"In this unexpectedly delightful little book, two Bible professors and a journalist unpack some of the more outrageous interpretations of the Hebrew Bible." — Publishers WeeklyDid you know:that King David swore like a sailor?that the Book of Ecclesiastes encourages drinking, especially beer?that mandrakes were the biblical equivalent of Viagra®?that the law of Moses prescribes bikini waxing?...

Why is there crime-scene tape on my Bible? Elementary, my dear reader.There is an element of detective work to biblical scholarship that entails sniffing out and interpreting clues that often escape the notice of readers. John Kaltner and Steven L. McKenzie introduce the art of sleuthing the Bible, providing the necessary training to hunt for clues and piece them together to understand the larger picture.Sleuthing the Bible helps answer questions that occu...

Steven McKenzie here surveys the historical books of the Old Testament — Joshua through Ezra-Nehemiah — for their historical context, contents, form, and themes, communicating them clearly and succinctly for an introductory audience. / By providing a better understanding of biblical history writing in its ancient context, McKenzie helps readers come to terms with tensions between the Bible's account and modern historical analyses. Rather than denying the results of historical research or d...

The Renewing of the Mind is a gripping journey of transformation that spans continents and dives deep into the complexities of human nature. From the gritty streets of London, to the dangerous ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica, and finally to the hardened realities of Newark, New Jersey, this powerful narrative follows the life of Steven Fisher, a man shaped by crime, power, and violence.Born in London but raised in the notorious Fletchers Land in Kingston, Jamaica, Steven was drawn int...

McKenzie argues that to comprehend the Bible we must grasp the intentions of the biblical authors themselves--what sort of texts they thought they were writing and how they would have been understood by their intended audience. In short, we must recognize the genres to which these texts belong. McKenzie examines several genres that are typically misunderstood, offering careful readings of specific texts to show how the confusion arises, and how knowing the genre produces a correct reading....

Steven High’s presidential address, delivered at York University in May 2023, grapples with many of the issues facing our discipline and what it means to be a historian in the present. Despite the extreme political polarization of our time, he expressed admiration at the courage of so many historians who continue to speak truth to power, even at considerable risk to themselves. He also addresses the structural violence of precarity within our discipline and what we as a professional associ...

McKenzie argues that to comprehend the Bible we must grasp the intentions of the biblical authors themselves--what sort of texts they thought they were writing and how they would have been understood by their intended audience. In short, we must recognize the genres to which these texts belong. McKenzie examines several genres that are typically misunderstood, offering careful readings of specific texts to show how the confusion arises, and how knowing the genre produces a correct reading....

A distinctive and original analysis of how the politics of the UK and the lives of British citizens have evolved in the first decades of the twenty-first century, this book provides an interdisciplinary critical examination of the roots, ideology and consequences of austerity politics, the Brexit vote and the rise of populist politics in Britain.Bringing together case studies and perspectives from an array of international researchers across the social sciences, it dissects the way...

From the Revolutionary War forward, Irish immigrants have contributed significantly to the construction of the American Republic. Scholars have documented their experiences and explored their social, political, and cultural lives in countless books. Offering a fresh perspective, this volume traces the rich history of the Irish American diaspora press, uncovering the ways in which a lively print culture forged significant cultural, political, and even economic bonds between the Irish living...

One of the most important and complex characters in the Bible, King David has been the subject of innumerable portraits, both artistic and literary. Michaelangelo's magnificent sculpture of him is perhaps the single best known work of art in the world, and the story of the humble shepherd who slew Goliath and became king has assumed a powerful mythological status. But was David a real person--and if so what kind of person was he? Through a close and critical reading of biblical te...

The Books of Kings have long been at the center of scholarly discussions on the Hebrew Bible because they constitute important sources for the history of ancient Israel and Judah, and because they are key components of the Deuteronomistic History. The Oxford Handbook of the Books of Kings provide a clear and useful introduction to the main aspects and issues pertaining to the scholarly study of Kings. These include textual history (including the linguistic profile), compositional ...

Aimed at a general audience, this book provides an overview of how biblical scholars have addressed important issues related to the biblical book of Jonah. Moving far beyond “the story about that guy and the whale,” this work leads readers to appreciate how complex a work Jonah is and the unique contribution it makes to biblical literature. “Both erudite and readable, this book masterfully synthesizes recent scholarship on Jonah via a close reading, a survey of the book’s mysteries, and a ...