by James Quatro ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 13, 2016
An accessible, but serious new contribution to biblical studies.
A debut volume delivers a provocative reconsideration of the book of Genesis in light of modern science.
Torrid debates regarding the compatibility of science and religion today often seem intractable because the two sides are speaking disparate languages. In this work, however, Quatro attempts to bridge the gap between the two by offering a fresh reinterpretation of the book of Genesis. Much of the difficulty of biblical interpretation, he argues, seems to be twofold; first, imprecise translations introduce all manner of exegetical missteps. Second, an unscholarly neglect of historical context, especially competing religious traditions, also contributes a layer of obfuscation. The author carefully considers many terminological ambiguities; for example, are “Adam” and “Eve” really best understood as individual proper names? Also, on the basis of an analysis of both Sumerian and Babylonian traditions, he argues for the factual basis of the story of the flood. Quatro never dismisses the allegorical dimension of the Bible; quite the opposite, he consistently treats it as a “literary masterpiece,” designed as a reflection on the human condition. But he believes the tension between the Bible and science is both a function of faulty biblical scholarship and an unempirical reading of science. The author is also sensitive to the distance that remains between the Bible and the findings of evolutionary theory: “Problems arise when one tries to force fit the biblical record into the evolutionary model. One such scheme attempts to stretch creation week into the geologic evolutionary time scales.” Quatro’s argument is presented in pellucid prose, and the book specifically courts the intellectually curious layperson. The virtue of this approach is readability, and a lack of cumbersome academic references. But this tactic also robs the author of the space to make his unconventional positions more forcefully persuasive. This volume is best understood as a stimulus to further study, and a thoughtful chastening of the facile belief that religion and science are diametrically opposed. As an introduction to that philosophical possibility, this is an intriguing, lively effort.
An accessible, but serious new contribution to biblical studies.Pub Date: May 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4958-1022-0
Page Count: 236
Publisher: Infinity Publishers
Review Posted Online: May 25, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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