Book of God, The
Worth buying if: You enjoy narrative retellings of Scripture and novels that treat Genesis, Exodus and the Gospels as continuou.
Skip it if: You need a literal, verse-for-verse Bible translation or a word-for-word study text.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780310200055. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
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Summary
Wangerin retells the Bible’s arc in vivid prose across 640 pages, blending canonical stories, poetic expansion, and narrative voice to present Scripture as continuous literature rather than isolated passages.
Why this book now
For readers seeking a literary, unified approach to the Bible, Zondervan’s 1996 The Book of God offers a durable alternative to verse-by-verse study.
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Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You enjoy narrative retellings of Scripture and novels that treat Genesis, Exodus and the Gospels as continuou.
- You appreciate Walter Wangerin’s pastoral imagination and the literary genre of biblical fiction.
- If you like stylistic experimentation, the sentences are economical and exact, making small moments feel freshly observed and crucial.
- You need a literal, verse-for-verse Bible translation or a word-for-word study text.
- You prefer purely academic commentary or critical scholarship rather than creative retelling.
- If you are not into slow builds, the viewpoint rotates often, requiring you to reorient regularly.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780310200055
Worth buying if: You enjoy narrative retellings of Scripture and novels that treat Genesis, Exodus and the Gospels as continuou.
Skip it if: You need a literal, verse-for-verse Bible translation or a word-for-word study text.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Substantial Longer sessions help
At roughly 640 pages, expect a multi-week reading project that rewards slow, reflective pacing and occasional rereads of key episodes like Creation, Exodus, and the Resurrection narrative.
What stands out here
This Zondervan 1996 edition highlights Wangerin’s singular prose voice and his effort to smooth biblical discontinuities into a continuous novel-like book of faith.
Best way to approach it
Read as literary immersion: follow the narrative straight through or savor discrete episodes, annotating where Wangerin expands poems, parables, and prophetic speeches.
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Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780310200055
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.