Rating: 
Summary: Below average, with far too many political digressions
Review: For the most part, this book is competent and easy to understand. However, Harris seems to enjoy picking on politically sensitive parts of the Bible and injecting political rather than religious interpretations. He strays from his own purpose and that completely undercuts any of his credibility has an ubiased scholar. For example, after his summary of the section of Romans that calls homosexuality unnatural and quite definitely a sin, he injects a paragraph about the theory that homosexuality is not a choice, but something that is genetic or formed in early childhood. That's nice, but it has absolutely nothing to do with interpreting the Bible has it's written there. He does something similar in the passage about Sodom and Gemorrah. Ah well.
Rating: 
Summary: Competent, Clear, and Challenging, but Cumbersome
Review: Harris' book has much to recommend it. He is a competent scholar who writes clearly, and the book fairly represents the scholarly consensus on most issues without loosing sight of the real-life concerns of most readers of the biblical texts. Each edition of the book has become more detialed, and the major problem with this current edition is precisely this: it is overly detailed for a freshman level college class. Earlier editions worked well at this level, but too many students struggled to complete assigned readings in this edition.
Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive, clear, and well laid out
Review: Harris's _Understand the Bible_ is thorough, extremely well documented, and much more digestible than the cumbersome textbook I'm using in Bible as Literature now. It's nicely laid out and contains great illustrations. I doubt readers who are secure in their beliefs would find such sound scholarship threatening. My only complaint is that, with our school's pre-set spending limits, I can't require this book and the Oxford Annotated New Revised Standard bible at the same time--though the book is a bargain for what it contains.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Helpful
Review: Literary scholars attempting to study the Bible for the first time should refer to this book. Chronologically ordered, the chapters in this book allow for easy reference, as they coincide with the order in which the books of the Bible are placed. Also, as it is fairly easy reading, I find that the insight and background information (such as the literary history) Harris presents for each work of the Bible is truly an asset to my studies.
Rating: 
Summary: Learn the Bible from a Heretic?
Review: That may sound harsh, but that's what I see it as. There is nothing in this book that you couldn't read from a secular scholar which leads me to believe Harris may NOT be a believer. If hypothetical theory and one-sided interpretation are what interest you...this is your book. I find some of what Harris writes humorous in that he gives no reasonable proof for his assumptions; one can only laugh at his inconsistency. I am moved by reason more than most, but I object to anyone who ascerts theory as truth. Harris gives nothing but "shocking" theories - theories (not his own, but supported by him throughout his book) based on no proof that send shockwaves through a believing community - and he continues to write as though some of the theories are truth. He seems more concerned with his own agenda - possibly with getting published at one time, thus assuming a liberal perspective - than writing a sound book on the bible and its background. As a believer, I think one should be taught the Bible - a book which must be interpreted in faith - from someone who has believes in God and the supernatural. Is there an explanation for every miracle? Is there only one way to look at scripture (He likes the Documentary Hypothesis)? What Harris leaves out of this book is room for mystery and the supernatural; there is no such thing as biblically inspired scripture, the authority of scripture rests on man and his infallability. Harris, if he is in fact a believer, abandon's his beliefs in order to appear "scholarly". If you view the Bible as the Word of God, this book will give you little more than hypothetical theories which tear that belief down. If you see the Bible as merely a historical book to be explained or treated as mythological, this book will treat you to a variety of theories - however far-fetched they may be. This book is dangerous for anyone who is immature/new to the faith. As a believer: I see this book as offensive to God and what he revealed in his Word. Scholastically: this book is average at best - even here he falls short of the credence necessary to accept theory as possibility.
Rating:
Summary: Learn the Bible from a Heretic?
Review: That may sound harsh, but that's what I see it as. There is nothing in this book that you couldn't read from a secular scholar which leads me to believe Harris may NOT be a believer. If hypothetical theory and one-sided interpretation are what interest you...this is your book. I find some of what Harris writes humorous in that he gives no reasonable proof for his assumptions; one can only laugh at his inconsistency. I am moved by reason more than most, but I object to anyone who ascerts theory as truth. Harris gives nothing but "shocking" theories - theories (not his own, but supported by him throughout his book) based on no proof that send shockwaves through a believing community - and he continues to write as though some of the theories are truth. He seems more concerned with his own agenda - possibly with getting published at one time, thus assuming a liberal perspective - than writing a sound book on the bible and its background. As a believer, I think one should be taught the Bible - a book which must be interpreted in faith - from someone who has believes in God and the supernatural. Is there an explanation for every miracle? Is there only one way to look at scripture (He likes the Documentary Hypothesis)? What Harris leaves out of this book is room for mystery and the supernatural; there is no such thing as biblically inspired scripture, the authority of scripture rests on man and his infallability. Harris, if he is in fact a believer, abandon's his beliefs in order to appear "scholarly". If you view the Bible as the Word of God, this book will give you little more than hypothetical theories which tear that belief down. If you see the Bible as merely a historical book to be explained or treated as mythological, this book will treat you to a variety of theories - however far-fetched they may be. This book is dangerous for anyone who is immature/new to the faith. As a believer: I see this book as offensive to God and what he revealed in his Word. Scholastically: this book is average at best - even here he falls short of the credence necessary to accept theory as possibility.
Rating:
Summary: fine textbook
Review: This book has been required reading in my Bible as Literature class for 15 years. It provides a good, basic introduction not only to each book of the Bible, but also to such topics as the formation of the cannon, the Documentary Hypothesis, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Harris quite sensibly has little to say about theological matters. His concerns are literary, historical, and archaeological.
I do agree with a previous reviewer that Harris has packed a bit too much into the most recent editions -- but that is my only complaint.
Rating:
Summary: fine textbook
Review: This book has been required reading in my Bible as Literature class for 15 years. It provides a good, basic introduction not only to each book of the Bible, but also to such topics as the formation of the cannon, the Documentary Hypothesis, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Harris quite sensibly has little to say about theological matters. His concerns are literary, historical, and archaeological.
I do agree with a previous reviewer that Harris has packed a bit too much into the most recent editions -- but that is my only complaint.
Rating:
Summary: Ridiculous book
Review: This book is not a book of facts, but rather a book of theories (stated as facts) based on half-cocked ideas by someone who is blantantly trying to explain God and Jesus Christ away, claiming that half, if not the whole Bible isn't true but merely fictional and mythological. I had to use this book as a textbook for my recent religious studies class, and it was just the worst book for this class. Instead of this book, why don't you check out "The Case For Christ." It is awesome!
Rating:
Summary: If you really take the Bible seriously, this is for you
Review: Those too used to a fundamentalist indoctrination of Biblical texts will most likely find this book rather frightening (see a few reviews down). For those who view the Bible as real historical literature, and not a crutch thrust under them by poorly-educated preachers, this is the book to read. This is the best of what real scholars have determined, using inductive, scientific research. If you really care about the books chosen to be included in the Bible, you are reading this book.
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