If You Only Read One Novel this Year, Make it David deSilva’s “Day of Atonement”

If You Only Read One Novel this Year, Make it David deSilva’s “Day of Atonement” August 1, 2015

David A. deSilva

Day of Atonement: A Novel of the Maccabean Revolt
Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2015.
Available at Amazon.com

New Testament scholar David deSilva (Ashland Theological Seminary) has written an absolutely brilliant historical novel about the Maccabean revolt. The story is readable, the characters are believable, and the history accurate.  Reading this novel is also a great way to learn about Jewish history and the events that precipitated the Maccabean revolt, especially tensions caused by those who wanted to Hellenize Jerusalem. Often it is hard to get students to read background textbooks on Jewish history, or the primary sources like 1-4 Maccabees,  but a well-written novel might have a better shot at capturing their attention and interest. I hope David writes a sequel and both are made into a movie directed by Ridley Scott (or maybe even Mel Gibson).

 

 


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