December 2014

So much has been happening.

I've criss-crossed the country talking about The Bible's Cutting Room Floor.  From California to New York, Michigan to South Carolina, it's been good to be back on the road.

And I have a dozen destinations lined up for next semester, thanks in part to the reduced-rate events that my publisher makes possible.  (I still have room for a few more. If you're interested, please be in touch right away.)

All this travel hasn't left a lot of time for other writing, but I'm still contributing to the Huffington Post (look for a new piece in the coming days), and I just published an essay that I think of as "The Surprising Historical Connection Between Hanukkah and Christmas" on The History Reader, an exciting site run by St. Martin's Press.

Keep reading for details.  And, as always, please write to let me know what you think.

Joel

My publisher has once again made it possible for me to offer reduced-rate book-signing events.  Most of the spots next semester are taken, but I still have room for maybe one or two more.  Please be in touch for details.

Now is also the perfect time to start planning a lecture or longer scholar-in-residence weekend for 2015-16.  Again, be in touch to take the first steps.

Two recent interviews seem worth mentioning.

The first is a pod cast on Pod Academy in which I talk with Craig Barfoot.  It's a 20-minute exploration of the themes in The Bible's Cutting Room Floor.

The second is a Q&A on my book that ran in the Christian Science Monitor.  I'm a big fan of the "short Q&A" format, and in my opinion reporter Randy Dotinga did a stellar job condensing our 40-minute phone call into this quick read.


 

Fallen stones from Rome's siege of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.

"It is well known that when Alexander the Great conquered his known world in the 4th century BC, he left a permanent mark on the world....  It is less well known that the power vacuum left by his untimely death would ultimately lead to the creation of both Hanukkah and Christmas...." 
Keep reading...

This travel spotlight comes from Joshua Tree National Park, a destination I managed to sneak in before a presentation in southern California.  It doesn't have the boldness of the Grand Canyon, but it's certainly a beautiful treat.
 

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