The Art of Biblical Narrative / Edition 2

by Robert Alter

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465022557
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	04/26/2011
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	243,178
Product dimensions:	5.36(w) x 8.28(h) x 0.72(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

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.

Table of Contents

	Preface	ix
1	A Literary Approach to the Bible	3
2	Sacred History and the Beginnings of Prose Fiction	23
3	Biblical Type-Scenes and the Uses of Convention	47
4	Between Narration and Dialogue	63
5	The Techniques of Repetition	88
6	Characterization and the Art of Reticence	114
7	Composite Artistry	131
8	Narration and Knowledge	155
9	Conclusion	178
	Index	191

Editorial Reviews

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for Jewish Thought

"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

"[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

"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

"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

From the Publisher