Synopses & Reviews
The exodus story is America's story. Moses is our real founding father.
The pilgrims quoted his story. Franklin and Jefferson proposed he appear on the U.S. seal. Washington and Lincoln were called his incarnations. The Statue of Liberty and Superman were molded in his image. Martin Luther King, Jr., invoked him the night before he died. Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama cited him as inspiration. For four hundred years, one figure inspired more Americans than any other. His name is Moses.
In this groundbreaking book, New York Times-bestselling author Bruce Feiler travels through touchstones in American history and traces the biblical prophet's influence from the Mayflower through today. He visits the island where the pilgrims spent their first Sabbath, climbs the bell tower where the Liberty Bell was inscribed with a quote from Moses, retraces the Underground Railroad where "Go Down, Moses" was the national anthem of slaves, and dons the robe Charlton Heston wore in The Ten Commandments.
Even a cursory review of American history indicates that Moses has emboldened leaders of all stripes, Feiler writes, patriot and loyalist, slave and master, Jew and Christian. Could the persistence of his story serve as a reminder of our shared national values? Could he serve as a unifying force in a disunifying time? If Moses could split the Red Sea, could he unsplit America?
One part adventure story, one part literary detective story, one part exploration of faith in contemporary life, America's Prophet takes readers through the landmarks of America's narrative — from Gettysburg to Selma, the Silver Screen to the Oval Office — to understand how Moses has shaped the nation's character.
Meticulously researched and highly readable, America's Prophet is a thrilling, original work of history that will forever change how we view America, our faith, and our future.
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"A facile retracing of American history on a Mosaic theme — which is not to say Feiler fans won't love it." Kirkus Reviews
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"Fascinating and thought provoking." Booklist (Starred Review)
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"Feiler gives us the American struggle... [T]he book possesses a depth and a gravitas that belie the accessible text, attributable to the numerous authorities...interviewed for the book." Library Journal
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"This is an accessible and engaging book of indispensable insight." Tony Horwitz
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"America's Prophet is Bruce Feiler at his innovative best: compelling, sweeping and engaging. Highly recommended!" Douglas Brinkley
Synopsis
New York Times-bestselling author Feiler reveals how Moses has been America's true Spiritual Founding Father, tracing the influence of the biblical figure from the Mayflower pilgrims to the Civil Rights activists, and showing how very relevant he is today.
Synopsis
Bruce Feiler s New York Times "bestsellers Abraham, Walking the Bible, "and Where God Was Born" brilliantly explored the roots of faith. With America s Prophet, "Feiler looks at Moses and the essential role the prophet has played in our nation s history and development. Bruce Feiler s most fascinating and thought-provoking book to date, America s Prophet" delves deeply into how the Exodus story and America s true Spiritual Founding Father have inspired many of the most important figures and defining events in this country s history from the Mayflower Pilgrims to the Civil Rights movement and how Moses can provide meaning in times of national crisis, even today."
Synopsis
The story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt has provided inspiration for many throughout the history of the United States. Martin Luther King, Jr. referred to Moses in his famous "I have been to the mountaintop" speech, delivered the day before his assassination. From the arrival of the first Pilgrims to Abraham Lincoln's address at Gettysburg, it has been a defining theme in American life.
One part adventure story, one part literary detective story, and one part exploration of faith, Bruce Feiler's America's Prophet traces the influence of Moses throughout remarkably diverse aspects of American history. Bestselling author Feiler suggests that Moses, who has been heralded by all political parties and embraced as an icon by every generation from Plymouth to today, offers a path to reclaim the unifying vision of America as the beacon of freedom - the new Promised Land.
Bruce Feiler is the New York Times bestselling author of Walking the Bible, Abraham, and Where God Was Born. Feiler is a graduate of Yale and Cambridge Universities. He is a frequent contributor to NPR and CNN, a contributing editor for Parade, and has written for the New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, USA Today, and Gourmet, where he won three James Beard Awards. In 2006, PBS aired a celebrated miniseries based on Walking the Bible, with Feiler as host. His blog, "Feiler Faster," appears on Beliefnet.org. He lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and twin daughters.
"This is one of the most original, intelligent and endlessly fascinating books I have read in years: it should become a set book for anyone wanting to know what truly makes America tick."
- Simon Winchester
--The New Yorker on Under the Big Top
Synopsis
Bruce Feilers New York Times bestsellers Abraham, Walking the Bible, and Where God Was Born brilliantly explored the roots of faith. With Americas Prophet, Feiler looks at Moses and the essential role the prophet has played in our nations history and development. Bruce Feilers most fascinating and thought-provoking book to date, Americas Prophet delves deeply into how the Exodus story and Americas true “Spiritual Founding Father” have inspired many of the most important figures and defining events in this countrys history—from the Mayflower Pilgrims to the Civil Rights movement—and how Moses can provide meaning in times of national crisis, even today.
About the Author
Bruce Feiler is the New York Times-bestselling author of seven books, including Walking the Bible, Abraham, and Where God Was Born, as well as the host of Walking the Bible on PBS. An award-winning author, journalist, and speaker, Feiler is a graduate of Yale and Cambridge Universities. He is a frequent contributor to NPR, CNN, and Fox News. He lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and twin daughters.