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Reviews (9)

When they drop the anti-Semitism bickering, it excels
I had a subscription to BAR previously and I absolutely LOVED the articles when they presented excellent photos, interesting finds and deep discussion.My interest started to wane when it seemed that a fair number of discussions turned to how "Dr. X is/was an anti-Semite and therefore his discoveries/theories should be invalidated/discredited/etc.", also implying that Jewish archaeologists' work should be magnified over anyone else's.

I'm not Jewish.I'm also not a racist.The reason why I (or anyone else, I'd presume) would take interest in the magazine was for the aforementioned photos, discoveries, and so forth, not so I can put my money down to read people's discourses on finger-pointing about anti-Semitism.

Yes, racism is bad.Yes, Judaism plays an important part in understanding Biblical archaeology (but not to the point of excluding Christian researchers or thinking anyone outside of Judaism can't be a decent scholar).Even if accusations of anti-Semitism are true about Dr. X, Y, or Z, if their research is scientifically sound, get over it and go argue with Dr. X, Y, or Z on his own turf, not in the magazine, because frankly, I as a reader just don't care about your beef.

I am in agreement with other reviewers who say the magazine excels when it sticks to facts, and is tedious when it goes off on finger-pointing.If you can handle both, buy the magazine.It put me off years ago, but I might consider going back if the quality remains.

HERSHEL SHANKS ROCKS!!!
He's been in the rock business a long time, serving as chief editor/founder of BAR, Bible Review and Archaeology Odyssey; he is also president of Biblical Archaeology Society among many other ventures.I've read his Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls which he mainly edited, although he wrote a few articles himself.This is a magazine of substance, one I would love to have a subscription to.The issue of July/August 2004 has an interesting article/interview that Mr. Shanks orchestrated between Elie Wiesel and Frank Moore Cross, the subject being how they understood, approached, studied the Bible, from their perspective, which their lifes' work ultimately revolves around.One, F.M. Cross, comes from a Presbyterian, academic background, the other, Wiesel, a jewish one.Frank Moore Cross contributed several articles to Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls.He was the only protestant to work on the scrolls among the original team of 7 other people, six of whom were Catholic clerics; he is an expert in this field.And I just love Wiesel's mind, I love how he writes and thinks.That one article, I think is really illuminating, showing how rich in teaching the Bible is regardless of its many detractors, or fumbling misinterpreters.It is, as I've been taught in sunday school, G-d breathed, it's G-d's words, it is a living text even if it contains mostly stories of people long since dead and gone.Elie Wiesel says of it: " Wherever you open it, any page, you know that you are in the presence of something that exists nowhere else."The moral of the article is neither approach, Wiesel's or Cross', toward scripture is wrong, it just simply reflects the richness, the variety of the text.

Reviews (4)

History and Poetry
The New Interpreter's Bible is a twelve-volume series, updating the popular Interpreter's Bible from a few decades ago.There are several key features common to all of the volumes of this series.First, each includes a two-column, double translation of the Biblical text (NIV - New International Version, and NRSV - New Revised Standard Version) arranged by topical unit or story.Then, they provide commentaries that look at the passages as a whole, as well as verse-by-verse.Third, interesting Reflection pieces that relate the passages to each other, to history, and to current concerns occur at the conclusion of each passage.Fourth, introductory articles for each book are provided that discuss transmission, historical background, cultural setting, literary concerns, and current scholarship.Finally, there are general articles about the Bible, each Testament, and various types of literature (Narrative, Gospel, Wisdom Literature, etc.) are provided to give general placement and knowledge about the text overall.

The list of contributors, editors, and consultants on the project is a veritable Who's Who of biblical and theological scholarship, representing all major traditions and schools of thought liberal and conservative.Leander Keck, of the Yale Divinity School, is the primary editor of the series.

The volumes were published individually, and can be purchased individually, which is a good thing, given that they are a bit expensive.But for any serious biblical scholar, preacher, student, or enthusiast, they are invaluable.

--Volume IV--

The fourth volume of the New Interpreter's Bible finishes a look at the `histories', more precisely termed in the NIB as Narrative Literature, with the apocryphal books I and II Maccabees.Then it turns to looking at the books that form the heart of ancient Hebrew poetry, the books of Job and the Psalms.

Adele Berlin of the University of Maryland provides a general article on an Introduction to Hebrew Poetry.One of the first difficulties addressed is the difficulty of determining just what is poetry in the Hebrew Scriptures.Looking at familiar concepts such as meter and rhythm, rhyme and patterns, Berlin also addresses ideas unique or at least more characteristic of Hebrew poetry, such as terseness, certain kinds of parallelism, and context and themes.Finally, Berlin discusses the reason for poetry - to be read and spoken.`Most scholarly analysis of biblical poetry has concentrated on its measurable features, such as formal structuring devices, repetition, parallelism, meter, and the like.Commentaries generally offer line-by-line interpretations focusing on difficult words and constructions or unusual references.Occasionally provided by the exegete, but often left to the reader, has been the actual reading of the poem - the making of sense and beauty from its sounds, words, and structures, the perception that it is a unified entity with a distinctive message.'

The apocryphal books of the Maccabees are addressed by Robert Doran of Amherst College.Carol Newsom of Candler School of Theology at Emory provides commentary on the book of Job.J. Clinton McCann Jr. of Eden Theological Seminary looks at the book of Psalms.In looking at the Psalms, McCann states:`The book of Psalms presents nothing short of God's claim upon the whole world and it articulates God's will for justice, righteousness and peace among all peoples and all nations.It is the purpose of this commentary to elucidate that claim and to enable the reader to hear the Word of God as it comes to us in the psalms.'

High praise goes to the general editorial staff for working with such strong authors/scholars, that their work fits together well as part of this set while retaining their individual characteristics (much like the writers of the Bible itself!).

--Other volumes available--

The following is a list of each volume in this twelve-volume set, and the contents of each.

Volume I:General Articles on the Bible; General Articles on the Old Testament; Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus

Volume II:Numbers; Deuteronomy; Introduction to Narrative Literature; Joshua; Judges; Ruth; I & II Samuel

Volume III:I & II Kings; I & II Chronicles; Ezra, Nehemiah; Esther; Additions to Esther; Tobit; Judith

Volume IV:I & II Maccabees; Introduction to Hebrew Poetry; Job; Psalms

Volume V:Introduction to Wisdom Literature; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; Book of Wisdom; Sirach

Volume VI:Introduction to Prophetic Literature; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Baruch; Letter of Jeremiah; Lamentations; Ezekiel

Volume VII:Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature; Daniel; Additions to Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Johan; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi

Volume VIII:General Articles on the New Testament; Matthew; Mark

Volume IX:Luke; John

Volume X:Acts; Introduction to Epistolary Literature; Romans, I Corinthians

Volume XI:II Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; I & II Thessalonians; I & II Timothy; Titus; Philemon

Volume XII:Hebrews; James; I & II Peter; I, II & III John; Jude; Revelation

The best of the best
Most people understand that the study of Scripture is an enormous task;and that there is a considerable theological heritage to even the mostbenign of passages.Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to translatethat understanding into a willingness to genuinely delve into the vast poolof material out there.In addition, it's hard to know whom to trust.

Youcan trust the New Interpreter's Bible series.All of the scholars whocontributed are the best in their field.In addition, the layout (whichincludes two complete translations - the NIV and the NRSV) is conducive toboth scholarly and spiritual study of the texts.

Each text is broken downinto discrete units followed by general commentaryon the passage, verse by vers analysis of key issues, and then an overviewof study questions.The commentators address issues of authorship,historical setting, translation, theological history, and personalapplication.In addition, they graciously point to excellent sources for further reading.

Speaking as a pastor, it is my strong opinion that everyEnglish-speaking Christian who is serious about Bible study should own the complete set.

Reviews (3)

To be wise...
The New Interpreter's Bible is a twelve-volume series, updating the popular Interpreter's Bible from a few decades ago.There are several key features common to all of the volumes of this series.First, each includes a two-column, double translation of the Biblical text (NIV - New International Version, and NRSV - New Revised Standard Version) arranged by topical unit or story.Then, they provide commentaries that look at the passages as a whole, as well as verse-by-verse.Third, interesting Reflection pieces that relate the passages to each other, to history, and to current concerns occur at the conclusion of each passage.Fourth, introductory articles for each book are provided that discuss transmission, historical background, cultural setting, literary concerns, and current scholarship.Finally, there are general articles about the Bible, each Testament, and various types of literature (Narrative, Gospel, Wisdom Literature, etc.) are provided to give general placement and knowledge about the text overall.

The list of contributors, editors, and consultants on the project is a veritable Who's Who of biblical and theological scholarship, representing all major traditions and schools of thought liberal and conservative.Leander Keck, of the Yale Divinity School, is the primary editor of the series.

The volumes were published individually, and can be purchased individually, which is a good thing, given that they are a bit expensive.But for any serious biblical scholar, preacher, student, or enthusiast, they are invaluable.

--Volume V--

The fifth volume of the New Interpreter's Bible is the volume that contains the Wisdom Literature tradition in the Hebrew Scriptures.After an introductory essay concerning Wisdom Literature, the volume continues with the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiates and the Song of Songs, as well as the apocrypal books of Wisdom and Sirach.

Raymond C. Van Leeuwen of Eastern College, St. Davids, Pennsylvania, provides a commentary on Proverbs.W. Sibley Towner of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia looks at the book of Ecclesiates.Renita Weems of Vanderbilt Divinity School addresses the Song of Songs.Michael Kolarcik, SJ, of Regis College, Toronto looks at the apocryphal book of Wisdom, and James Crenshaw of Duke University finishes the volume with a commentary on the book of Sirach.

Richard Clifford of the Weston School of Theology provides a general introduction to Wisdom Literature.In this article, Clifford examines parallels with Wisdom traditions in other ancient Near Eastern cultures, and finds evidence in Mesopotamia, Egypt and the rest of the Levant in some abundance.He continues by examining the social context, the main structures and teachings, and later developments in Judaism and Christianity based upon Wisdom traditions.`The wisdom books remind readers that one must take hold of life as both gift and task, that there are many possibilities but also profound limits, and that honest observation and fidelity to one's experience of life can put one in touch with a wondrous order whose source is God.'

The books of Wisdom and Sirach are called apocryphal because their status is not canonically clear within the Christian tradition.They are not contained in the official canon of the Hebrew scripture, and so Protestant tradition has tended to leave the books out of the Old Testament.However, these texts were included in the Septuagint, the primary Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures in the ancient world, and so the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches consider the texts canonical.

High praise goes to the general editorial staff for working with such strong authors/scholars, that their work fits together well as part of this set while retaining their individual characteristics (much like the writers of the Bible itself!).

--Other volumes available--

The following is a list of each volume in this twelve-volume set, and the contents of each.

Volume I:General Articles on the Bible; General Articles on the Old Testament; Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus

Volume II:Numbers; Deuteronomy; Introduction to Narrative Literature; Joshua; Judges; Ruth; I & II Samuel

Volume III:I & II Kings; I & II Chronicles; Ezra, Nehemiah; Esther; Additions to Esther; Tobit; Judith

Volume IV:I & II Maccabees; Introduction to Hebrew Poetry; Job; Psalms

Volume V:Introduction to Wisdom Literature; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; Book of Wisdom; Sirach

Volume VI:Introduction to Prophetic Literature; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Baruch; Letter of Jeremiah; Lamentations; Ezekiel

Volume VII:Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature; Daniel; Additions to Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Johan; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi

Volume VIII:General Articles on the New Testament; Matthew; Mark

Volume IX:Luke; John

Volume X:Acts; Introduction to Epistolary Literature; Romans, I Corinthians

Volume XI:II Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; I & II Thessalonians; I & II Timothy; Titus; Philemon

Volume XII:Hebrews; James; I & II Peter; I, II & III John; Jude; Revelation

The Best of the Best
Most people understand that the study of Scripture is an enormous task;and that there is a considerable theological heritage to even the mostbenign of passages.Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to translatethat understanding into a willingness to genuinely delve into the vast poolof material out there.In addition, it's hard to know whom to trust.

Youcan trust the New Interpreter's Bible series.All of the scholars whocontributed are the best in their field.In addition, the layout (whichincludes two complete translations - the NIV and the NRSV) is conducive toboth scholarly and spiritual study of the texts.

Each text is broken downinto discrete units followed by general commentaryon the passage, verse by vers analysis of key issues, and then an overviewof study questions.The commentators address issues of authorship,historical setting, translation, theological history, and personalapplication.In addition, they graciously point to excellent sources for further reading.

Speaking as a pastor, it is my strong opinion that everyEnglish-speaking Christian who is serious about Bible study should own the complete set.

The BEST Bible commentary available.
I can't believe that no one has written an online review of this book yet! The NIB is the best Bible commentary written. If you are serious about scholarly study of the Bible, you need to buy the entire series. It isexpensive to buy 12 volumes at $60-70 each, even if you save 30% throughamazon.com like I did ;). In that case, check with your church or library.As a fall-back try Harper's or Jerome's for single volume commentaries. Ifat all possible, buy the NIB. Forget the earlier version of the IB.

Reviews (1)

Prophecy
The New Interpreter's Bible is a twelve-volume series, updating the popular Interpreter's Bible from a few decades ago.There are several key features common to all of the volumes of this series.First, each includes a two-column, double translation of the Biblical text (NIV - New International Version, and NRSV - New Revised Standard Version) arranged by topical unit or story.Then, they provide commentaries that look at the passages as a whole, as well as verse-by-verse.Third, interesting Reflection pieces that relate the passages to each other, to history, and to current concerns occur at the conclusion of each passage.Fourth, introductory articles for each book are provided that discuss transmission, historical background, cultural setting, literary concerns, and current scholarship.Finally, there are general articles about the Bible, each Testament, and various types of literature (Narrative, Gospel, Wisdom Literature, etc.) are provided to give general placement and knowledge about the text overall.

The list of contributors, editors, and consultants on the project is a veritable Who's Who of biblical and theological scholarship, representing all major traditions and schools of thought liberal and conservative.Leander Keck, of the Yale Divinity School, is the primary editor of the series.

The volumes were published individually, and can be purchased individually, which is a good thing, given that they are a bit expensive.But for any serious biblical scholar, preacher, student, or enthusiast, they are invaluable.

--Volume VI--

The sixth volume of the New Interpreter's Bible is the volume that introduces the Prophetic tradition in the Hebrew Scriptures.After an introductory essay concerning Prophetic Literature, the volume continues with the books of the major prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel, as well as the apocrypal books of Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah..

In his introductory general article on Prophetic Literature, David Petersen of the Illiff School of Theology looks at the diverse roles of the prophets in Israel's history, as well as the different kinds of poetic and prose produced by the prophets.Petersen addresses issues of the growth over time of prophetic voices, as well as the key issues brought up by the prophets over and over again, such as ethical norms, covenant, and the idea of ultimate hope in God.Petersen also looks at prophetic parallels in other cultures, concluding however that there are no true exemplars outside of the Bible given the scope and sophistication of Biblical prophecy.

The book of Isaiah is looked at as two distinct units, divided as I Isaiah (consisting of chapters 1-39), addressed by Gene Tucker of the Candler School of Theology, Emory, and II Isaiah (consisting of chapters 40-66), addressed by Christopher Seitz of St. Mary's College, University of St. Andrews, Scotland.This helps reinforced the radical difference in the text of Isaiah.Patrick Miller of Princeton Theological Seminary provides commentary on the book of Jeremiah.Anthony Saldarini of Boston College looks at both the book of Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah.Kathleen O'Connor of Columbia Theological Seminary takes on the task of Lamentations, and Katheryn Pfisterer Darr completes the volume with her work on the book of Ezekiel.

The books of Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah are called apocryphal because their status is not canonically clear within the Christian tradition.They are not contained in the official canon of the Hebrew scripture, and so Protestant tradition has tended to leave the books out of the Old Testament.However, these texts were included in the Septuagint, the primary Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures in the ancient world, and so the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches consider the texts canonical.

High praise goes to the general editorial staff for working with such strong authors/scholars, that their work fits together well as part of this set while retaining their individual characteristics (much like the writers of the Bible itself!).

--Other volumes available--

The following is a list of each volume in this twelve-volume set, and the contents of each.

Volume I:General Articles on the Bible; General Articles on the Old Testament; Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus

Volume II:Numbers; Deuteronomy; Introduction to Narrative Literature; Joshua; Judges; Ruth; I & II Samuel

Volume III:I & II Kings; I & II Chronicles; Ezra, Nehemiah; Esther; Additions to Esther; Tobit; Judith

Volume IV:I & II Maccabees; Introduction to Hebrew Poetry; Job; Psalms

Volume V:Introduction to Wisdom Literature; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; Book of Wisdom; Sirach

Volume VI:Introduction to Prophetic Literature; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Baruch; Letter of Jeremiah; Lamentations; Ezekiel

Volume VII:Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature; Daniel; Additions to Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Johan; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi

Volume VIII:General Articles on the New Testament; Matthew; Mark

Volume IX:Luke; John

Volume X:Acts; Introduction to Epistolary Literature; Romans, I Corinthians

Volume XI:II Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; I & II Thessalonians; I & II Timothy; Titus; Philemon

Reviews (3)

Apocalypse
The New Interpreter's Bible is a twelve-volume series, updating the popular Interpreter's Bible from a few decades ago.There are several key features common to all of the volumes of this series.First, each includes a two-column, double translation of the Biblical text (NIV - New International Version, and NRSV - New Revised Standard Version) arranged by topical unit or story.Then, they provide commentaries that look at the passages as a whole, as well as verse-by-verse.Third, interesting Reflection pieces that relate the passages to each other, to history, and to current concerns occur at the conclusion of each passage.Fourth, introductory articles for each book are provided that discuss transmission, historical background, cultural setting, literary concerns, and current scholarship.Finally, there are general articles about the Bible, each Testament, and various types of literature (Narrative, Gospel, Wisdom Literature, etc.) are provided to give general placement and knowledge about the text overall.

The list of contributors, editors, and consultants on the project is a veritable Who's Who of biblical and theological scholarship, representing all major traditions and schools of thought liberal and conservative.Leander Keck, of the Yale Divinity School, is the primary editor of the series.

The volumes were published individually, and can be purchased individually, which is a good thing, given that they are a bit...But for any serious biblical scholar, preacher, student, or enthusiast, they are invaluable.

--Volume VII--

The seventh volume of the New Interpreter's Bible is the volume that introduces the Apocalytic tradition in the Hebrew Scriptures.After an introductory essay concerning Apocalyptic Literature, the volume continues with the books of the major prophet Daniel, the apocryphal additions of Daniel, and the so-called twelve Minor Prophets, and so concludes the Hebrew Scripture/Old Testament section of the series.

In his introductory general article on Apocalyptic Literature, Frederick Murphy of the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, looks at the ideas behind Apocalyptic and Revelation traditions.There is more than one strand of tradition in such thinking, and Murphy approaches the task by looking at origins, commonalities, and the differences contained in the writings, both canonical and extracanonical.Murphy devotes some time to looking at texts beyond the scope of the NIB (those writings, such as the Enoch literature and the Apocalypse of Abraham, which didn't even achieve apocryphal status) to create a broader worldview for the context of biblical Apocalyptic literature.

Each of the books is addressed by a different scholar, each providing commentary and reflection material giving insight into historical interpretation as well as new directions for each of the Minor Prophetic works.Perhaps the best known of the Minor Prophets is Jonah, commentary for which is provided by Phyllis Trible of Union Theological Seminaryin New York.Trible writes, `The book of Jonah does not disclose its purpose, and speculation has not secured it.This uncertainty matches the meager knowledge about its origin, date, composition, genre, and setting.Nonetheless, the book offers an abundance of literary treasures, theological complexities, and hermeneutical possibilities.'

The additions to Daniel are called apocryphal because their status is not canonically clear within the Christian tradition.They are not contained in the official canon of the Hebrew scripture, and so Protestant tradition has tended to leave the books out of the Old Testament.However, these texts were included in the Septuagint, the primary Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures in the ancient world, and so the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches consider the texts canonical.

High praise goes to the general editorial staff for working with such strong authors/scholars, that their work fits together well as part of this set while retaining their individual characteristics (much like the writers of the Bible itself!).

--Other volumes available--

The following is a list of each volume in this twelve-volume set, and the contents of each.

Volume I:General Articles on the Bible; General Articles on the Old Testament; Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus

Volume II:Numbers; Deuteronomy; Introduction to Narrative Literature; Joshua; Judges; Ruth; I & II Samuel

Volume III:I & II Kings; I & II Chronicles; Ezra, Nehemiah; Esther; Additions to Esther; Tobit; Judith

Volume IV:I & II Maccabees; Introduction to Hebrew Poetry; Job; Psalms

Volume V:Introduction to Wisdom Literature; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; Book of Wisdom; Sirach

Volume VI:Introduction to Prophetic Literature; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Baruch; Letter of Jeremiah; Lamentations; Ezekiel

Volume VII:Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature; Daniel; Additions to Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Johan; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi

Volume VIII:General Articles on the New Testament; Matthew; Mark

Volume IX:Luke; John

Volume X:Acts; Introduction to Epistolary Literature; Romans, I Corinthians

Volume XI:II Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; I & II Thessalonians; I & II Timothy; Titus; Philemon

Volume XII:Hebrews; James; I & II Peter; I, II & III John; Jude; Revelation

The Best of the Best
Most people understand that the study of Scripture is an enormous task;and that there is a considerable theological heritage to even the mostbenign of passages.Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to translatethat understanding into a willingness to genuinely delve into the vast poolof material out there.In addition, it's hard to know whom to trust.

Youcan trust the New Interpreter's Bible series.All of the scholars whocontributed are the best in their field.In addition, the layout (whichincludes two complete translations - the NIV and the NRSV) is conducive toboth scholarly and spiritual study of the texts.

Each text is broken downinto discrete units followed by general commentaryon the passage, verse by vers analysis of key issues, and then an overviewof study questions.The commentators address issues of authorship,historical setting, translation, theological history, and personalapplication.In addition, they graciously point to excellent sources for further reading.

Speaking as a pastor, it is my strong opinion that everyEnglish-speaking Christian who is serious about Bible study should own the complete set.

The BEST Bible commentary available.
I can't believe that no one has written an online review of this book yet! The NIB is the best Bible commentary written. If you are serious about scholarly study of the Bible, you need to buy the entire series. It isexpensive to buy 12 volumes at $60-70 each, even if you save 30% throughamazon.com like I did ;). In that case, check with your church or library.As a fall-back try Harper's or Jerome's for single volume commentaries. Ifat all possible, buy the NIB. Forget the earlier version of the IB.

Editorial Review

Meade finally brings a serious telescope into thecasual-consumer price range. The ETX-90EC Astro offers extraordinaryoptics at an affordable price. It combines a high-resolution opticaldesign and diffraction-limited imaging with microprocessor-controlled,precise celestial-object tracking, all in a nicely styled, highlyportable package.

Improvements to this model include a new forkmount with dual-axis drive system. The ETX-90EC also includes hightorque DC motors on both telescope axes, permitting electronicoperation from the hand-held controller. This push-button electroniccontroller has four dual-axis drive speeds: slow, 8x for imagecentering at high power; medium, 32x for image centering at lowerpower or for pushbutton tracking in altazimuth mode; moderate, 0.75degrees per second for image centering in the viewfinder or forterrestrial tracking; and fast, 5 degrees per second for fast scanningacross the sky.

The Meade ETX-90EC is specially designed to beportable and used in the field. It offers cordless operation, allowingyou to use the telescope's dual-axis drive system for more than 40hours on eight AA batteries. At approximately 8 pounds and 15 inchesin length, it packs a lot of power into a compact unit.

TheETX-90EC uses a 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design, and Meadeactually warranties the optics of the ETX-90EC "to equal or exceed theoptical performance and resolution of any Maksutov optics of similaraperture ever manufactured at any price." The ETX-Series optics offersuperb contrast, image brightness, and resolution; Meade claims thetelescope consistently outperforms many instruments of largerapertures. Meade also uses EMC super multicoatings on all opticalsurfaces to maximize light transmission through the corrector lens andreflectance from the primary and secondary mirrors. The flip-mirrorsystem allows for 90-degree observation of land and sky objects,straight-through observation using the optional #932 45-degreeErecting Prism, or photo-ready imaging using the optional #64T-Adapter and your own 35mm camera.

Editorial Review

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth is essential viewing foranyone old enough to appreciate its vital teachings. One of the greatestinterviews ever recorded, this six-part, six-hour encounter between teacher- mythologist Campbell and student-journalist Bill Moyers (recorded in the twoyears preceding Campbell's death in 1988) covers a galaxy of topics related toCampbell's central themes: Mythology is humanity's universal method of seekingthe transcendental, and "follow your bliss" is the timeless formula forspiritual satisfaction. Campbell himself is the embodiment of these themes, anerudite scholar and quintessential storyteller, recalling a wide spectrum ofmyths from throughout history (Japanese, Native American, Egyptian, Mayan, andmany more) to illustrate humankind's eternal quest to grasp the mysteries ofcreation. Historical artifacts and illustrations bring these timeless stories tolife.