by Thomas Römer (2015)
Who invented God? When, why, and where? Thomas Römer seeks to answer these questions about the deity of the great monotheisms--Yhwh, God, or Allah--by tracing Israelite beliefs and their context from the Bronze Age to the end of the Old Testament period in the third century BCE. That we can address such enigmatic questions at all may come as a surprise. But as Römer makes clear, a wealth of evidence allows us to piece together a reliable account of the origins and evolution of the god of Israel. Römer draws on a long tradition of historical, philological, and exegetical work and on recent discoveries in archaeology and epigraphy to locate the origins of Yhwh in the early Iron Age, when he emerged somewhere in Edom or in the northwest of the Arabian peninsula as a god of the wilderness and of storms and war. He became the sole god of Israel and Jerusalem in fits and starts as other gods, including the mother goddess Asherah, were gradually sidelined. But it was not until a major catastrophe--the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah--that Israelites came to worship Yhwh as the one god of all, creator of heaven and earth, who nevertheless proclaimed a special relationship with Judaism. A masterpiece of detective work and exposition by one of the world's leading experts on the Hebrew Bible, The Invention of God casts a clear light on profoundly important questions that are too rarely asked, let alone answered. (Publisher).
Rabbi Dennis S. Ross
"This candid look at religion and truthfulness is ideal for anyone interested in exploring the religious basis for personal decision making, conscience and morality, including Jews of all denominations personally or in Torah study groups, Christians and social justice activists."--Back cover.
David A. Perry, Ram Oren, Stephen C. Hart
"This acclaimed textbook is the most comprehensive available in the field of forest ecology. Designed for advanced students of forest science, ecology, and environmental studies, it is also an essential reference for forest ecologists, foresters, and land managers. The authors provide an inclusive survey of boreal, temperate, and tropical forests with an emphasis on ecological concepts across scales that range from global to landscape to microscopic. Situating forests in the context of larger landscapes, they reveal the complex patterns and processes observed in tree-dominated habitats."--Publisher's description.
David C. Schneider
Quantitative Ecology reviews the manifold ways that scale influences the interpretation of ecological variation. Ecologists recognize the significance of scale and magnitude in providing a context for resolution of ecological problems. Written for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty researchers, this book synthesizes a burgeoning literature on the influences of scale. As scale, magnitude, quantity, and measurement occupy an expanding role in ecology, Quantitative Ecology will be an indispensable addition to individual and institutional libraries.
Damon Knight
A reprinting of 13 science fiction short stories by Damon Knight, originally published between 1949 and 1960 in various science fiction magazines. The introduction is by Anthony Boucher. Contains the famous "To Serve Man" which was later adapted for "The Twilight Zone" television show.