Books with title The Harlot By the Side of the Road

A multitude of Biblical stories have been censored, mistranslated, ignored, and even banned by religious authorities due to their erotic, violent, or mysterious content. In this recording, Jonathan Kirsch recounts some of the most startling and explicit writings from the Old Testament, those that dealt with seduction and revenge, incest and murder, interracial marriage, women's rights, and other explosive subjects. What emerges is a text whose real power lies in its unflinching view of the contradictions of human nature.

Sex. Violence. Scandal. These are words we rarely associate with the sacred text of the Bible. Yet in this brilliant new book, Jonathan Kirsch shows that the Old Testament is filled with some of the most startling and explicit stories in all of Western literature. These tales of seduction and rape, voyeurism and exhibitionism, intermarriage and illegitimacy, assassination and murder have been suppressed by religious authorities throughout history precisely because they are so shocking. "You mean that's in the Bible?" is the common reaction of the contemporary reader to the stories that Kirsch retells and explores.In The Harlot by the Side of the Road, Kirsch recounts these suppressed and mistranslated tales in the grand storytelling tradition. Here is the tale of Dinah, the young Israelite daughter raped by a princely suitor. The price for her hand in marriage? The circumcision of every man in his kingdom. Here, too, is the story of Lot's daughters, who, when faced with the possibility that they are the last survivors on earth, must copulate with their drunken father to continue their race. And the story of Tamar, the harlot by the side of the road, who must disguise herself as a prostitute and seduce her father-in-law in order to bear the child who has been promised her. Kirsch places each story within the political and social context of its time, and delves into the latest biblical scholarship to explain why each story was originally censored. He also brings to light when and where each story was first written down, and how it found its way into the Bible. And he shows how these stories have something important to say to contemporary readers who might never pick up a Bible.Kirsch reveals that the Bible's real power lies in its unflinching lessons in human nature. And he illuminates the surprising modernity of the Bible's characters: these were, like us, people delicately balanced between their destructive and generous natures. Certain to excite controversy and ignite intellectual debate, The Harlot by the Side of the Road will undoubtedly be one of the year's most talked-about books.

"The stories you are about to read are some of the most violent and sexually explicit in all of Western literature. They are tales of human passion in all of its infinite variety: adultery, seduction, incest, rape, mutilation, assassination, torture, sacrifice, and murder. . . ."Sex. Violence. Scandal. These are words we rarely associate with the sacred text of the Bible. Yet in this brilliant book, Jonathan Kirsch recounts shocking tales that have been suppressed by religious authorities throughout history. Kirsch places each story within the political and social context of its time, delves into the latest biblical scholarship to explain why each one was originally censored, and shows how these ancient narratives hold valuable lessons for all of us.

Sex. Violence. Scandal. These are words we rarely associate with the sacred text of the Bible. Yet in this brilliant new book, Jonathan Kirsch shows that the Old Testament is filled with some of the most startling and explicit stories in all of Western literature. These tales of seduction and rape, voyeurism and exhibitionism, intermarriage and illegitimacy, assassination and murder have been suppressed by religious authorities throughout history precisely because they are so shocking. "You mean that's in the Bible?" is the common reaction of the contemporary reader to the stories that Kirsch retells and explores.In The Harlot by the Side of the Road, Kirsch recounts these suppressed and mistranslated tales in the grand storytelling tradition. Here is the tale of Dinah, the young Israelite daughter raped by a princely suitor. The price for her hand in marriage? The circumcision of every man in his kingdom. Here, too, is the story of Lot's daughters, who, when faced with the possibility that they are the last survivors on earth, must copulate with their drunken father to continue their race. And the story of Tamar, the harlot by the side of the road, who must disguise herself as a prostitute and seduce her father-in-law in order to bear the child who has been promised her. Kirsch places each story within the political and social context of its time, and delves into the latest biblical scholarship to explain why each story was originally censored. He also brings to light when and where each story was first written down, and how it found its way into the Bible. And he shows how these stories have something important to say to contemporary readers who might never pick up a Bible.Kirsch reveals that the Bible's real power lies in its unflinching lessons in human nature. And he illuminates the surprising modernity of the Bible's characters: these were, like us, people delicately balanced between their destructive and generous natures. Certain to excite controversy and ignite intellectual debate, The Harlot by the Side of the Road will undoubtedly be one of the year's most talked-about books.

In this unique children's book by acclaimed cartoonist & author Jules Feiffer, Richard refuses to stop fooling around in the backseat of the car despite his father's warning that he s going to pull over by the side of the road & let Richard out unless he behaves. After a long, lonely wait by the side of the road, Richard decides that it s not such a bad place after all. So that's where he takes up residence, first in a small house, & then, as time goes by, in a network of underground hideaways, all by the side of the road. (for ages K-4)

When Marcia stops at a gasoline station, she's surprised by what she finds: a small black and white cat that's crying, ""Meow, meow, meow!"" She takes the cat some food and it eats quickly and then runs into the small patch of woods. When Marcia returns home, she can't stop thinking about the danger it is in by living near such a busy road. She keeps returning to feed the cat. One day, when Marcia goes to feed the cat, she discovers that the cat has two little kittens. She asks herself how she will ever be able to rescue them from this dangerous situation. The stakes are high, but Marcia is determined to do her part to save Cats by the Side of the Road.

Outside the village, a HUMONGOUS empty chair sat at the side of the road. The villagers tell stories of a nice little boy, Luka, the son of the grocer, who became a giant. Every year he grew twice as big as the year before and the villagers, who were only two feet tall, worried that he would destroy their village. They built a house in the woods and a big chair for him where he could sit by the road and do no damage. Luka was miserable sitting by himself but one day a big dog came along and changed everything!This is a story of how it feels to be on the outside looking in... about the frustration that comes when you feel ‘different’... and how the love of family can give you strength. Luka shows us that family can come in many forms... even in the shape of a humongous dog!

When Marcia stops at a gasoline station, she's surprised by what she finds: a small black and white cat that's crying, "Meow, meow, meow!" She takes the cat some food and it eats quickly and then runs into the small patch of woods. When Marcia returns home, she can't stop thinking about the danger it is in by living near such a busy road. She keeps returning to feed the cat. One day, when Marcia goes to feed the cat, she discovers that the cat has two little kittens. She asks herself how she will ever be able to rescue them from this dangerous situation. The stakes are high, but Marcia is determined to do her part to save Cats by the Side of the Road.

Outside the village, a HUMONGOUS empty chair sat at the side of the road. The villagers tell stories of a nice little boy, Luka, the son of the grocer, who became a giant. Every year he grew twice as big as the year before and the villagers, who were only two feet tall, worried that he would destroy their village. They built a house in the woods and a big chair for him where he could sit by the road and do no damage. Luka was miserable sitting by himself but one day a big dog came along and changed everything!This is a story of how it feels to be on the outside looking in... about the frustration that comes when you feel 'different'... and how the love of family can give you strength. Luka shows us that family can come in many forms... even in the shape of a humongous dog!...