A compelling and lucid account of the life and teachings of a founder of rabbinic Judaism and one of the most beloved heroes of Jewish history Born in the Land of Israel around the year 50 C.E.; Rabbi Akiva was the greatest rabbi of his time and one of the most important influences on Judaism as we know it today. Traditional sources tell how he was raised in poverty and unschooled in religious tradition but began to learn the Torah as an adult. In the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E.; he helped shape a new direction for Judaism through his brilliance and his character. Mystic; legalist; theologian; and interpreter; he disputed with his colleagues in dramatic fashion yet was admired and beloved by his peers. Executed by Roman authorities for his insistence on teaching Torah in public; he became the exemplar of Jewish martyrdom. Drawing on the latest historical and literary scholarship; this book goes beyond older biographies; untangling a complex assortment of ancient sources to present a clear and nuanced portrait of Talmudic hero Rabbi Akiva.
#919246 in Books 2012-12-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.23 x .80 x 5.58l; .91 #File Name: 0300188218344 pages
Review
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Not Quite What I ExpectedBy A reader from CaliforniaI have always been fascinated by Antarctica; and was lucky enough to be able to visit there for three weeks some years ago; so I was looking forward to reading this book.When I first read the reviews and blurbs; I thought the book was going to be an exploration of the leadership skills and styles of men like Scott and Shackleton. There was some of that; but mostly the book is an account of the scientific discoveries; told in excruciating detail.Overall; their discoveries were interesting; but for me; reading 300 pages worth of the composition of icebergs vs. glaciers vs. ice caps vs. ice sheets; plus the difference between sandstone; basalt and other rocks; is a bit too much. My eyes started to glaze over.The other problem; and this is not really Larson's fault; is that all the expeditions started to run together in my mind. They all had a hard time sledging; faced horrible weather conditions and ran out of food. It was difficult to tell them apart. I did not get a good sense of what the leaders did or did not do to impact the success or failure of each trip.My recommendation is to read a book on Shackleton's Endurance mission; or his own book "South". Those will provide fascinating details about how the men survived; Shackleton's leadership style; etc.; and are so much better than this book in invoking what these men endured from a personal standpoint. Unless you are a glaciologist or geologist; you will find this book very slow going; and in some cases; deadly dull.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Dense and poorly mappedBy Tim1965If you are looking for a work which depicts the great; tragic journeys of Scott; Shackleton; and Amundsen to find the South Pole -- look somewhere else. If you want a work which depicts; in minute detail; every single expedition made to the Antarctic by Scott; Shackleton; and others -- you will find it here. The problem is that the book contains exceptionally poor maps; and disturbingly few of those. Images; took; are almost lacking. Readers not intimately familiar with the Antarctic will find themselves quickly lost.While the writing is passable and the level of factual detail extremely good; Larson's primary failing is in his ability to craft an interesting narrative. The prose is so dry that even someone very excited about the subject matter will find him or her self struggling to get through it. It makes it difficult to tell tragedy from success; and tedium from excitement.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An amazing story by an amazing author!By Roger DeanAn amazing story; made even more so by the talent of the author. I had the pleasure of meeting him on a recent cruise to Antarctica; and that was what persuaded me to download the book ( while on the ship). I am so glad that I did.
