in the 1930s by Garstang and the walls are there with the rest of the city for anyone to view. Even a viewer of the show "Archaeology" on the Science channel would know this - the show described the construction of the walls in detail. I can understand that footnotes in a book meant for popular consumption would be undesirable, but the bibliography he provides is a pitiful thing. The liberal views expressed are based on zero evidence. These are the opinions a group of scholars whose only basis for their views is that they don't believe in the supernatural, and are on the main atheistic in their worldview. I would recommend "Biblical Archaeology" by J.P.Free and "A Survey of Old Testament Introduction" by G. Archer for anyone wanting either a more scholarly or conservative survey. "More Evidence That Demands A Verdict" by Josh McDowell is also a very fine work. Having read the author's three previous works, this volume was disappointing indeed. I would not recommend it.

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Summary: Don't Know Much about the Bible is boring and fallacious!!!
Review: Don't Know Much About The Bible is a narrowly-researched, shoot-from-the-hip personal, and atheistic exposition of the entire Bible by pop historian Kenneth C. Davis, masquerading as an ultra-contemporary critical commentary on the Bible. Unlike the well-researched, well-substantiated, and near-scholarly views of history presented by the author's former works, Don't Know Much About the Bible is replete with gross conjecture, personal opinion, atheistically partisan bias, historical inaccuracy, and deliberately misleading statements. Don't Know Much About The Bible completely ignores centuries of impeccable scholarship, peppering readers with unsubstantiated, pseudo-scholarly conjecture, rarely quoting sources directly when presenting personal viewpoints in contradiction to what is stated in the Bible. Don't Know Much About The Bible is too long, too boring, too expensive, and utterly non-authoritative for those that desire to understand the Bible. The author's unsubstantiated and errant opinions detract from any value this book attempts to add in understanding the Bible.

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Summary: An accessible, guide to the most influential book in history
Review: In my latest Don't Know Much About book, I set out to clear up the confusions and misconcepotions regarding the Bible, the most influential but often most misunderstood book in history. Using the entertaining and accessible question and answer format of my previous books I tell you everything you need to know about the Bible.

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Summary: Interesting
Review: I had the wonderful opportunity to read this book..before they hit the bookstore to do a review. If you enjoy good facts (and I do) then you will enjoy.. this book