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4 out of 4 stars
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In The Biblical Clock by Daniel Friedmann and Diana Sheldon, the authors take us on a journey through space and time. We follow Dan and his nephew, Seb, as they try to reconcile the biblical timeline with the scientific timeline of the origins of the universe. We get to know some extraordinary characters who, in the course of history, have tried to calculate the age of the universe and the End of Days. Did they succeed in reconciling the timelines? I believe they did, but you'd have to read the book to decide for yourself.
Then in chapter 10, Dan tells Seb his take on a plausible scenario for the End of Days. This is the only chapter in this book that is entirely fictional. The storytelling in this chapter is superb and left me wanting to read more. As I was reading, I was thinking how Dan would do so well if he pursued writing a book of historical fiction.
What I liked most about this book were the vivid descriptions of the times, places, and people. I could almost feel like I was right there with the characters. It completely enthralled me! Another thing I liked very much was that the book is extremely well researched. You can tell the authors are experts in the topic. Also, if you don't know some of the terms or people mentioned in the book, there's a glossary with definitions and short biographies, plus five appendices to learn more.
I can't say I disliked anything about this book. However, I know this book might not appeal to everyone. It's not light reading by any means, and it is longer than some books at 383 pages. Still, I never felt like it was too long. It was the perfect length for this topic. Now, you really need to concentrate on your reading if you aren't well-versed in Judaism. I had to stop reading a few times because I kept being interrupted and I would lose concentration. Nevertheless, I love learning about different religions, and this was a fascinating read. It would suck me right in once I was alone and in a quiet room. Since I have a young child at home, no waking hour with my kid is silent. That meant I had to read at night, but it was so enthralling that I would lose track of time and read almost until dawn. So although I would lose a few hours of sleep because my kid wakes up early, I never minded the lack of sleep.
This book was also exceptionally well written and you can tell it was professionally edited, as I found no spelling or grammar errors. Additionally, the links to the glossary in the Kindle edition directed to the right places. Because of this, I give this book a perfect 4 out of 4 rating. The authors clearly did an exceptional job with this book!
Now, due to its strong basis in Judaism, this book caters more to Jewish readers. However, anyone interested in learning about the biblical timeline should read it. Most of the postulates in this book ring true with Christianity as well. After all, Christianity is rooted in Judaism. They still ask you continue reading even if you don't have a Jewish or Christian background, but I understand there might be people who won't be interested due to its strong basis in religion. So, while I don't recommend this book to everyone, I still think anyone can learn from it.
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The Biblical Clock
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