The Art of Biblical Narrative - by Robert Alter (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From celebrated translator of the Hebrew Bible Robert Alter, the "groundbreaking" (Los Angeles Times) book that explores the Bible as literature, a winner of the National Jewish Book Award.

Renowned critic and translator Robert Alter's The Art of Biblical Narrative has radically expanded our view of the Bible by recasting it as a work of literary art deserving studied criticism. In this seminal work, Alter describes how the Hebrew Bible's many authors used innovative literary styles and devices such as parallelism, contrastive dialogue, and narrative tempo to tell one of the most revolutionary stories of all time: the revelation of a single God. In so doing, Alter shows, these writers reshaped not only history, but also the art of storytelling itself.

Review Quotes

"[An] admirable book....It is truly extraordinary that such familiar tales as those of Joseph and David should acquire so much detail and color, as if perfectly restored."--New York Times

"In its day, "The Art of Biblical Narrative" was subversive. ... The book was -- and remains -- a surprise hit; it opened up an old, mysterious and often maligned text for the first time to many readers. And though academic critics have argued with Alter's approach, they have never been able to ignore it."
--New York Times

"A groundbreaking study that encourages us to look beneath the theological surface of the biblical text to glimpse its beating heart."--Jonathan Kirsch, Los Angeles Times

"The results of [Alter's] work give the Bible a fresh voice for a new generation of readers."--Christian Science Monitor

"This clearly written book should please anyone interested in the fundamentals of storytelling."--The Washington Post

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for Jewish Thought

About the Author

Robert Alter is Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a recipient of the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime contributions to American letters, he lives in Berkeley, California.