The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Bible (2nd Edition)

At first glance, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Bible seems irreverent at best, but as the saying goes, "Judge not ... a book by its cover." This little addition to the Complete Idiot’s series tackles one of the most intimidating and misrepresented subjects of the past 2,000 years and succeeds in producing a competent and thorough guide to the world's all-time bestseller. Jim Bell and Stan Campbell’s success is largely due to their humorous and conversational writing style. Their treatment of the Old Testament in particular is both an intriguing and hilarious ride through the drama of biblical history. With chapter headings like "Abraham: the not-so-accidental tourist" and "Tell-a-Vision Personalities (Isaiah through Malachi)," the authors provide a memorable picture of the goings-on in the first 39 books of the Bible. The Abraham chapter includes, among other noteworthy (and entertaining) facts, how Israel became the Hebrew "Promised Land," the origin of the phrase "fire and brimstone," and some of the less illustrious deeds of this "man of faith."