A wonderful friend of mine gave me this book as a birthday gift this year. She had no idea just how much I had been wanting to read the book, which made the gift especially thoughtful...she knew it was right up my alley :)

It sat on my shelf for the next 6 months until I decided it would be a fascinating read post-Holy Land visit. I haven't been disappointed. In fact, I can hardly pry my hands off of the volume! The author's thesis is that Jesus' life and teachings can be understood best when we understand the cultural and historical setting...without the hindrance of our own Western biases. The book has been especially meaningful having lived among Middle Easterners for the past few months and newly visited each of the places mentioned in the text. The author contributes substantial knowledge on Middle Eastern culture, having lived in Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and Cyprus for the past 60 years.

The book begins with several chapters on the circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth (which I just finished), and then moves on to the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, dramatic actions by J.C. (eg: healings), His interactions with women, and His parables.
It's a fabulous read, so far!