I struggled through the 1st chapter about Noah, and the Ark. My first impression? A book that's too clever for its own good here. I just couldn't read any more of it, as much as I wanted to give it a chance, like I do with any book.

My copy now resides next to the pool in a lovely hotel on Crete. If you see it, think of me, because I couldn't even bear to carry it home.


Entertaining and clever.   February 4, 1999
Because this book is so witty and accessible, it's easy to miss how massive the themes covered are. "Adam and Eve" is the Bible story that explains our struggles and survival. Here, Barnes gives us a modern alternative, using Noah's story as reccurring imagery that tie the chapters together beautifully. The other reviewer said that it's a book that won't change your life. Well, I disagree. By mocking our struggles, Barnes puts them into perspective. We WILL survive and we WILL love, whether we like it or not.


Intelligent, irreverent and entertaining   December 3, 1998
It's not what it says it is: this book is no idiots guide to history. However, what you do get is a collection of inter-related stories, spanning history. The account of the great flood and Noah's habit of eating the animals of the ark is hilarious. It won't change your life, but there is a lot to learn from this insightful book.