# Books for non-fundies **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 6, 2000, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226 "2000-12-06T00:56:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/1 "2000-12-06T00:56:58Z")
Any fundies out there want to suggest books for non-fundies? -Ben ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/2 "2000-12-06T01:00:26Z")
Oh, c’mon; you know fundies only have one Book. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/3 "2000-12-06T01:02:49Z")
Like Gaudere said, there’s only one. And don’t think we haven’t read it. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/4 "2000-12-06T03:37:29Z")
Well, how about a not-very-good Christian recommending books for the non-religious? Again- Isaac Asimovs Guide to the Bible How the Irish saved Civilization. ---
**Author:** ![meara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@meara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meara)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/5 "2000-12-06T04:16:04Z")
Check out “Bible Stories for Adults” by James Morrow. 😉 (Let’s just say it’s not your standard Christian fare…) ---
**Author:** ![meara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@meara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meara)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/6 "2000-12-06T04:27:12Z")
Okay… so maybe I should have looked further down the topic list before jumping in… missed the point… :o ---
**Author:** ![Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/7 "2000-12-06T18:11:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danielinthewolvesden \* > \*\*Well, how about a not-very-good Christian recommending books for the non-religious? > > Again- Isaac Asimovs Guide to the Bible > How the Irish saved Civilization. > \*\* I believe I have heard somewhere that there is a NYT review which sorely criticises Asimov for not taking Biblical archaeology into account in writing his Guide. -Ben ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/8 "2000-12-06T20:53:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ben \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Danielinthewolvesden \* > > \*\*Well, how about a not-very-good Christian recommending books for the non-religious? > > > > Again- Isaac Asimovs Guide to the Bible > > How the Irish saved Civilization. > > \*\* > > I believe I have heard somewhere that there is a NYT review which sorely criticises Asimov for not taking Biblical archaeology into account in writing his Guide. > > -Ben \*\* Asimovs guide was not a guide to recent Archeology finds, but an overview of Biblical scholarship & history. His purpose was not to discuss recent finds & digs which were still being argued about & discussed by the experts in the field. Besides, a “book review” is hardly a scholarly critique- they do not have to suppot or base their OPINIONS on anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/9 "2000-12-06T20:58:51Z")
Asimovs Guide, pg 9:" I cannot pretend that in writing this book I am making any significant original contribution to Biblical scholarship… All that I will have to say will consist of MATERIAL WELL KNOWN to students of ancient history." (emphasis mine) ie, nothing very new, controversial, or groundbreaking. Stuff that had already made it to the College textbooks. But- presented in an easy to read & entertaining format. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-for-non-fundies/44226/10 "2000-12-06T22:04:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Besides, a “book review” is hardly a scholarly critique- they do not have to suppot or base their OPINIONS on anything at all. Don’t be snippy, DITWD. _I_ showed that Kenyon’s work debunking the work Asimov quoted came out about _ten years_ before his book was published. I daresay it was likely “well known to students of ancient history” at that point. I don’t recommend reading a book with outdated facts, honestly, particlarly if the person is not well-versed in the area. Even if it _was_ good work during it’s time! If someone is wholly ignorant about something and you want to recommend a book to give them a quick-but-solid grounding, I would probably not recommend a book that was not 100% up-to-date (unless it was for historical context, of course), because they’ll likely accept anything they read as gospel since they don’t know any better.