What readers think of Abraham, plus links to write your own review.

I found the book to be very interesting. The author does not claim to be a scholar or an expert on any religion. He set out to explore the monotheistic religions in their settings. He first did this with his book "Walking the Bible". With this book, he looks at Abraham who is the man central to all three of the monotheistic religions. The book is the story of his journey; therefore, it is not written in a scholarly fashion. He struggles with how Abraham is so central to these three religions, yet the religions cannot even agree on some of the "shared" stories from Abraham's life. This helps the reader grasp some some degree of understanding regarding the conflict over Jerusalem and the struggle for the three religions to dwell in peace.

Some books relate to readers differently such as personalities relate to others. I saw this book on the NY TIMES BEST SELLER LIST. It doesn't grab me, it is like someone all over the place. ABRAHAM as the figure of three major world religions is an academic study which would benefit anyone especially those of the three major faith mentioned. I just feel Mr. Feiler is like a little kid telling us about his trip to DISNEYLAND. Not enough background academia and we don't live in his "mind." A lot of jumps and the writer assumes we have his background of events and setting. We don't. He needs to give more background, prepare the reader for the different settings, and maybe apply research more.

Only about 50 pages in, but can't stop wondering where the info from his statement "Muhammad left earth for heaven, then returned; Jesus left earth then also returned" Of course the Bible teaches us that truth regarding Jesus but I never heard anyone thinking or believing that about Muhammad.

Feiler's book reaches for emotional and spiritual meaning, but fails to hit its mark, at least with this reader. His scholarship should be impeccable, not personal. I found particularly distasteful his use of 9/11 to heighten the emotional aspect of his quest. He merely touches on subjects, instead of offering balanced views so that we can tell if the information he is giving us should be trusted. I wish he had addressed how limiting this myth of Abraham is, how patriarchal, and how dismissive it is of women's ways of knowing God. Perhaps it is the loss of women as part of the substance of faith which leads to such infliction of human misery. Melinda Borrell

Feiler tells little that he couldn't have found on the internet. His folksy style seems out of tune with his material. I found the book quite dull reading.