Where God Was Born: A Daring Adventure Through the Bible's Greatest Stories

“Feiler brings to life the birth moment of Western faith and seeks to use the past to understand the present climate of religious extremism.”—Washington Post

At a time when America debates its values and the world braces for religious war, Bruce Feiler travels 10,000 miles through the heart of the Middle East—Israel, Iraq, and Iran—and examines the question: Is Religion Tearing Us Apart . . . Or Can it Bring Us Together?

Where God Was Born combines the adventure of a wartime chronicle, the excitement of an archaeological detective story, and the insight of personal spiritual exploration. Taking readers to biblical sites not seen by Westerners for decades, Feiler’s journey uncovers little-known details about the common roots of Judiasm, Christianity, and Islam, affirms the importance of the Bible in today’s world, and offers a rare, universal vision of God that can inspire different faiths into a united allegiance of hope.

At a time when America debates its values and the world braces for religious war, Bruce Feiler, author of the New York Times bestsellers Walking the Bible and Abraham, travels ten thousand miles through the heart of the Middle East—Israel, Iraq, and Iran—and examines the question: Is religion tearing us apart ... or can it bring us together?

Where God Was Born combines the adventure of a wartime chronicle, the excitement of an archaeological detective story, and the insight of personal spiritual exploration. Taking readers to biblical sites not seen by Westerners for decades, Feiler's journey uncovers little-known details about the common roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and affirms the importance of the Bible in today's world.

In his intimate, accessible style, Feiler invites readers on a never-in-a-lifetime experience:

• Israel Feiler takes a perilous helicopter dive over Jerusalem, treks through secret underground tunnels, and locates the spot where David toppled Goliath.


• Iraq After being airlifted into Baghdad, Feiler visits the Garden of Eden and the birthplace of Abraham, and makes a life-threatening trip to the rivers of Babylon.


• Iran Feiler explores the home of the Bible's first messiah and uncovers the secret burial place of Queen Esther.

In Where God Was Born, Feiler discovers that at the birth of Western religion, all faiths drew from one another and were open to coexistence. Feiler's bold realization is that the Bible argues for interfaith harmony. It cannot be ceded to one side in the debate over values. Feiler urges moderates to take back the Bible and use its powerful voice as a beacon of shared ideals.

In his most ambitious work to date, Bruce Feiler has written a brave, uplifting story that stirs the deepest chords of our time. Where God Was Born offers a rare, universal vision of God that can inspire different faiths to an allegiance of hope.

“Feiler contends that the Bible’s moral vision transcends land, power, and nationality.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“At once a riviting journey through contemporary conflict zones in Israel, the West Bank, Iraq, and Iran, and a provocative analysis of the Bible considered in the broader context of its times. . . . Dramatic . . . consistently pleasurable and thought-provoking . . . Feiler bravely goes where most would not tread.” - Christian Science Monitor

“A marvelous account . . . Erudite yet immensely readable, Feiler chronicles a spiritual journey to the roots of Western civilization.” - Booklist

“Feiler sets off for some of the world’s most dangerous places to follow the key figures and events of the second half of Hebrew scripture. . . . Driven by world events, Feiler looks for seeds of peace at the root of religious conflict. . . . Excellent . . . Feiler’s careful writing and sweeping histories of the region provide compelling reading. - Washington Post Book World

“Engaging, . . . There is an urgency to Feiler’s quest. . . . His solution is a nobly moral one. . . .[Where God Was Born] is nothing if not topical.” - New York Times Book Review