Rating: 
Summary: Worth investigating.
Review: I enjoy Mr. Cahill's style of writing. It is light enough so as not to be taken too seriously (or at least the tendency of many authors to take themselves too seriously) yet it contains enough well-presented and thought provoking statements as to be beneficial to embracing the story that unfolds. What I truly enjoyed was his ability to help me open up to how unique the religion that developed according the Old Testament truly is. I am currently studying comparative religion with its tendency towards unifying all religions as the same thing. They all have elements that are unique (note: not right or wrong) and The Gifts of the Jews provides a deeper appreciation for what is unique about what is considered the Jewish religion, not how similar it is to every other religion across the world. Whether it is offensive or not with Mr. Cahill's lively, most definitely modern description of Biblical events, it definitely opened up my mind to appreciate the Truth as revealed through the characters in one of the greatest stories ever experienced by man.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Standard Historical Fare
Review: I quite enjoyed the style of this author. While I may not be in agreement with everything he says, he says it with style. I especially enjoyed his play on the old saying about power making corrupt in his description of Pharoah at the time of Moshe. His style is not that of the standard historian but he puts things in a more relaxed phraseology, which makes for entertaining reading.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a dispicable book that should not be in print.
Review: Ever since Bill Moyers show on Genesis there seems to be a group of people who take delight in using their reasoning such as it is to bash Torah and our patriarchs and matriarchs. If anyone really wants to know about Torah and the Jews they will read a book by any orthodox rabbi who has studied Torah, knows the traditions, all the writings, and has had worthwhile teachers. This book does not enlighten or create any responsible thinking. It is exploitation of our sacred texts and leaders. It is monumentally offensive. Do not buy this book. One star is the lowest possible rating in this program. It should be a negative.
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Summary: How the History of the Jews Expanded Our Minds
Review: I could say that what initially attracted me to this book was that it pissed off all the right people: religious fundamentalists and biblical scholars who burrow in too deep to "see the forest for the trees." That would only be partially right. I wanted to get a good overview of the meaning of the Old Testament--something I, an average person, could consider as I re-read it. This book meets this need. Mr. Cahill is a good "generalist" whose views should not be dismissed lightly. He did his homework as a religious editor. His Notes and Sources at the back of this book is sufficient reference for me. I enjoyed his point-of-view and will keep it in mind while I read the Old Testament. I'm always free to disagree, but I like his mind-expanding thoughts on these matters.
Rating: 
Summary: History or fiction: What is the gift of the Jews?
Review: When Thomas Cahill attempts to define the "Gift of the Jews," he falls short of giving them the credit he seeks. He systematically accepts and rejects certain parts of the Torah to serve his own needs, thereby missing the point of Judaism and the "gift" that he is attempting to praise. He fails to see that the Torah must be taken as a whole unit as the word of God for that is how the ancient Israelites saw it. They did not take certain parts seriously and others less so, but this is how Cahill describes the situation to us. He claims in is first chapter the "the Jews are it" and, after his description of the characters and stories of the Bible, states that "the Jews are still it," yet he doesn't get what the "it" is. Because of his warped view of the Torah and his belief that it was written by many people over time (in contrast to what the people he describes believed), he attempts to define what the "it" ! is without truly understanding or grasping what the gifts of the Jews are. This is a "feel-good" history which is all too typical of histories written in our age. When historians begin with a premise and then historical facts and realities are fit to this premise, what they write is usually termed fiction. It is a shame that Cahill does not fully appreciate the greatness of which he writes. Were he to do so, he would realize that in this case reality is better than fiction.
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Summary: A Little Speculative
Review: Gifts of the Jews is very entertaining, and certainly well-written. Cahill has a gift for rendering complex ideas and theories into easily-digestible, expertly turned phrases. Unlike "How the Irish," though, this book seems to be more Cahill's own interpretations, rather than anything actually held up by the evidence. It's as if he formulated his thesis first, and then went searching for evidence in the Torah -- a no-no of historical writing. Worth reading, though.
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Summary: Cleverly written with an interesting concept at the core.
Review: Cahill's book is well written and easy to read. The central thesis of his book is fascinating and well presented (though not, as other reviewers have noted, well supported). However, Cahill's pseudo-scholarship leaves much to be desired. His translations are at times inaccurate, and his sense of drama leads him to read things into the Biblical narrative which the plain text itself will not support. While Cahill's theories of the theology and world-view of the ancient Israelites and their ancestors are well thought out, his theory of religion and its contemporary ramifications leave much to be desired. Cahill gives us no methodology for his selectivity in determining which passages of the Bible to accept at face value and which to discard, reinterpret, or effectively nullify by declaring them products of a later age. He validates that which appeals to him, while any dictate which he finds anathema he writes off as invalid and clearly not genuine to the word of God. Yet, by doing so, Cahill has created a religion centered not around God but around himself, as his own sensibilities have become the final arbiter over what he believes divine and what he sees as religiously reprehensible. What he is left with is a form of ethical self-worship, not adherence to a deity distinct from his own self.
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Summary: Call for social justice redeems book from pop critics
Review: Sure, this isn't the definitive book on the Torah or the Jews. But after reading the cold-hearted condenscending reviews of "biblical scholars'', you'd think the guy was a dope. He's not. The book soars at times, especially at the moment at Sinai and in the development of the prophets. His message to us about God's call for social justice is an urgent reminder for Jews and Christians. Cahill's message contains power and passion. Why do critics make beginners feel stupid if they're moved by it?
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Summary: Enjoyable and thought provoking
Review: I found this book to be quite interesting and informative. It gave the uninitiated a different outlook on historical and biblical information. Cahill's theories draw an interesting line from the ancient Sumerians through to modern day Israel. Being somewhat knowledgeable in eastern thought, I found his discussion of cyclical versus processive religion to be right on the money. The eastern religions of Taoism and Buddhism rely on a holistic view of life where western thought tends to be in a straight line. The holistic view of life has been one of the things that draws me to eastern thought. Also not being a religious scholar, I enjoyed Cahill's easy explanations of some of the lesser quoted stories of the bible. I now have a better understanding of where things came from and how they came to be. I was also quite astonished at the barbarism of the ancient world coupled with compassion. It showed me that even though civilization has moved 5000 years forward, we have not changed much as a species in our base instincts and thoughts. Based on Cahill's discussion of Everett Fox's new translations of the Five Books of Moses, I now want to continue my study by reading Fox's work. The faithfulness to the original Hebrew text as referenced in Fox's work was great. I especially enjoyed the spelling of YHWH, based on newer research.
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Summary: How this book changed my life.
Review: The Gift of the Jews is the most exciting book I've read. It's not exciting in the way a detective novel, a courtroom drama or a Dean Koontz book is exciting. I found it exciting because it led me down a path I had spent years seeking--a path to God. As a child, I believed in God, but in my college years, studying religion, philosophy, history and anthropology, I lost my belief in "Nature's God." This book, which I bought because I wanted to learn all the wonderful things Jews had done over the last 6,000 years, turned my heart to God. This book told me a secret--where to find God. I looked in that place, and "Eureka," I found the Holy One. I recommend this book for serious seekers of the Eternal, not eternal life, not an answer to questions of everyday life, but life and its real meaning. I admire the author, Thomas Cahill, very much for his clear prose and gentle style. I plan to read his book on Ireland this summer.
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