Frank Moore Cross: Conversations With a Bible Scholar

From Library Journal\nCross (Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic, 1973) is one of the giants from a passing generation of scholars with a breadth of competence that may never again be attained in today's scholarly environment. This is probably the first time that he has presented his ideas in nontechnical terms. The five chapters, three of which were published in Bible Review, treat Israelite origins, the development of Israelite religion, the invention of the alphabet and its effect on civilization, earliest alphabetic inscriptions, and the history and significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Shanks's skillful use of the interview format is quite effective. The educated public will find this a great translation of arcane but tremendously influential scholarship into popular thought patterns.
Eugene O. Bowser, Univ. of Northern Colorado, Greeley
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