Atlas of the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the Holy Land (Readers Digest)

ANOTHER IN READER'S DIGEST'S SEVERAL EXCELLENT BOOKS ON THE BIBLE, THIS ONE PROVIDES A GREAT OVERVIEW OF BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.PLENTY OF MAPS TAKE THE READER FROM PLACE TO PLACE AS THE EVENTS OF JEWISH HISTORY UNFOLD.THERE ARE ALSO MANY BIOGRAPHIES OF KEY FIGURES THROUGHOUT THE WORK, AS WELL AS AN INDEX AND DESCRIPTION OF TOWNS AND PLACE NAMES MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. ANOTHER MUST HAVE FOR ANY BIBLICAL LIBRARY.

I know there is a tendency to look down one's nose at Reader's Digest products, but this book is a very nice addition to anyone's library, if you can find a used copy floating around. The best feature is the full color maps and photo's - easily some of the best I have ever seen. The four full page maps on pp 44-47 (and reproduced in part throughout the text as smaller detail maps) are particularly impressive and alive with color, although the scale is about 8 miles to the inch, so alot of detail is lost. The text is well written and, as far as I can tell, reasonably accurate, although the lack of sources (other than Biblical citations) is a little annoying.

A valuable addendum to general reference. Excellently presented, as with most Readers Digest products. The ideal companion book to this is the wonderful "THE Autobiography of Jesus of Nazareth and the Missing Years" by Richard G. Patton. Readers digest shows you where the Master walked, Patton shows you exactly who left the footprints!