The Gifts of the Jews : How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels

Rating:
Summary: A very interesting book.
Review: page 3. "Because of this, the role of the Jews, the inventors of Western culture, is also singular: there is simply no one else remotely like them; theirs is a unique vocation." page 5. "The assumptions that early man made about the world, in all their essentials, are little different from the assumptions that later and more sophisticated societies, like Greece and India, would make in a more elaborate manner." I thought that this book would be interesting and scholarly and another tool to help fight anti-semitism. Perhaps I am reading into it. page 5. "...it may be said with some justice that theirs [the jews] is the only new idea that human beings have ever had." hmmmmmm. When a group of people are oppressed there is the need to sing their praise so that it will be heard. Maybe that is what this is? page 6. "Recently, the designations B.C.E. (before the common era) and C.E. (common era), used originally in inJewish circles to avoid the Christian references contained in the designations B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (anno domini, in the year of the Lord), have gained somewhat wider currency. I have used B.C. and A.D. not to cause offense to anyone but because the new designations, still largely unrecognized outside scholarly circles, can unnecessarily disorient the common reader." Well this is thoughtful...as a non-Jew myself I do not refer to the Torah as the old testament and use the oppurtunity to show respect. But I do not want to be too critical. page 6. "...Moses, the greatest of all proto-Jewish figures." Cahill thinks the common reader knows what proto means, this is very nice. page 39. "Now let's delve into the deepest level of the Sumerian psyche--to the ultimate beliefs that held this society together, to the spiritual matrix that created the Sumerian worldview." Maybe I am taking things out of context. page 49. "...metaphore is the basis of all language and thought, as it is of all religion." This is the last quote. page 42. "Even today, a policeman in nay city on earth will tell you that crime increases under the full moon and that 'lunatics'---those who are made demented by the moon (luna in Latin)---are much more active and troublesome." I can not continue.

Rating:
Summary: Execellent, informative, a little over my head
Review: I am a 15 year old sophomore in high school and I read this book as a project for my religion class. I must admit, I thought this book was going to be boring and just a repeat of all the Jewish history I have learned in my 11 years of attending Catholic schools. I was wrong- this book was informative and interesting; I enjoyed it and finished the book in about a week. Cahill does an excellent job of condensing all the Jewish history into a readable and interesting novel; he touched upon the important facts, sticking to the original translations of the names and places. The section concering the Epic of Gilgamesh was confusing but I managed to get through it. I had a dictionary next to me the entire time, he writes for an older and more verbal audience. I didn't feel he was being condescending, as some suggested. I definitely recommend this for anyone interested in Jewish history- it's a nice overview.

Rating:
Summary: a history book that isn't boring
Review: This book did not seem to me like a book on the history of a tribe, but more like a story you would sit down and listen to with wonder as if you were a child. Thomas Cahill does an excellent job of talking to the reader in a tone that is understandable and even humorous a good percentage of the time. Cahill turns the story of these nomads into an enjoyable story that makes these distant patriarchs come alive and appear to be just like ordinary people of today that the reader can relate with. I myself read this for a school project. I was not thrilled to read it to say the least, but as soon as I started I could not stop. . I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever thought their religion class or anything to do with the Bible was a bore.

Rating:
Summary: An Intellectual and Thorough Book
Review: I opened Thomas Cahill's The Gift of the Jews and immediately fell into a virtual journey throughout the history of the Jewish faith. Beginning with the origins of Biblical style from ancient civilizations, Cahill establishes the premise of the Bible itself and takes us on a tour of the triumphs and burdens of the Israelites. In explaining and interpreting each major action with commendable knowledge and depth, he builds towards the final, dazzling effect of proving the gifts of the Jews as characteristics we utilize daily but take for granted, including our perception of time, the emphasis on individual actions, and the reliance on God not just because we are told to but because we are His. In retrospect, Cahill did a remarkable job instilling a sense of enthusiasm about the Bible in his readers as he drove home specific points important to him. I found his explanation of the Jewish gift of time to be particularly well written and moving, emphasizing that "in this moment-and only in this moment-I am in control. This is the moment of choice..." (146). Cahill provides us with the inspiration to take control of what we are doing, to take a look at the bigger picture (the history of burdened people), and to thank our Jewish ancestors for handing down the "gifts" that have shaped who we are today.

Rating:
Summary: A new look at an old tradition
Review: In the past I have never been fond of historical interpretations such as this one. My motivation in reading The Gifts of the Jews was simply to perform another assignment needed to boost my grade in 10th grade religion class. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Thomas Cahill did a masterful job of making the reader, me at least, look at the whole Bible in a different perspective. Cahill presented the Bible not as a boring guidebook on how one should live but as an animated story of the evolution of the Jewish faith. It was interesting to look at faith from a historical perspective rather than a religious one. Though it might be offensive to some readers who interpret the Bible literally, I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the origins of many of our ways of thinking today. This is not just a book for Jews but for anyone, religious or not, who wants to understand the modern Judeo-Christian world we live in.

Rating:
Summary: disappointing, pseudo-intellectual, poorly executed
Review: Cahill's second book in his Hinges of History series reveals ridiculous amounts of bad judgment. He claims to be recognising the achievements of a group and edifying the rest of us, but he shows his inability to do so in a thought-provoking enlightening way through his choices; for example, he conjectures pornographically on Sumerian ritual for a page and a half but discusses the bravery of the Jewish heroines Shifra and Pua in a few terse paragraphs. Cahill starts well and ends well, and his theories seem true enough, but his support fails to humanize the Old Testament patriarchs or God. I also found his voice particularly grating; Mr. Cahill, when writing a serious historical book, please refrain from inserting superfluous personal notes. At one point Cahill speaks of a hypothetical journey from modern days to Sumer and, using the second person, describes the journey as initially "titillating." Right, that's another thing, I prefer not to be assumed titillated when I am in fact repulsed.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, but a bit over my head.
Review: I'm a sophomore in high school and I read this book for my religion course. I've never read a book of this genre before- I enjoyed it, but a dictionary was right next to me the entire time. Cahill obviously writes for an older audience, at times it seemed he was writing for people who had some knowledge in Jewish history, more so than the average person. It was well written, the bits on Ruth could have perhaps been expanded on. Other than that, it was excellent and interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Good general history
Review: Cahill's history of the Jewish people and their overridingcontributions to the world is well written and easy to understand.The book is a good and fast read and interesting. Reads like a novel, but also brings one to deeper contemplation . It allows one to question the way the human race views the world we live in. Quite existential. I liked it very much. The only fault with the book is the way Cahill sets Jewish and other history on a linear plane. History is not so easily "boxed up", rather it is more flowing, complex and interwoven. I felt this perspective filtered the history that he told - even through it was indeed told well.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely insightful
Review: I found this book chock full of new ideas and I was very impressed Thomas Cahill's knowledge and depth. This is a great book for any of you who want a well rounded insight, and are not afraid to listen to different opinions.

Rating:
Summary: Informative, Educational, AND Entertaining
Review: I found this to be a very worthwhile book to purchase and read. I converted to Catholicism a few years ago and feel that this book definitely helps me understand the roots that Christianity grew from. Unlike Isaac Asimov's Guide to the Old Testament which focuses more on the physical placement and names of tribes, lands, and battles, Mr. Cahill explores the psychological development of a people and their view of the universe and their lives. Humorus descriptions (Sodom and the Night of the Living Dead for example)are enjoyable and don't detract from his narrative. At the end, one realizes that the gifts that were given us were indeed immense and affect us every day. I highly recommend this book, no matter what your beliefs are, it can be enjoyed by all.