Since I have a great interest in Israel, Iran and Iraq at this time, I was very pleased to read a present day personal account of Bruce Feiler's journey to those places. He made me feel as though I was there with him in each instance. I appreciated his spiritual search as well.

This was a fascinating and educational book. I learned so much from reading
it and although the author referred many times to the Hebrew Bible, I found the King James version very similar to the scriptures he quoted. The main thing however; was his ability to describe all the biblical sites he visited. I bought the book from Amazon.com at a great price because I wanted to make notations and underline. The book is well worth any price.

I'll approach this from the standpoint of writer and engineer because a number of people have already amply tackled the Biblical aspect. If you read this book, read it carefully and with a critical eye. There were far too many times when the author implied "if A then B" when the result was by no means justified. Secondly, there were too many occasions where he took the end result and worked backwards to show how the forces colluded to achieve the result, much in the same way modern conspiracy theorists like to show that existing conditions are the carefully laid plot of someone's nearly improbable actions. I doubt that ancient man gave his existence nearly as much anthropological consideration as Feiler seems to have thought they had.

I enjoyed parts of the journey because I used to live in the area, and it brought back memories, but beyond that there were too many anomalies to draw real historical information or philosophical learning from.

Bruce does an amazing job of making the Bible and its lands and history real. While he doesn't fall prey to the all too often use of analysis to subtley, but irrevovably trash religion and God, he does in the end lean to the secular, all the while proclaiming his Jewishness. Despite his spiritual longings, he seems to think Judaism is flexible and what you make of it--rather than a pilgrimage to find ultimate truth--a concept he runs from. In the end it seems his greatest joy is that no matter where he goes, he effectively has a built in network of cultural chums to hang with. In short his Jewishness feels more ethnic than religious--a conclusion that I can only hope he did not intend.

A greater criticism is that all too often he sees "fundamentalism", regardless of the faith as a level, morally regrettable and destructive playing field. There is no sense of disproportion. Christian fundamentals are seen in the same light as Muslim, ignoring that even disagreeable Christians don't coerce their flocks into repression and worse, weapons of terror and death.

Still the book is highly readable, providing insights and a deeper understanding that I simply didn't expect. So despite my misgivings, my greater disappointment is that Bruce is unlikely to continue this journey into the foundations of Christianity. I can only hope I find another author of his caliber to do the same for my faith.

Very much second best to his earlier book, walking the bible. seems like the author thought he had to write another book on the same topic, which is too bad.

Very much second best to his earlier book, walking the bible. seems like the author thought he had to write another book on the same topic, which is too bad.

Very informative. The Lord has blessed Bruce Feiler. I've read his other books Walking the Bible, and Abraham, and it was difficult to put them down.

Very informative. The Lord has blessed Bruce Feiler. I've read his other books Walking the Bible, and Abraham, and it was difficult to put them down.

Enlarged my understanding of Biblical history and provided background for todays problems in that part of the country. Everyone needs to read.

Today, our culture scoffs at believing the Bible, as a result it is not at all fashionable to actually read it. So, unsurprisingly, it is a sign of our times that this book's many mistakes would go unnoticed by the vast majority.

Feiler's book is an engrossing travelogue. He takes us to many of the sites referenced in the Bible and helps make them come alive with his narrative. However, even as a newcomer to Bible study, I caught several errors just in the first few chapters.

Had this book been written 50 years ago, I think even the most secular editor would have sent the book back for a rewrite. How can we take Feiler's points seriously, when he can't get even the basic facts straight?

I thoroughly enjoy reading Bruce Feiler's journeys in the Bible lands and his insights. It doesn't matter that he is Jewish and I am a Christian. I learn so much about the Old Testament it makes me want to research the Bible further and gain my own perspective using this book as a useful tool.

I agree with the editorial reviews. I find every bit of the book fascinating as Bruce uncovers little known details of ancient times. His recent visit to Iraq and Iran - how courageous. My thanks to him and also to his wife for sharing their thoughts and for their desire for unity and peace among all peoples.

Hopefully, the journey will continue thru the New Testament lands. I look forward to this author's next book.

Feiler's book has done what many in our culture have attempted to do: blend completely different theological perspectives in an attempt to build a religious coalition that frankly does not work. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are by nature exclusive. Each preach ONE way to heaven. Three different viewpoints of truth, by nature, cannot coexist. That's simple logic.

Beyond that, I am disappointed with his handling of the Biblical text. Without going into too much detail, I will simply give one example. In the first chapter, Feiler explains why God chose David to be king over Israel to replace Saul. He says that God rejected Saul because, "he is too weak to forge a unified state, so God goes looking for a worthier man." This could not be further from the Biblical truth. I Samuel 15 makes it clear that God takes the throne away from Saul because of his disobedience in not fully destroying the Amalekites. Again, this is only one example of Feiler's mishandling of scripture, but there are numerous others. Do not waste your money finding them. I received this book as a gift, so I do not feel a loss.

I just finished this book and couldn't put it down! I found Feiler's narrative to be concise, insightful and easy to read. I could feel myself in his shoes as his journeys took him into some of today's most dangerous regions, steeped in religious history and dogma. His guides and encounters along the way only added to the narrative quality. I came away with not only a new appreciation for the religious history of the Middle East but a greater appreciation for what life must be life for those trying to live their religious lives in areas of the world still persecuting religious differences. I also came away with a better appreciation for the religious freedoms we enjoy in the US and how indeed the founders of this nation were well-educated in these same religious traditions and the need for tolerance.

I loved this book, not because of its religious connections but because I felt like I ws on the trip too. It had a good grounding in the current and historic gorgraphic and historic significance of the area and lent a lot of background meaning to assist the reader in understanding (if that is possible) the current events which are taking place right now. It was also easy to read. You didn't get lost in the verbage and with the help of a simple area map you could follow the expidition easily.

"Where God was born" is the third of Bruce Feiler's books on the Bible. While, like his other two "Walking the Bible" and "Abraham," Feiler provides a great travelogue and interesting insights into both Biblical archeology and current Middle Eastern affairs, he comes up a little short in this particular work. Along with his study of historical sights, Bruce seeks meaning for his own faith and also interprets his journey and findings accordingly. However, one troubling aspect is his over emphasis on scientific analysis, often to the watering down of the importance and sustainability of the Biblical text itself. (After all the Bible never purports to be anything other than a book of faith and no amount of analysis both scientific or archeological can take away from this fact.)
This analysis also slows the narrative and diminishes the book's quality.

Additionally, Feiler seeks to forge unity between Islam, Judaism and Christianity and calls for interfaith meetings. This is noble, but in doing this Feiler asserts that all three religions are on par theologically. However, not all three religions can embody the truth. And, calling for unity in the name of theological parity smacks of universalism, suggesting that all roads lead to the same place: God. However, they do not. All roads do not led to God. Moreover, just the existence of truth means that one party is wrong. To deny this is unrealistic.

In all, "Where God was Born" is an enjoyable read as it discusses archeological sites and takes a look at the backdrop of the Hebrew Bible. Its shortcomings are divulgences in over analysis and asserting that all theological truth is somehow equal.

Bill Feiler deliberately misrepresents the Source texts he says are behind his book. I spent my last 24+ years reading many of the Source Hebrew texts the author said he based his book upon, and I was raised in the country of Iran said he got many of his epiphanies.

I would normally call mistakes such as these simply honest errors due to lack of access to real sources, but after watching his interview on Foxnews, I saw him so blatantly lie about so many of his sources, that I have no choice than to state that this man lies for a living to force his views down unsuspecting readers' minds.

One example: Feiler said the Hebrew Texts showed a God of the Jews who wanted to accept all faiths of all people and that the former King of my country, Cyrus, was proof of the view of the God of the Hebrews. Reality is that the texts he quoted actually STATE THE EXACT OPPOSITE! The texts show the God of the Hebrews ANGRY with his people BECAUSE they so readily accepted so many other faiths and made them part of their community! THIS LIE IS EXACTLY THE THESIS THAT FEILER'S BOOK ATTEMPTS TO PUSH DOWN THE THROATS OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF READING THE SOURCE TEXTS HE QUOTED!

Feiler purposefully ignored 95%+ of His source texts to misrepresent the texts and promote his personal agenda. One does NOT need to be a scholar to take a few minutes to read through the source text translations of books like Nahum, Habakkuk and many of the other texts written during the Babylonian exile, to realize that Feiler is COMPLETELY MISREPRESENTING THE OBVIOUS MESSAGE OF THEIR AUTHORS!

The God of the Hebrews promised the Jews safety in their country ONLY if they would NEVER ALLOW THEIR FAITH TO BE MIXED WITH THE OTHER FAITHS OF THE PEOPLES AROUND THE GLOBE! This author attempts to twist this honest reading of the texts to push his own viewpoint that God of the Hebrews wanted his people to accept all other faiths as one and the same as their own. What a Gross misrepresentation of these clear texts.

For a more thorough refutation, I could pull up easily hundreds of clear statements from his "source texts" and the writings of Islam, to show how horribly this author misrepresented his own viewpoints. Being raised an Iranian Muslim provides me with an honest perspective to his views on our country and our people and my last 24+ years of reading the Hebrew texts as a follower of the God of Abraham and His ONE AND ONLY MESSIAH helped me see through this man's obvious lies.

If you are interested in these 100+ texts, feel free to drop me a note and I'll try to take some time to put them together in an easily irrefutable package or even better, pick up the source texts yourself and read them ONLY ONCE! Feiler's mispresentations will become COMPLETELY OBVIOUS TO ALL OPEN MINDED HONEST READERS OF THE SOURCE TEXTS QUOTED IN FEILER'S BOOK!

May the God of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and Paul bless you :-)!

I just saw the Fox channel interview with the author (12/26/2005). He has an astounding ability to take things out of context to craft his own ideas. Just one example: he talks of God bringing about the blessing of diversity on the people who were building the tower of Babel. Even a cursory reading of the text by a child in grade school would reveal that this was not given as a blessing but as a disciplinary curse because of their prideful hearts. He really turns things on their heads. Two thumbs way down.

This is a beautifully written book from start to finish. Making the biblical characters come to life....however:

It also gave an unexpected result. After seeing how Jews and Muslims interpret the stories of the Old Testament, it assured me, beyond anything else I've read, that the Christian faith is the only sensible interpretation of the prophesies of old. The author works so hard at stretching the meaning of these stories, that he misses the obvious....

A recommended read for any Christian who is interested in the biblical history of the nation of Israel, as long as you start with a reference bible in hand (as it's easy to see where the author misinterprets many old testament passages).

Overall, a beautifully written journey. Hopefully the author will tackle the life of Christ next, and his natural instinct to inquire into Biblical history will lead to the clarity he is obviously seeking.

Bruce Feiler's Where God Was Born takes us on a journey that is both physical and spiritual. Physically, we follow Feiler as he explores Israel in search of Biblical locations, map in one hand, Bible in the other. Spiritually, we accompany Feiler as he tries to rediscover the spiritual peace he found after his first book, Walking the Bible.

From the outset, we encounter an Israel that is very diferent from the one we see in Feiler's other books. His group is beset with obstacles thrown up by the Israeli Army in the name of 'security.' He encounters victims of suicide bombings first hand. He is watched by armed gunmen (Israeli and Palestinian) everywhere he goes.

The journey starts with the seath of Moses and the conquest of Canaan. We see Joshua's battles from the perspective of Yoram Yair -- one of the most decorated generals in Israel's history. He gives us a valuable perspective, especially on the battle of Jericho. We then follow the life of David, from shepherd to hero to renegade, revolutionary, possibly even terrorist, to (finally) king of a unified nation. We wade through the tunnels under Jerusalem, following in the footsteps of Biblical archaeologists like Edward Robinson, Charles Warren, even Montague Parker and Father Hughes Vincent. We encounter the vertical shaft that David allegedly used to invade the city of Jerusalem, and find ourselves wondering exdactly how he did it. We see David's failings and shortcomings, and find ourselves relieved that he was, after all, human.

Feiler then turns from the political center of the nation to it's spritual center -- the Temple Mount.

"What if we try to circumnavigate the Temple Mount?"
"It can't be done. It's too dangerous"
"So where do we start?"

We learn a great irony -- while Jews and Christians are incensed that the Muslims have co-opted their sacred site at the Temple Mount, David did the same thing with an existing Jebusite sacred site when he selected the location for the Temple. Feiler reminds us that "religious rights and wrongs cannot be refereed by claiming first dibs," -- something that should be remembered when considering the conflict in the Middle East. Feiler elsewhere notes that, in the Bible, it isn't living in the land that is important -- it is living in obedience to God in the land. Christians who pledge their unconditional loyalty to the current secular state of Israel would do well to remember that.

We also see that, as magnificent as Solomon's temple seems to us, it wasn't significantly different from other contemporary religious structures. It's as if the point is to teach us that God's greatness isn't proclaimed by the grandeur of the buildings we build for Him. We also see the problems that politics can create for archaeologists, especially around the highly-charged Temple Mount -- even to the point of creating buildings that are structurally unstable in order to keep others off the mount.

As if exploring the Temple Mount area wasn't dangerous enough, Feiler decides to head to Babylon -- modern day Iraq. He looks to the land of Israel's exile, where the leaders weren't judges or kings, but the prophets. Feiler spends a good bit of time in the book exploring the Babylonian connection, and he ties the beliefs and traditions of the Babylonians in to the creation of the faith that we know today as Judaism -- though there is still a lot of discussion among scholars as to how much influence there really was.

The theme that seems to run through each of Feiler's books is a quest for unity in the midst of diversity. Feiler treats the Bible with great respect, often skewering liberal criticisms of the texts, but just as often questioning conservative interpretations. Each time I read one of his books, I gain a greater appreciation for the Biblical texts that I hadn't before. I don't always agree with Feiler's interpretations or decisions regarding the text, but I always find his assertions to be thought provoking. And that is far more important.

While Bruce Feiler did not invent the genre of religious nonfiction for the layperson, his works may be helping to reshape and revitalize it. With books such as WALKING THE BIBLE and ABRAHAM, Feiler has given readers works both intimate and well-researched. Blending biblical study, travelogue adventure and spiritual quest, his latest book, WHERE GOD WAS BORN, continues on the religio-literary journey to understanding the roots of Western religion and its contemporary manifestations.

Whereas in ABRAHAM Feiler set out to discover as much as he could about the biblical Abraham --- patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam --- in this book he sets out to understand the geography of the Hebrew Bible from ancient quests and kingdoms to modern landmarks and battlefields. Here, as in other books, Feiler talks with both erudite scholars and everyday people about religion, biblical interpretation and culture. This particular journey takes him back to the Middle East, now after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a time when religious and political tensions run high. Yet he manages to find common ground --- the common stories and the essential themes and places shared by the three monotheisms in the face of so many violent and long-standing differences

In WHERE GOD WAS BORN, Feiler's guide is the second and third parts of the Hebrew Bible, the Prophets and Writings. However, much of his journey relies on the geography of the first five biblical books as well. He starts in Israel, looking for traces of King David. This takes him to David's hometown of Bethlehem where he meets one of only 100 remaining Palestinian Christians living there. He learns that David would have used a sling, not a slingshot, to slay Goliath if in fact he can be credited with that deed at all. Feiler struggles with the character of David, a flawed hero to be sure, before moving on to explore the nature of the Israelite kings and their accomplishments and legacies.

Next, Feiler travels to war-torn Iraq in search of the Garden of Eden, the birthplace of Abraham and scene of the Babylonian Exile --- the event that gave rise to rabbinic Judaism. In Iraq Feiler talks religion with American soldiers and Muslim tour guides who all acknowledge the same sacred places. Then he travels, along with his wife, to Iran to examine the figure of King Cyrus, the Bible's first messiah, and wrestle with the complicated tale of Queen Esther. Finally, Feiler returns to Israel and confronts his own mixed feelings while standing at Jerusalem's Western Wall.

Everywhere he goes Bruce Feiler meets interesting people with a variety of religious beliefs and opinions. This diversity of belief, as well as the footprints of all the archeologists, scholars and seekers who came before him, challenges and ultimately strengthens his Judaism.

Part academic endeavor, part storytelling and part spiritual meditation (and therefore planting it firmly in Jewish textual tradition), WHERE GOD WAS BORN is open-minded, ecumenical and factual, as well as quite personal. Without seeming preachy, Feiler is ultimately able to suggest that the power of religion should be channeled to overcome differences in favor of tolerance and respect.

Perhaps less successful than ABRAHAM, it is still remarkable and timely, ambitious and readable.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

Bruce Feiler, author of several books on the similar theme, has produced this as a sort of travelogue and personal reflection, drawing on common historical roots of the three major religions out of the Middle East - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Feiler retraces biblical stories with insight from the conditions of the land today; for example, he parallels the stories of David and Goliath or the establishment of David's throne in a land where the presence of barbed wire and water shortages are still common features.

Jerusalem is, for Feiler, a physical example of some of the relationships he hopes his reflection will foster. 'Modern Jerusalem is built in concentric circles,' he writes. 'At the heart is the Old City, a three-thousand-year-old walled enclave that is less than one square mile. It contains many of the city's most sacred sites: the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.' This kind of close proximity in the midst of ongoing trouble is indicative of the political and social situation; there is division but also a sharing, not only of heritage, but of space. Some elements (the Dome of the Rock on top of the Temple Mount) are literally built on top of each other.

Feiler looks at different interpretations of people from the biblical past. For example, he highlights Yael Lotan, a British-born Israeli intellectual who expresses support for Palestinian causes, and has an intriguing interpretation of the David and Bathsheba story. 'I'm inclined to believe Bathsheba engineered the whole story,' Lotan states, going on to say, 'In matters of women and children, David can be very naïve.'

Feiler gives interesting description of a trip to Iraq, the place of the great Babylonian exile of the Israelites, and also near to the place where the Garden of Eden would have been (with at least two of the four great rivers of the book of Genesis flowing through the plain). Here Feiler discusses his interactions with American military personnel, CNN and other media types, as well as native Iraqi. Feiler again relates issues of the Bible, this time the prophets of the eighth century. The period leading up to the exile was one of warfare and destruction. However, even in the midst of terrible prophecies, there was an element of hope. 'The Bible has a surprising reaction to these events. Instead of seeing them as signs of doom, it sees them as precursors to salvation.'

Feiler's stories are intensely personal at times. He tells the story of the time he was working with a military chaplain stationed in Iraq, with the interesting name of Chaplain Messenger, and their visit with an imam. As the imam described Islam as a religion of peace, albeit one with people who would exploit violence for political purposes, the Christian chaplain acknowledged the same in his history, and Feiler 'came out' as a Jew for the first time in his journey in Iraq, and the conversation became even more full and interesting, as each dared to ask tough, uncomfortable questions, that sometimes have no answer.

Feiler also uses the term 'diaspora' not just to describe Jews outside of Israel, but others outside of their homelands, too. He describes the return of Iranians to their homeland, one wave after the fall of the shah, and others more recently after the death of Khomeini. This is a diaspora returning home, to a place where there was also once a significant Jewish population (the book of Esther is set in a city in the heart of what is now Iran).

Feiler writes this book with hope that personal connections and conversations can help enhance understanding. It is not a misplaced or forlorn hope, but it is perhaps easier for a traveler who will be returning home to see things in this way than for those who live beside and on top of each other in the problematic space of the Middle East.

Feiler is a good writer, and this is an interesting read.

Feiler in all his books confronts the connections between Islam, Judaism and Christianity and concludes that they should be friends. I however look at them as various versions of the same semitic fanaticism and have no expectation that they can avoid intolerance. This book only plays into the hands of Islamic fanaticism, as does an earlier book by Jimmy Carter.

As he did with the prequel WALKING THE BIBLE: A JOURNEY BY LAND THROUGH THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES, Bruce Feiler combines a tour guide of biblical locations with intriguing annotations and "sermons" lifted from ancient times but also includes modern events. WHERE GOD WAS BORN: A JOURNEY BY LAND TO THE ROOTS OF RELIGION starts with Joshua and continues on through to the Babylonian captivity and the Diaspora written by a fine author who describes what he observes first hand. Well written with incredible insight somewhat thanks to archeological companion Avner Goren, readers will appreciate this fabulous journey that goes way beyond just Israel's' borders as the author finds greatness in the non-Jewish Semite cultures of the region as much as he embraces being a Jew. Because he and Mr. Goren are not armchair travelers, but instead visit the locales described, this superb reference work and his previous excellent nonfictions are inspirational for us religious moderates who believe in tolerance for all; suicidal extremists or intelligent designers who share in common their faith is the divine one need to pass as these groups will reinterpret the simple underlying moral message of Mr. Feiler's strong belief in the words of the bible.

Harriet Klausner

Feiler's newest book offers readers of all faiths hope for religious tolerance and moderation. This wonderful book reaffirmed my belief that God and the bible should not be used as ammunition for hatred. I will reread this book, and highly recommend it to others.

Feiler is passionate about his own beliefs in his own religion, but never used that as an excuse to beat other readers into following his perspective in this latest work.

I admire his articulate and sophisticated critique of religion and the state. Because it is so easy for anybody to become wrapped up in religious extremism while practicing their own perspective, Feiler's work needs to be studied by people of all perspectives seeking a balanced--and thus peaceful alternative to both history and current events.