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Genesis: Translation and Commentary | 
 enlarge | Creator: Robert Alter
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $11.53
You Save: $5.42 (32%)
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Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 22370
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 324
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 039331670X
Dewey Decimal Number: 222.11077
EAN: 9780393316704
ASIN: 039331670X
Publication Date: September 1997
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Pre-Order (0-0 Business Days)
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Amazon.com Review
The Biblical book of Genesis contains some of the most sublime poetry known to man as well as the powerful and bloody history of early Israel. Literary critic Robert Alter here joins the ranks of contemporary authors who have tried to mimic, in English, the sonorous rhythms and parallel constructions of the original Hebrew. He also supplies an insightful, fascinating commentary that emphasizes the dramatic unity of the Genesis story. For believers seeking a deeper understanding of the Bible's first book, or for readers interested in the Bible as literature, Alter's contribution is essential.
Product Description
Robert Alter's rare combination of fluent translation and insightful commentary makes this the perfect edition of Genesis for anyone drawn to this formative work in our culture. Alter's translation attends to the usages, rhythms, and narrative patterns of Biblical Hebrew and renders them with clarity and literary appeal. His commentary deepens the reader's understanding of Genesis as a cohesive book without being intrusive. The result is "the Genesis for our generation and beyond" (Robert Fagles).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 A revelation! January 10, 2008
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
For so long I naively believed in the theory of evolution. But then I discovered this book and realised I was completely mistaken - the world was actually created by God in six days! Quite remarkable. I won't make the mistake of putting blind faith in tatty old folk tales written by senile old loonies again.
 book January 1, 2008
3 out of 17 found this review helpful
Even from a non-religions point of view, Genesis is a valuable piece of literature. Being one of the first texts ever it has had a great influence on our society and is the basis for many of our customs. It isn't the most exciting read, there is a lot of who begot who, but its interesting to see what so many people have put so much faith into.
It is the type of book where you can always look for a deeper meaning, which the footnotes help greatly with, but simply reading it for what it is you're still able to get a lot out of it. Obviously you can's take everything seriously, there are many metaphors used. But many of the stories teach simple morals that still are prevalent today.
With out a doubt you could find a more appealing book to read than Genesis, but its still worth picking up. It been very influential to many people and appears countless times in other pieces of literature, also its short and uses relatively simple language.
 Genesis January 1, 2008
3 out of 9 found this review helpful
Genesis is a difficult read in many ways. The writing style is over a thousand years old, this combined with the density of the material makes it a very time consuming read. The text requires a lot of analyzing and critical thinking while reading. While it is a hard and dense read, in the end it is a very rewarding one. You cannot claim to have an understanding of literature until you have read Genesis. Being one of the first true texts and the guide to life for many, many great novels have drawn connections both to and from it. Robert Alter's translation of one the greatest texts ever written is magnificent. He uses a great deal of footnotes to help in the translation and explain the old Hebrew. Genesis is truly a work of art.
Life Changing May 2, 2006
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
There are hosts of people for whom reading the Bible has been a life-changing experience. Reading this book was a life-changing experience for me as it changed the way I read the Bible.
Alter shows Genesis as a work of literature. This doesn't mean that it holds no timeless truths. Rather the reverse. The fact that Genesis was written with a spirit beyond that found in a mere journalistic account make it more valuable not less.
This is one of those books where in the footnotes are longer than the text. Through these, Alter passes on wisdom from commentators throughout the ages.
The stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, and Joseph we all remember from Sunday school. Alter's work brings them to life in a way nothing I've seen ever has before. If you revere the Bible, you owe it to yourselve to buy this book.
 Genesis October 13, 2005
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I am currently taking a literary course on Genesis taught by a Jewish Rabbi. The translation is an excellent secularly attempts to give the non-Jewish individual the feel and cadence of the original Hebrew.
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