I may be 6 years late to this video, but I still want to thank you for this and every starter kit you've posted. I was fortunate to be taught the Bible as a work of literature in high school, and I think it may be time to revisit the texts. Thanks for everything you do here, Steve.
SO glad this is being so enthusiastically received! We'll move on to Homer next, but first I wanted to address the oversight so many of you are pointing out: yes, by all means, add the Book of Psalms to the list!
This was the post that got me clued into Steve Donoghue. With a spotty literature education and foundation but a lifelong love of reading and of the classics, this really helped me put reading the "greats" into context. So much pressure we put on ourselves with reading, especially when we care. Good stuff here.
I have recently descovered your videos and I can't stop watching them. Brilliant work Steve, much thanks for all the work you do. I particularily love your Daily Penguin series. I have always wanted to tackle the Western Canon. You have provided the map to guide me. Much thanks and cheers from Canada!
I had the same thought my "adhd" caught it! I was so focused on them i wondered why they were hanging there??? I had to restart the video to understand what Steve was talking about!
Love this! I've been wanting to read The Bible for some time now, but was too intimadated - this gives me a bit more confidence and enthusiasm to finally give it a go! Thanks :)
I've been looking for a solid list of the books of the Bible that can be read as literature for so long and never found anything substantial... This video is a revelation! It goes without saying that you should continue the series.
Old Testament: Genesis Exodus Book of Joshua The Book of Judges Ruth First & Second Book of Judges First & Second Book of Kings First & Second Book of Chronicles Job The Book of Psalms Ecclesiastes The Book of Isaiah Song of Solomon The Book of Daniel New Testament: The Four Gospels Acts of the Apostles Epistles of St Paul
Thanks for the list! A couple corrections (?) He said First & Second Books of Samuel, not Judges I didn't hear him mention the Book of Psalms My revised list (with Markdown checkboxes) Old Testament: - [ ]Genesis - [ ]Exodus - [ ]Book of Joshua - [ ]The Book of Judges - [ ]Ruth - [ ]First & Second Book of Samuel - [ ]First & Second Book of Kings - [ ]First & Second Book of Chronicles - [ ]Job - [ ] Ecclesiastes - [ ] The Book of Isaiah - [ ] Song of Solomon - [ ] The Book of Daniel New Testament: - [ ]The Four Gospels - [ ]Acts of the Apostles - [ ]Epistles of St Paul
Yes please continue with this I see a great deal of relevance starting with the stories in the Bible in relation to all literature. Thank you for doing this series, I will be staying tuned!
this is a great idea Steve ! Yes, please continue with these videos as they would be a huge help to many of us who might be intimidated by the "great books" of the western canon. Thank you for starting this series
Love the western starter kit! Such a terrific idea, I'm guessing my catechism classes, and the Veggie Tales watched at 7 do not count toward being "well-read" in the Bible. I'll get on it one of these days... Maybe after I finish Bleak House!
I was wondering where ol' Omeros would fit in! Held the suspense to the last second :) reading the Iliad now and starting Ancient Greek courses next month! Love the idea of this series, thank you for taking the time to do it!
I'm so glad you decided to make it a series! I just ordered the King James Penguin version last week since I wanted one with notes, I'm happy to have a sort of inner priority list to keep track on when I get to it. Looking forward to more videos in the series!
I was beyond excited to see this in my feed this morning! Yes!!!!! Please continue with the series. I agree that this might have interest beyond your devoted booktube fans. You are setting a great challenge for me beginning with the bible, but I am up for it. And so we begin 🙂....
Thank you so much for the list of books to read from the Bible, Steve. I've been meaning to do this, and your recent video on Shakespeare got me looking at all of your videos about the Western Canon, and I'm definitely going to be taking your advice in order to get well read! Inspired, thank you!
It's been several years since I last read the entire Bible. I've been thinking of starting to read it again for over a week now. But his time I'll skip over Numbers. Good starting point! --Tim
Please continue with this. Even though I have the Great Books set by Britannica, and I have read many of them. It is always good to know others thoughts on the "Great Conversation".
Please continue this! This was a very insightful twelve minutes. I'm going to shift my focus now and concentrate on the books you mentioned. Would you list them in the description if you get a chance? Thank you, Steve. I can't wait to hear you talk about Homer.
ESV Reader's Bible - there is one volume as well as an expensive multi volume options, they take out the numbered verses so you can read it like was supposed to be read.
Very interested to see you continue this series! I've often wanted to read through the bible, as I know I'm constantly missing references to the stories, which really bugs me, but I just didn't have the level of interest needed. Reading an abridged version of just the interesting narrative bits is a great idea for someone like me.
Thank you for this series, Steve. I have questions. Can you recommend me to good version in Spanish? I can read in English, but spanish is my first language and I like to read more in it. Thank you, Steve. Love your chanal.
Such an interesting topic. For a while now, I've also been recommending reading the Bible for learning outside of spiritual motivation so I'm glad to see you start your series this way. Wondering why you skipped Proverbs from your list.
STEVE: I am really excited to see you starting this series; and with a book that I have read several times in my life cover to cover. I grew up reading TKJ version, and still think that it cannot be beat for sheer beauty, but now use the NIV for my reading/study. This is unlikely to ever happen again during this series, which I sincerely hope you continue, but I would suggest that you left out one important book that everyone should read. The Book of Psalms has some of the most lovely writing in the entire Bible, and it is often referenced. I am sure that almost everyone is acquainted with at least one or two verses, even if they are unaware on it. Anyway, I will be looking forward to the next vid in this series, I hope that you will humor the overwhelming request for more in the comment section and proceed. Thanks, and I hope that you are having a good day.
For reading the Bible as literature, I'd recommend: 1. Get what's known as a "reader's Bible". That is, a Bible that is designed specifically so it helps make an enjoyable reading experience. They're available in all sorts of English translations, in single and multiple volume editions, etc. My favorite is the single volume ESV Reader's Bible published by Crossway. Plus the ESV consciously attempts (and I believe succeeds) to stay in line with the Tyndale-KJV heritage, so reading the ESV makes it easier to transition to the KJV if one ever wishes to do so, though the ESV is also an excellent and up to date translation in its own right (it is essentially a conservative or traditional revision of the RSV, which in turn traces its revision history back to the RV and ultimately back to the AV aka KJV). I'd say the ESV is even truer to the KJV tradition than the NKJV, but the NKJV is also good. And there are many other good translations like the NRSV, NASB, NKJV, NIV, NLT, CSB, etc. I really like the CSB as well, though it's a relatively recent translation. The CSB Reader's Bible is also beautiful. 2. If one can't read the entire Bible, I'd recommend reading: * The Pentateuchal narratives * Life of David (1-2 Samuel) * Proverbs * Daniel * Ecclesiastes * The four Gospels * Acts * Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians (arguably Paul's three best letters) * 1 John * Revelation
This was the first Steve video I watched, and I'm commenting now as I've just finished reading the Bible books he suggests. I skipped the Psalms as I'm relatively familiar with them anyway, and would suggest to anyone also reading through his list that you consider skipping Chronicles - it helped embed the stories of Samuel/Kings into my mind, and I enjoyed comparing those 3 books (or 6 books as they appear in the OT), but it didn't feel necessary for a shortened reading of the Bible. Thanks very much for this video Steve - onto Homer!
This is a great video Steve! So excited for this series to continue. I've been dreading dipping into the Bible because I know that I am likely to slip into the dreaded 'reading as a religious text' mode that you rightly cautioned against. I think that studying the sections you mentioned will make the task much more enjoyable, thanks for the tips! While I have you: I am looking for a great biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine, any recommendations?
I'm going to agree with those who mention Psalms as an addition to "must read" sections of the Bible. I look forward to your recommendations about the Roman poets and historians, a part of the canon I am woefully ignorant of.
I love love LOVE this idea for a series. I want to be well read and not just widely read...but it is overwhelming and hard to know where to start and where to go. I feel very very behind. I have read the Bible, but definitely need to study it for the rest of my life (given that I am Christian). Even though I read it as a supernatural text, and not just as literature, I appreciate a booktuber pointing out the significance and influence of the Bible; also that you pointed out the barrier that keeps so many people from appreciating it! I am very much looking forward to you continuing this series!!!
The New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) is my favorite modern translation. It is widely used by Biblical scholars today and works for nearly any denomination
Love this. I just recently got the Penguin version of the Bible with the Apocraphia, which I thought was a nice bonus. I'm surprised you didn't mention Revelations as one of the books to recommend
I'm very late to the party here, but maybe you can clear something up for me. Trying to plan my reading and I've compiled the estimated word count for the books mentioned, and it comes out to about 388,000 words, which is much longer than the "200-page book" you compared it to. In a somewhat dense layout of 500 words per page, that would be more than 700 pages. Am I mistaken? Did I go wrong somewhere? Here's the list I have (with estimated word counts): Old Testament: - [ ]Genesis (32k) - [ ]Exodus (26k) - [ ]Book of Joshua (15k) - [ ]The Book of Judges (15k) - [ ]Ruth (2k) - [ ]First & Second Book of Samuel (38k) - [ ]First & Second Book of Kings (39k) - [ ]First & Second Book of Chronicles (38k) - [ ]Job (12k) - [ ] Ecclesiastes (5k) - [ ] The Book of Isaiah (26k) - [ ] Song of Solomon (2k) - [ ] The Book of Daniel (9k) |New Testament: - The Four Gospels - [ ]Matthew (18k) - [ ]Mark (11k) - [ ]Luke (19k) - [ ]John (16k) - [ ]Acts of the Apostles (24k) - [ ]Epistles of St Paul (41k)
I'm not sure I fully agree with your picks for which books to read, or I suppose which books that you can skip. I think if you're gonna read Joshua Judges Samuel Kings it'd be worth including Deuteronomy at the start of that too. There's also an argument to be made for Esther and Ezra-Nehemia, as well as a few of the prophets. Like you said though it is a library of books and it's worth treating as such, and I think this video is a great intro to the concept of the western canon!
Great reflections. Ironic perhaps that this theme should be discussed and affirmed through one of the contemporay age's attention-robbing internet media. Reading - and the cultural literacy it entails- involves concentration and focus, thank God there are still advocates for reading! Thankyou!
Reading the Robert Alter translation. Going to try to buckle down and do this western canon thing. What about Esther? I don't know about literary shadow but I know it's important in Judaism. Also have you ever read the Talmud? I'm interested in the bits of Roman history in it from the Jewish perspective. I was just scanning through one of the books and came across a story about a Roman emperor which I was not expecting. I'm really interested in the blending or at least the encounter of the two cultures that are the foundation of Western culture.
Do you have any recommendations for academic (but at least somewhat accessible) books written on the composition and/or historicity of the Bible (from a purely academic/objective perspective, not that of a believer) - that cover how the books were written/compiled, where the books contradict one another, the sociopolitical context in which these books were created, etc.?
I'm late to this, but John Barton's book 'The History of the Bible' explores those aspects which you mentioned above, both in old and new testament and in ways which are quite easy to understand
Steve! Thank you so much for doing this, I really want to understand why this book is so influential and how to read it. You mentioned the books but didn't put them on the info box, also books with studies and essays about it from a literary standpoint would be helpful. I liked you mentioned on another video a bible for atheists, so an interesting version with anotations to understand the historical and sociological aspect of each book. I think a read-along for them would be interesting, maybe a goodreads group!
Fantastically helpful. Thank you. I wonder if you could pitch this series to an editor somewhere. As much as we all love you, Steve, this idea seems to have legs beyond your Booktube fans. Just a thought. To think that I completed an English literature degree without having ever touched the Bible or Homer. For shame!
I approve of your project. I look forward to seeing more videos in this series! We get to enter into Steve's scholarly life :) I have never read the KJV Bible, but I've wanted to because it is such a beautiful translation. But how about the Douay Rheims, since it is a translation of the Vulgate? The NIV and NRSV are pretty readable translations. I disagree with your premise that if you're religious you have to pretend that the Bible is not made up of multiple books written at different times for different purposes. There are Jews and Christians who are more than OK with that. I recommend The Art of Biblical Narrative by Robert Alter.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This definitely makes the bible less intimidating for me. I have no problem with the ancient Greeks and Romans but the religious aspect of the bible was always a mental block. This will help me push through.
Looking forward to the rest of the series! I've read through the Bible twice, but I'm interested in reading through your list as you've given it. I don't think I'll be able to divorce myself from the idea of it being inspired by a supernatural deity, but I'm okay with that. :) I'm curious why you didn't recommend the NKJV? My preference is for KJV because I think it's prettier.
You've mentioned before that the Bible is the most influential book ever written. Would you mind making a video or comment on why you think that. I would be very interested to find out your reasoning.
The only benefit of having been an evangelical Christian (lapsed 1999) is the mental imprint of the language and phraseology of the King James Bible, having read and heard it read so often. Steve, I see why your community like this series. On to Homer!
regardless of the external factors governing the inclusion of revelation into the modern bible, its still the source of far too much literary imagary to not include. And if not for classical literature, then certainly for contemporary. It's also among the most readable and dare I say, enjoyable. >:)
Thanks Steve. My father was a Methodist missionary out in the West Indies and a lot of this was forced upon me. It would be good to look at these parts as Literature and take out some of the Religion, where possible. Much appreciated.
My entire belief system has been completely overhauled over the past 3-4 years.. from fundamental Christianity to something that looks much more like Buddhism. Having said that, I have read the Bible as religious text countless times. Is it too soon for me to try going back into it as literature? Is it going to freak out my brain, Steve??
Isaiah and Samuel?!?!?! Sorry to be the guy with multiple question marks but Isaiah is the aesthetic highpoint of the whole thing, and without Isaiah singing to his vine there would be no Whiteness of the Whale chapter in Moby Dick. The Bible without the stories of Saul, David, and Solomon is just, well, that's in many ways the central historical story. It's clearly where what we think of as the Bible was first originally collated, so it's the most reliable history, and it has a Shakespearean cast of characters. How does Shakespeare write about kings without the example of the Bible's big three?
For me it would be hard to distinguish bible and (christian) religion, although quite a time ago I once read about Hercules twelve feats and few other Ancient Greek myths, if that can be relatable. What irritates me, maybe because I'm a non-believer, is that there are more than enough people who believe that the bible is a non-fiction book. Yes for the series! :)
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series! It has been too long since you have graced us with a starter kit. But.. just a quick note. When you describe how you think religious people think about the nature of God or, in this case, the Bible, it sounds like you are thinking of Bible Belt fundamentalist Protestant Americans. I don't like them either, but there is, thank God, a lot more to Christianity than what they bring to the table.
Oh, I agree completely, and I rejoice at it! But I wanted to issue my little warning just the same, because the impulse to treat this book in a fundamentally different way than all other books is so pervasively strong that I've often found it getting in the way of the kind of reading I'm proposing here.
There are many scholars which will disagree with you as there are no contradictions in the Bible. When there are contradictions it’s because there are those who do not understand.
"When there are contradictions it's because there are those who do not understand" - prove that. It LOOKS exactly like contradictions arising from a bunch of very human authors working in different centuries. In any other case, that's exactly what we'd instantly say. Prove that it's not.
I was raised from infancy as a JW, and so, I have read the bible as a fearful religious text many times. But, over twenty years ago and with maturation, I realized Christianity and the bible were not for me as "holy text," so instead I read it as a literary book, as you say. And, oh my, it's quite different from that pov. It's eye-opening. I actually had FUN reading the bible that time, seeing some beauty, some ridiculousness, some horrible gratuitous violence and sex, and some absolutely terrible story telling! In your topic of schooling: I agree that acknowledged academia is sometimes not the way to go. Personally, I am self-motivated (intrinsic motivation is wonderful!) enough to have a self-directed learning program, on eclectic subjects I'm personally interested in, without the burden of "this is what you should read, should think" of academia.
What are some good sources for literary, non-religious introductions to these books of the bible? Every video I find seems to be from a christian perspective. I want pure literary analysis.
I may be 6 years late to this video, but I still want to thank you for this and every starter kit you've posted. I was fortunate to be taught the Bible as a work of literature in high school, and I think it may be time to revisit the texts. Thanks for everything you do here, Steve.
SO glad this is being so enthusiastically received! We'll move on to Homer next, but first I wanted to address the oversight so many of you are pointing out: yes, by all means, add the Book of Psalms to the list!
This was the post that got me clued into Steve Donoghue. With a spotty literature education and foundation but a lifelong love of reading and of the classics, this really helped me put reading the "greats" into context. So much pressure we put on ourselves with reading, especially when we care. Good stuff here.
I have recently descovered your videos and I can't stop watching them. Brilliant work Steve, much thanks for all the work you do. I particularily love your Daily Penguin series. I have always wanted to tackle the Western Canon. You have provided the map to guide me. Much thanks and cheers from Canada!
I find those scissors intimidating. They seem so independent.
It is......almost Lynchian in its placement
I had the same thought my "adhd" caught it! I was so focused on them i wondered why they were hanging there??? I had to restart the video to understand what Steve was talking about!
I love Harold Bloom's book on the Western Canon. And I have a feeling I'll enjoy this series as well! Thanks.
Love this! I've been wanting to read The Bible for some time now, but was too intimadated - this gives me a bit more confidence and enthusiasm to finally give it a go! Thanks :)
Been going down the rabbit hole in your channel today :)
I LOVE the idea of this video series, and love that you started with the Bible!
So glad to see this series started.
I've been looking for a solid list of the books of the Bible that can be read as literature for so long and never found anything substantial... This video is a revelation! It goes without saying that you should continue the series.
Old Testament:
Genesis
Exodus
Book of Joshua
The Book of Judges
Ruth
First & Second Book of Judges
First & Second Book of Kings
First & Second Book of Chronicles
Job
The Book of Psalms
Ecclesiastes
The Book of Isaiah
Song of Solomon
The Book of Daniel
New Testament:
The Four Gospels
Acts of the Apostles
Epistles of St Paul
Thanks for the list! A couple corrections (?)
He said First & Second Books of Samuel, not Judges
I didn't hear him mention the Book of Psalms
My revised list (with Markdown checkboxes)
Old Testament:
- [ ]Genesis
- [ ]Exodus
- [ ]Book of Joshua
- [ ]The Book of Judges
- [ ]Ruth
- [ ]First & Second Book of Samuel
- [ ]First & Second Book of Kings
- [ ]First & Second Book of Chronicles
- [ ]Job
- [ ] Ecclesiastes
- [ ] The Book of Isaiah
- [ ] Song of Solomon
- [ ] The Book of Daniel
New Testament:
- [ ]The Four Gospels
- [ ]Acts of the Apostles
- [ ]Epistles of St Paul
Yes please continue with this I see a great deal of relevance starting with the stories in the Bible in relation to all literature. Thank you for doing this series, I will be staying tuned!
this is a great idea Steve ! Yes, please continue with these videos as they would be a huge help to many of us who might be intimidated by the "great books" of the western canon. Thank you for starting this series
Yes - there's NO reason to be intimidated! That's the whole point of this: just dig in to the basics and start absorbing them!
I've read the Bible a few times but always under duress. I look forward to reading it again and you've certainly inspired me to do so.
Love the western starter kit! Such a terrific idea, I'm guessing my catechism classes, and the Veggie Tales watched at 7 do not count toward being "well-read" in the Bible. I'll get on it one of these days... Maybe after I finish Bleak House!
I love the mentat Thurfir Hawat vibe...This channel is a treasure trove of education!
I was wondering where ol' Omeros would fit in! Held the suspense to the last second :) reading the Iliad now and starting Ancient Greek courses next month! Love the idea of this series, thank you for taking the time to do it!
100% yes on this series! I'd also love to a video on an analysis of each of the recommended books.
I often listen to BookTube in my car back and forth to work and home. I had to stop and thank you for this video.
I'm so glad you decided to make it a series! I just ordered the King James Penguin version last week since I wanted one with notes, I'm happy to have a sort of inner priority list to keep track on when I get to it. Looking forward to more videos in the series!
I was beyond excited to see this in my feed this morning! Yes!!!!! Please continue with the series. I agree that this might have interest beyond your devoted booktube fans. You are setting a great challenge for me beginning with the bible, but I am up for it. And so we begin 🙂....
Love the idea for this series- and I agree that people do NOT have to go back to school to do this. Autodidacts unite!
Yes! I would be very interested in seeing this continuing!
Thank you so much for the list of books to read from the Bible, Steve. I've been meaning to do this, and your recent video on Shakespeare got me looking at all of your videos about the Western Canon, and I'm definitely going to be taking your advice in order to get well read! Inspired, thank you!
It's been several years since I last read the entire Bible. I've been thinking of starting to read it again for over a week now. But his time I'll skip over Numbers. Good starting point!
--Tim
Thank you, Steve. I always prefer your "kit" series~ They are wonderful!
Please continue with this. Even though I have the Great Books set by Britannica, and I have read many of them. It is always good to know others thoughts on the "Great Conversation".
I would say you you also read Proverbs, gives you a great understanding of traditional western values
I am thrilled to join with you on this adventure!
Looking forward to more in this series! We want more!
How did you determine those books in the Bible to be the most important for literature?
Super excited about this series.
This is so exciting! I've been wanting something like this for ages and yes I thought going back to school might be the way to do it :P
200 pages? Am I missing something?
Right?! I just finished Samuel and I have around 500 pages to go!
This is going to be a fun series to watch!
Please continue this series.
yes on making this a series!
Please continue this! This was a very insightful twelve minutes. I'm going to shift my focus now and concentrate on the books you mentioned. Would you list them in the description if you get a chance? Thank you, Steve. I can't wait to hear you talk about Homer.
Thanks Steve. Great stuff. Bring on the Homer.
ESV Reader's Bible - there is one volume as well as an expensive multi volume options, they take out the numbered verses so you can read it like was supposed to be read.
Very interested to see you continue this series! I've often wanted to read through the bible, as I know I'm constantly missing references to the stories, which really bugs me, but I just didn't have the level of interest needed. Reading an abridged version of just the interesting narrative bits is a great idea for someone like me.
This is absolutely true, in my opinion. Thank you for putting these out here.
Thank you for this series, Steve. I have questions. Can you recommend me to good version in Spanish? I can read in English, but spanish is my first language and I like to read more in it. Thank you, Steve. Love your chanal.
the NVI Santa Biblia should do just fine - and it should be in every bookstore!
Thank you, Steve.
Such an interesting topic. For a while now, I've also been recommending reading the Bible for learning outside of spiritual motivation so I'm glad to see you start your series this way. Wondering why you skipped Proverbs from your list.
STEVE: I am really excited to see you starting this series; and with a book that I have read several times in my life cover to cover.
I grew up reading TKJ version, and still think that it cannot be beat for sheer beauty, but now use the NIV for my reading/study.
This is unlikely to ever happen again during this series, which I sincerely hope you continue, but I would suggest that you left out one important book that everyone should read.
The Book of Psalms has some of the most lovely writing in the entire Bible, and it is often referenced. I am sure that almost everyone is acquainted with at least one or two verses, even if they are unaware on it.
Anyway, I will be looking forward to the next vid in this series, I hope that you will humor the overwhelming request for more in the comment section and proceed.
Thanks, and I hope that you are having a good day.
For reading the Bible as literature, I'd recommend:
1. Get what's known as a "reader's Bible". That is, a Bible that is designed specifically so it helps make an enjoyable reading experience. They're available in all sorts of English translations, in single and multiple volume editions, etc. My favorite is the single volume ESV Reader's Bible published by Crossway. Plus the ESV consciously attempts (and I believe succeeds) to stay in line with the Tyndale-KJV heritage, so reading the ESV makes it easier to transition to the KJV if one ever wishes to do so, though the ESV is also an excellent and up to date translation in its own right (it is essentially a conservative or traditional revision of the RSV, which in turn traces its revision history back to the RV and ultimately back to the AV aka KJV). I'd say the ESV is even truer to the KJV tradition than the NKJV, but the NKJV is also good. And there are many other good translations like the NRSV, NASB, NKJV, NIV, NLT, CSB, etc. I really like the CSB as well, though it's a relatively recent translation. The CSB Reader's Bible is also beautiful.
2. If one can't read the entire Bible, I'd recommend reading:
* The Pentateuchal narratives
* Life of David (1-2 Samuel)
* Proverbs
* Daniel
* Ecclesiastes
* The four Gospels
* Acts
* Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians (arguably Paul's three best letters)
* 1 John
* Revelation
Homer! Homer! Homer! - This will be an awesome series.
Great series. Please continue!
I can't wait for all the Starter Kits to come!
Please continue with the series. Count me in.
This was the first Steve video I watched, and I'm commenting now as I've just finished reading the Bible books he suggests. I skipped the Psalms as I'm relatively familiar with them anyway, and would suggest to anyone also reading through his list that you consider skipping Chronicles - it helped embed the stories of Samuel/Kings into my mind, and I enjoyed comparing those 3 books (or 6 books as they appear in the OT), but it didn't feel necessary for a shortened reading of the Bible. Thanks very much for this video Steve - onto Homer!
Is there a list written down of the Bible books you recommend? (Or should I listen, pause, write down, listen, pause, write down 😀)
Yay, context for Steve rants! Keep going! :)
This is a great video Steve! So excited for this series to continue. I've been dreading dipping into the Bible because I know that I am likely to slip into the dreaded 'reading as a religious text' mode that you rightly cautioned against. I think that studying the sections you mentioned will make the task much more enjoyable, thanks for the tips!
While I have you: I am looking for a great biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine, any recommendations?
Where is the list of Bible readings ?
I'm going to agree with those who mention Psalms as an addition to "must read" sections of the Bible. I look forward to your recommendations about the Roman poets and historians, a part of the canon I am woefully ignorant of.
I recently read the 5 books of Moses of the KJV but I need to get back into it again
but I do have to say that Genesis might be one of the best pieces of literature ever written, in my opinion
I love love LOVE this idea for a series. I want to be well read and not just widely read...but it is overwhelming and hard to know where to start and where to go. I feel very very behind.
I have read the Bible, but definitely need to study it for the rest of my life (given that I am Christian).
Even though I read it as a supernatural text, and not just as literature, I appreciate a booktuber pointing out the significance and influence of the Bible; also that you pointed out the barrier that keeps so many people from appreciating it!
I am very much looking forward to you continuing this series!!!
What do you mean if we want? We WANT. Thank you. Although some of my relatives might have a stroke if they see me with the Bible:)
I thought the exact same thing!
The New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) is my favorite modern translation. It is widely used by Biblical scholars today and works for nearly any denomination
Love this. I just recently got the Penguin version of the Bible with the Apocraphia, which I thought was a nice bonus. I'm surprised you didn't mention Revelations as one of the books to recommend
I am with you on the journey! .Let's go.
I'm very late to the party here, but maybe you can clear something up for me.
Trying to plan my reading and I've compiled the estimated word count for the books mentioned, and it comes out to about 388,000 words, which is much longer than the "200-page book" you compared it to.
In a somewhat dense layout of 500 words per page, that would be more than 700 pages.
Am I mistaken? Did I go wrong somewhere? Here's the list I have (with estimated word counts):
Old Testament:
- [ ]Genesis (32k)
- [ ]Exodus (26k)
- [ ]Book of Joshua (15k)
- [ ]The Book of Judges (15k)
- [ ]Ruth (2k)
- [ ]First & Second Book of Samuel (38k)
- [ ]First & Second Book of Kings (39k)
- [ ]First & Second Book of Chronicles (38k)
- [ ]Job (12k)
- [ ] Ecclesiastes (5k)
- [ ] The Book of Isaiah (26k)
- [ ] Song of Solomon (2k)
- [ ] The Book of Daniel (9k)
|New Testament:
- The Four Gospels
- [ ]Matthew (18k)
- [ ]Mark (11k)
- [ ]Luke (19k)
- [ ]John (16k)
- [ ]Acts of the Apostles (24k)
- [ ]Epistles of St Paul (41k)
What about the Book of Psalms Steve? It is the most beautiful book in the Bible!
For God's sake, man, continue the series!
Doesn't Chronicles just repeat / rewrite huge sections of 1 & 2 Kings?
I'm not sure I fully agree with your picks for which books to read, or I suppose which books that you can skip. I think if you're gonna read Joshua Judges Samuel Kings it'd be worth including Deuteronomy at the start of that too. There's also an argument to be made for Esther and Ezra-Nehemia, as well as a few of the prophets.
Like you said though it is a library of books and it's worth treating as such, and I think this video is a great intro to the concept of the western canon!
Yes, please.
yes yes yes do this series
Great reflections. Ironic perhaps that this theme should be discussed and affirmed through one of the contemporay age's attention-robbing internet media. Reading - and the cultural literacy it entails- involves concentration and focus, thank God there are still advocates for reading! Thankyou!
Douay reims is a great translation
Reading the Robert Alter translation. Going to try to buckle down and do this western canon thing. What about Esther? I don't know about literary shadow but I know it's important in Judaism. Also have you ever read the Talmud? I'm interested in the bits of Roman history in it from the Jewish perspective. I was just scanning through one of the books and came across a story about a Roman emperor which I was not expecting. I'm really interested in the blending or at least the encounter of the two cultures that are the foundation of Western culture.
More, sir. Please, more.
Do you have any recommendations for academic (but at least somewhat accessible) books written on the composition and/or historicity of the Bible (from a purely academic/objective perspective, not that of a believer) - that cover how the books were written/compiled, where the books contradict one another, the sociopolitical context in which these books were created, etc.?
Hah - gee, I don't know - could you be more specific?
You are probably looking for Bart Ehrman, but I’d say Richard Bauckham and NT Wright are good, too.
I'm late to this, but John Barton's book 'The History of the Bible' explores those aspects which you mentioned above, both in old and new testament and in ways which are quite easy to understand
@@ThatReadingGuy28 thanks!
@@MrJoshyguy thank you! actually spotted that one in a bookstore the other day and it looked very interesting. Might go back and scoop it up…
Love this!
Steve! Thank you so much for doing this, I really want to understand why this book is so influential and how to read it. You mentioned the books but didn't put them on the info box, also books with studies and essays about it from a literary standpoint would be helpful. I liked you mentioned on another video a bible for atheists, so an interesting version with anotations to understand the historical and sociological aspect of each book. I think a read-along for them would be interesting, maybe a goodreads group!
why did you miss Psalms and Proverbs, I would think they were essential books as well?
can you please rethink this and move Shakespeare to number 1?
Yes!
Fantastically helpful. Thank you. I wonder if you could pitch this series to an editor somewhere. As much as we all love you, Steve, this idea seems to have legs beyond your Booktube fans. Just a thought.
To think that I completed an English literature degree without having ever touched the Bible or Homer. For shame!
I approve of your project. I look forward to seeing more videos in this series! We get to enter into Steve's scholarly life :)
I have never read the KJV Bible, but I've wanted to because it is such a beautiful translation. But how about the Douay Rheims, since it is a translation of the Vulgate? The NIV and NRSV are pretty readable translations.
I disagree with your premise that if you're religious you have to pretend that the Bible is not made up of multiple books written at different times for different purposes. There are Jews and Christians who are more than OK with that. I recommend The Art of Biblical Narrative by Robert Alter.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This definitely makes the bible less intimidating for me. I have no problem with the ancient Greeks and Romans but the religious aspect of the bible was always a mental block. This will help me push through.
Looking forward to the rest of the series! I've read through the Bible twice, but I'm interested in reading through your list as you've given it. I don't think I'll be able to divorce myself from the idea of it being inspired by a supernatural deity, but I'm okay with that. :) I'm curious why you didn't recommend the NKJV? My preference is for KJV because I think it's prettier.
You've mentioned before that the Bible is the most influential book ever written. Would you mind making a video or comment on why you think that. I would be very interested to find out your reasoning.
At least 90% of modern literature base their stories (whether loosely or heavily) on Homer and the Bible
The only benefit of having been an evangelical Christian (lapsed 1999) is the mental imprint of the language and phraseology of the King James Bible, having read and heard it read so often. Steve, I see why your community like this series. On to Homer!
regardless of the external factors governing the inclusion of revelation into the modern bible, its still the source of far too much literary imagary to not include. And if not for classical literature, then certainly for contemporary.
It's also among the most readable and dare I say, enjoyable. >:)
Thanks Steve. My father was a Methodist missionary out in the West Indies and a lot of this was forced upon me. It would be good to look at these parts as Literature and take out some of the Religion, where possible. Much appreciated.
My entire belief system has been completely overhauled over the past 3-4 years.. from fundamental Christianity to something that looks much more like Buddhism. Having said that, I have read the Bible as religious text countless times. Is it too soon for me to try going back into it as literature? Is it going to freak out my brain, Steve??
Isaiah and Samuel?!?!?!
Sorry to be the guy with multiple question marks but Isaiah is the aesthetic highpoint of the whole thing, and without Isaiah singing to his vine there would be no Whiteness of the Whale chapter in Moby Dick. The Bible without the stories of Saul, David, and Solomon is just, well, that's in many ways the central historical story. It's clearly where what we think of as the Bible was first originally collated, so it's the most reliable history, and it has a Shakespearean cast of characters. How does Shakespeare write about kings without the example of the Bible's big three?
For me it would be hard to distinguish bible and (christian) religion, although quite a time ago I once read about Hercules twelve feats and few other Ancient Greek myths, if that can be relatable. What irritates me, maybe because I'm a non-believer, is that there are more than enough people who believe that the bible is a non-fiction book.
Yes for the series! :)
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series! It has been too long since you have graced us with a starter kit. But.. just a quick note. When you describe how you think religious people think about the nature of God or, in this case, the Bible, it sounds like you are thinking of Bible Belt fundamentalist Protestant Americans. I don't like them either, but there is, thank God, a lot more to Christianity than what they bring to the table.
Oh, I agree completely, and I rejoice at it! But I wanted to issue my little warning just the same, because the impulse to treat this book in a fundamentally different way than all other books is so pervasively strong that I've often found it getting in the way of the kind of reading I'm proposing here.
There are many scholars which will disagree with you as there are no contradictions in the Bible. When there are contradictions it’s because there are those who do not understand.
"When there are contradictions it's because there are those who do not understand" - prove that. It LOOKS exactly like contradictions arising from a bunch of very human authors working in different centuries. In any other case, that's exactly what we'd instantly say. Prove that it's not.
I was raised from infancy as a JW, and so, I have read the bible as a fearful religious text many times. But, over twenty years ago and with maturation, I realized Christianity and the bible were not for me as "holy text," so instead I read it as a literary book, as you say. And, oh my, it's quite different from that pov. It's eye-opening. I actually had FUN reading the bible that time, seeing some beauty, some ridiculousness, some horrible gratuitous violence and sex, and some absolutely terrible story telling!
In your topic of schooling: I agree that acknowledged academia is sometimes not the way to go. Personally, I am self-motivated (intrinsic motivation is wonderful!) enough to have a self-directed learning program, on eclectic subjects I'm personally interested in, without the burden of "this is what you should read, should think" of academia.
What are some good sources for literary, non-religious introductions to these books of the bible? Every video I find seems to be from a christian perspective. I want pure literary analysis.