The Source

This book didn't turn out to be what I expected when I bought it. From the reviews and back-cover synopsis I was expecting a historical fiction overview of the history and development of Judaism, which I hoped would answer some questions I had about why modern Judaism looks so different from in the Old Testament. But what I got in this book was so much broader: Michener tells the story of the development of Israel.

Land is important, and hearing the stories of people who lived on the land where you stand can give your life a sense of place and understand how you and your family fit into the history of the world. Religion is important, offering answers to the questions that we can't arrive at from simple observation and allowing us to participate actively in the forces that govern the world that would otherwise be beyond our reach.

Having read this book, I feel like I missed some world history classes which should have been required. As far as history curriculum goes, I remember focusing on Greek and Roman, Egyptian, the Renaissance, and American history. This book taught me history that I now consider necessary for understanding how the world came to be the way it is today that a narrower view missed.

Michener's writing style, telling characters' stories as major world events happen around them, gives an intimate, personal picture into the struggle and suffering of Jewish people against both the opposition of the powerful and their journey to come to terms with the demands made by their religion.

I also loved the experience of being challenged by the questions that the different characters posed, especially towards the end of the book as the plot became more forward-looking, considering the development of the Israeli state and the relationship between history and progress, religion and state. What determines who is part of a people group which has been spread throughout so many different dominating cultures? How can you respect the history of a religion that has held your people together through immense suffering while being confronted with salient shortcomings in the modern era? Is religion truly bigger than us, requiring obedience even when it goes against everything in us or is it a tool that humanity developed on accident to meet needs?

I do have some complaints about the first couple of chapters, which were Michener's conjecture on what the earliest forms of civilization looked like. It felt unbelievable, mostly because it forces you to think about where ideas come from and how civilization actually advances. We live the way we do today because forever ago, someone had the idea to develop a certain type of technology, which was later improved by another thinker, and so on. Where does that creative spark and understanding of the world come from?

All in all, this book was amazing: thought-provoking, genuine, and challenging. It ended in 1964 but offers an excellent and engaging background on the power struggle for Israel over thousands of years. I would be interested to follow it up with a summary of what decisions were actually made by Israeli leadership in the establishment of the state and how those decisions paved the way for the current Israel/Palestine conflict.

Age range: 18+
This is a challenging read, and it requires some focus to follow the opposing arguments that the 4 modern-day main characters make as they uncover the past. Very philosophical. Plus, lots of violence in the flashbacks.