SUGGESTION: Books useful when traveling to Israel

fgh
fgh Member Posts: 8,948 ✭✭✭
edited December 2024 in English Forum

As we all know, Christians (and Jews) tend to go to Israel occasionally -- some even study there for a while -- and presumably a number of those will bring their laptops or mobile devices with some version of Logos with them. And those who can't go, nevertheless often like to dream about going. So I find it rather surprising that Logos hasn't done more to tap into this market.

E g Steve Ray -- one of Logos' earliest users and also one of the guys Logos uses to promote the Catholic packages -- has been to Israel more than a hundred times, and usually with groups. Imagine if those travelling with him could buy a small package of, say, 10-15 books for $50 -- a Catholic Bible, the Catholic lectionary, the Catechism, one secular and one more spiritual guidebook, plus some relevant public domain works like Egeria, Eusebius, Josephus, and Early Travels in Palestine -- and then get a bit of instruction from him during the trip. Logos would get lots of new customers for essentially no cost.

And there could also be a more advanced bundle including all the thick archaeological books, historical diaries and photos that Logos already sells.

Here are some resources in this area that comes to mind:

  • Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome: The Holy Land. An Oxford Archaeological Guide. (Yes, that's the cardinal's brother for those of you who recognize the name. Also a disciple of Spicq, of TLNT fame. Worked at École Biblique in Jerusalem until his fairly recent death.)
  • Rosenthal, Donna: The Israelis. Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land. (Supposed to be a very good introduction to modern Israeli society (I have it, but haven't had time to read it yet).)
  • Feiler, Bruce: Walking the Bible. A Journey by Land through the Five Books of Moses. (Another one I've had recommended, but haven't read.)
  • 'Walking in the footsteps of Jesus' kind of books. Please suggest. I can't think of any in English.
  • Good maps, modern and historical  (Carta...)
  • More photos
  • One of those booklets with the Mass in lots of different languages.

Novels:

  • Uris, Leon: Exodus
  • Michener, James: The Source
  • Collins, Larry & Lapierre, Dominique: O Jerusalem!
  • Oz, Amos (various)
  • Lagerlöf, SelmaJerusalem

Please add you own favourites. (Steve Ray... David Knoll...)

Of course, other places Christians like to go to, and which Logos therefore ought to sell books about, are Turkey, Jordan, Rome, Santiago de Compostela, Assisi, Lourdes, Fatima, Canterbury... 

Why is it that Vyrso has 101 books tagged Cooking, but no genre that I can find about Travel? The latter seems a lot more relevant!

Mac Pro (late 2013) OS 12.6.2

Comments

  • Matthew C Jones
    Matthew C Jones Member Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭

    The Day One Travel Guide Series (25 volumes) includes several useful guides. But this Pre-Pub is a long way from release and volumes are not sold individually.

    Logos 7 Collectors Edition

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,585

    And, perhaps,

    • Bernard by Yoel Hoffman

    • A Table for One: Under the Light of Jerusalem by Aharon Applefeld


    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • George Somsel
    George Somsel Member Posts: 10,150 ✭✭✭

    I remember reading Exodus a bit after the time the movie was made and The Source some years later.  I found Michener's method of following the history of the site through all of the waves of history which rolled over the source (the spring) quite interesting though there were times when it was somewhat less interesting.  Hoopoo to you. 

    george
    gfsomsel

    יְמֵי־שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְאִם בִּגְבוּרֹת שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְרָהְבָּם עָמָל וָאָוֶן

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,585

    George, the movie came out 15 years before you were born.[;)]

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • George Somsel
    George Somsel Member Posts: 10,150 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    George, the movie came out 15 years before you were born.Wink

    15-16 yrs isn't long.  I started reading as soon as I was born.  [;)]

    george
    gfsomsel

    יְמֵי־שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְאִם בִּגְבוּרֹת שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְרָהְבָּם עָמָל וָאָוֶן

  • HJ. van der Wal
    HJ. van der Wal Member Posts: 1,805 ✭✭✭

    fgh said:

    Novels:

    • Uris, Leon: Exodus
    • Michener, James: The Source
    • Collins, Larry & Lapierre, Dominique: O Jerusalem!
    • Oz, Amos (various)
    • Lagerlöf, SelmaJerusalem

    Please add you own favourites.

    • Haim Be'er, Havalim
    • Batya Gur, Michael Ohayon Series (detective fiction!)
  • HJ. van der Wal
    HJ. van der Wal Member Posts: 1,805 ✭✭✭

    fgh said:

    I find it rather surprising that Logos hasn't done more to tap into this market.

    ...

    Why is it that Vyrso has 101 books tagged Cooking, but no genre that I can find about Travel? The latter seems a lot more relevant!

    [Y][Y]

    fgh said:

    Of course, other places Christians like to go to, and which Logos therefore ought to sell books about, are Turkey, Jordan, Rome, Santiago de Compostela, Assisi, Lourdes, Fatima, Canterbury... 

    Bellingham, WA...

    The Day One Travel Guide Series (25 volumes) includes several useful guides. But this Pre-Pub is a long way from release and volumes are not sold individually.

    I really hope these volumes will be available individually one day.

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,585

    I've created a Faithlife group for sharing our literary finds: https://faithlife.com/literary-reading-appropriate-for-a-christian-book-club/

    Fiction, history, poetry are all fair games but leave the theology and bible studies at home - this is recreational.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • fgh
    fgh Member Posts: 8,948 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    • Bernard by Yoel Hoffman
    • A Table for One: Under the Light of Jerusalem by Aharon Applefeld

    • Haim Be'er, Havalim
    • Batya Gur, Michael Ohayon Series (detective fiction!)

    I'd never even heard of those. I'll put them on my list of books I'd like to read.

    fgh said:

    Of course, other places Christians like to go to, and which Logos therefore ought to sell books about, are Turkey, Jordan, Rome, Santiago de Compostela, Assisi, Lourdes, Fatima, Canterbury... 

    Bellingham, WA...

    [:D]

    Mac Pro (late 2013) OS 12.6.2

  • David Knoll
    David Knoll Member Posts: 912 ✭✭✭

    I was summoned. (blame fgh [;)])

    I suggest reading Sir Martin Gilbert's "Israel: A History" http://www.amazon.com/Israel-History-Martin-Gilbert/dp/0688123635/ref=la_B000APBJVO_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403109671&sr=1-5

    Have a look at a good biblical atlas (either Carta's or TAVO/ Tuebinger Bibelatlas [sorry for the Umlaut]).

    The AB Archaeology of the Land of the Bible is a great introduction to the sites in Israel and the history which can be reconstructed from the archaeological data  (First Volume - Mazar, Second Volume Stern, Third Volume Meyers and Chancey). First 2 volumes available in Logos: https://www.logos.com/product/37894/archaeology-bundle-ver-2-s

    If you want to read how it all began, it is a great opportunity to read Agnon's "Only Yesterday" which is probably the best novel in modern Hebrew. http://www.amazon.com/Only-Yesterday-S-Y-Agnon/dp/0691009724/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403110037&sr=1-2&keywords=only+yesterday

    Serious scholars will take with them Josephus' Antiquities and the Judean War as well as the Onomasticon by Eusebius.

    Be sure to visit the Israel Museum, the excavations in the city of David, the tunnels near the western wall, the church of the sepulchre, Masada and the Dead Sea.

    When you visit the temple mount excavations, this is a nice guide: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Temple-Mount-Excavations/dp/9659029918

    Remember that there is a lot to see and you cannot possibly see everything during your first visit. Plan ahead concentrate on what is essential to you, and come back for another trip. If any of you is planning a trip to Israel and requires further information feel free to contact me.

  • fgh
    fgh Member Posts: 8,948 ✭✭✭

    Thanks, David.

    I suggest reading Sir Martin Gilbert's "Israel: A History"

    Only 785 pages. I think that will have to wait a while (perhaps for Logos, if they take the hint). But thanks for the tip.

    First 2 volumes available in Logos

    The third is in prepub: Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library Upgrade (4 vols.).

    Serious scholars will take with them (...) the Onomasticon by Eusebius.

    That would be easier if we had it in Logos... (I've pushed for it repeatedly.)

    Agnon's "Only Yesterday" (...) is probably the best novel in modern Hebrew

    Well, we did give him a Nobel...[:D] (As if I had anything to do with it; I was hardly even born.[:)]) I have read him, but not much and not that one. I'll try to get hold of it.

    Be sure to visit the Israel Museum, the excavations in the city of David, the tunnels near the western wall, the church of the sepulchre, Masada and the Dead Sea.

    I already have. Half of them multiple times. Except that, unlike every other tourist, I haven't actually bathed in the Dead Sea. On the other hand I've visited a couple of dozen places almost no Christian tourists/pilgrims ever get to: Atlit, the Museum of the First Aliyah, Beit HaShomer, Beit Shearim, Beit Guvrin, Ammunition Hill, the Hertzl and Begin museums, the Knesset, the Supreme Court... even the little Jews in Gaza museum. 

    It really bugs me, though, that I never got to see the Herod exhibition. I was hoping to go last fall, but I couldn't defend the expense at the time, and now that I can, it's too late.[:(] 

    you cannot possibly see everything during your first visit

    I've spent 5.5 weeks, and my list of things to see just keeps getting longer...

    feel free to contact me

    I may take you up on that when I have a bit more time. This is getting a bit too off topic.

    Mac Pro (late 2013) OS 12.6.2