The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve by Stephen Greenblatt ★★★★

[John]

The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve: The Story That Created Us by Stephen This Pulitzer Prize winning author explores the cultural, religious, and philosophical influences of the Adam and Eve story throughout history. At its core, this book explores how this ancient story from the Bible shaped human concepts of sin, free will, and the nature of humanity. It also a literary analysis of how it evolved from a literal interpretation to a mythological truth.

One alluring aspects of the book is Greenblatt’s ability to traces the influences of the biblical account on St. Augustine of Hippo and other patristic Christian writers, Renaissance art, Martin Luther, John Milton, Charles Dawrin, and Sigmund Freud. He weaves together a wide range of disciplines: literature, philosophy, history, theology, and art in an engaging and accessible prose supported with notes and bibliography for additional readings if so inclined.