The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Cahill, Thomas, PUBLISHER: Anchor Books, The author ong>ofong> the runaway bestseller "ong>Howong> the Irish Saved Civilization" has done it again. In "The Gifts ong>ofong> the Jews" Thomas Cahill takes us on another enchanting journey into history, once again recreating a time when the actions ong>ofong> a small bong>andong> ong>ofong> people had repercussions that are still felt today. "The Gifts ong>ofong> the Jews" reveals the critical change that made western civilization possible. Within the matrix ong>ofong> ancient religions ong>andong> philosophies, life was seen as part ong>ofong> an endless cycle ong>ofong> birth ong>andong> death; time was like a wheel, spinning ceaselessly. Yet someong>howong>, the ancient Jews began to see time differently. For them, time had a beginning ong>andong> an end; it was a narrative, whose triumphant conclusion would come in the future. From this insight came a new conception ong>ofong> men ong>andong> women as individuals with unique destinies--a conception that would inform the Declaration ong>ofong> Independence--ong>andong> our hopeful belief in progress ong>andong> the sense that tomorrow can be better than today. As Thomas Cahill narrates this momentous shift, he also explains the real significance ong>ofong> such Biblical figures as Abraham ong>andong> Sarah, Moses ong>andong> the Pharaoh, Joshua, Isaiah, ong>andong> Jeremiah. Full ong>ofong> compelling stories, insights ong>andong> humor, "The Gifts ong>ofong> the Jews" is an irresistible exploration ong>ofong> history as fascinating ong>andong> fun as "ong>Howong> the Irish Saved Civilization."