The book of all books

Italian publisher and writer Calasso (The Celestial Hunter) once again muses eloquently on the Bible in this 10th entry in his series dedicated to exploring ancient myths and the human search for meaning. In Calasso's signature style, he retells Bible stories, mostly from the Old Testament, emphasizing the themes of separation and sacrifice that tie the stories together. These narratives feature alongside literary criticism, scholarly analysis, philosophical digressions, and quotes from a wide range of thinkers--including Freud, Baudelaire, and Robert Alter. For instance, the story of Moses gives Calasso the space to muse on the nature of authority and how primogeniture (the primacy of one's first born son) has affected world history: "You can act as a judge, but there will always be someone who casts doubts on your authority." In their refraction through Calasso's prodigious mind, biblical stories are connected to a broader history of ideas, and the author argues that the Bible, like other ancient texts and myths, represents the human drive for transcendence and meaning. Despite the scholarly trimmings, the individual retellings will have wide appeal. Readers with any level of biblical knowledge will benefit from Calasso's far-ranging insights. (Nov.)

Revelations from the Old Testament. "The Bible has no rivals when it comes to the art of omission, of not saying what everyone would like to know," observes Calasso (1941-2021), the acclaimed Italian publisher, translator, and explorer of myth, gods, and sacred ritual. In this probing inquiry into biblical mysteries, the author meditates on the complexities and contradictions of key events and figures. He examines the "enigmatic nature" of original sin in Genesis, an anomaly occurring in no other creation myth; God's mandate of circumcision for all Jewish men; and theomorphism in the form of Adam: a man created in the image of the god who made him. Among the individuals Calasso attends to in an abundantly populated volume are Saul, the first king of Israel; the handsome shepherd David, his successor; David's son Solomon, whose relatively peaceful reign allowed him "to look at the world and study it"; Moses, steeped in "law and vengeance," who incited the slaughter of firstborn sons; and powerful women, including the Queen of Sheba ("very beautiful and probably a witch"), Jezebel, and the "prophetess" Miriam, Moses' sister. Raging throughout is Yahweh, a vengeful God who demands unquestioned obedience to his commandments. "Yahweh was a god who wanted to defeat other gods," Calasso writes. "I am a jealous God," Yahweh proclaims, "who punishes the children for the sins of their fathers, as far as the third and fourth generations." Conflicts seemed endless: During the reigns of Saul and David, "war was constant, war without and war within." Terse exchanges between David and Yahweh were, above all, "military decisions." David's 40-year reign was "harrowing and glorious," marked by recurring battles with the Philistines. Calasso makes palpable schisms and rivalries, persecutions and retributions, holocausts and sacrifices as tribal groups battled one another to form "a single entity"--the people of Israel. An erudite guide to the biblical world. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.