The Bible is among the world's most influential and important books - and the most controversial. It affects not just religious beliefs but every aspect of our culture, including the very language we speak. But how did it become the book we know it to be? In this superbly written history, Jaroslav Pelikan charts its evolution from oral tales via Hebrew texts, Greek, and Latin translations, to its many different forms today, offering a new insight into the history of the last three thousand years. This is an enduring work of scholarship and a fascinating read.

Jaroslav Pelikan is Sterling professor Emeritus of history at Yale and past president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His many books include the five-volume The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Jesus Through the Centuries. and Mary through the Centuries.