Review: Quick-Start Guide to the Whole Bible, The Understanding the Big Picture Book-by-Book by Dr. William H. Marty & Dr. Boyd Seevers

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Two respected professors offer a compact reference guide to the whole Bible, with helpful book-by-book summaries as well as application for what it means to you.

MY TAKE:
If you need a quick refresher on all the books of the Bible, this may be the book for you.

Quick-Start Guide to the Whole Bible, The  Understanding the Big Picture Book-by-Book goes through each book from the Old and New Testaments and discusses its settings, summary, and significance.

This book is a bit like Cliffs Notes for the Bible. If you need to remember or learn what a certain book was about but don't have the time to read the whole thing, you only have to locate that particular book here and you'll have pretty much everything you need to know. The guide to each book is quite short, and can be read anywhere from 5-15 minutes, depending on your reading speed.

The setting section of the discussion includes the probably author of the book, as well as the Biblical and historical context (including dates and periods, if possible). This was the section I liked the most since I learned a lot of new things, and it was easier for me to see how it connected to what was going on in the area at the time it was written or set.

The summary, as you would expect, tells you what the book was about. It helps you remember details easier by mentioning if the book can be divided into sections based on story or theme. Chapters and verses are also given so you can read it for yourself.

The significance, on the other hand, explains the main lessons readers can get from that particular book.

This is definitely a good reference book to have, but because the book is written a straightforward manner, it may not the kind of book that will be able to keep your attention enough for you to read it in one sitting.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. It's well-researched.
2. The summary includes the chapters and verses you can refer to in the Bible.
3. The discussions for each book are complete and concise.

THE BAD:

1. The book is written in a straightforward manner which works for a reference book but may not work for people who want to read several chunks or the whole book at once.

READ IT IF:

1. You want to learn about the authors and historical context of the books of the Bible.
2. You want to refresh your memory regarding the topics of a certain book in the Bible.
3. You are looking for a reference book about the books of the Bible that is relatively complete, with each section being a quick read. 

RATING:


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