First published 2001
Bruce Feiler embarks on a 10,000-mile trek across the Middle East, following the path described in the Five Books of Moses from Mount Ararat to Mount Nebo. A fifth-generation American Jew from the South with little previous connection to the Holy Land, Feiler begins this journey without fully understanding his motivations. He travels with a companion who starts as nearly a stranger. Along the way, Feiler draws parallels to Abraham's original journey, noting that Abraham was neither an Israelite nor a Jew initially, but simply a traveler responding to an unclear calling to walk a particular route and trust what he would discover. As Feiler moves through the biblical landscape, his previously abstract faith becomes more concrete and grounded. He experiences an unexpected pull from the land itself, describing a feeling of gravity that makes him want to connect physically with the soil. Through his attentive observations and adventurous spirit, Feiler discovers how place shapes spiritual understanding, offering insights valuable to readers from all biblical traditions.
Genres: biography, history, adventure, religion
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, personal-journey
Setting: Middle East, Mount Ararat, Mount Nebo
Period: 21st Century
720 pages · Hardcover · Thorndike Pr