The Book of Miracles - by Kenneth L Woodward (Paperback)

About the Book

Woodward offers an intellectually rich look at the five great religions' foundational miracles and those of the later sages and saints.

Book Synopsis

For the first time in a single volume, Kenneth Woodward presents both the familiar and more obscure miracle stories of the great saints, sages, and spiritual masters of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam -- and explains their meaning in the context of the sacred scriptures of each tradition. The Book of Miracles charts a journey from ancient to modern -- from the Prophet Muhammad's healing of the sick and the workings of Moses, Elijah, and Elisha to those of the Lubavitcher rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson and the female Hindu sat guru Ammachi. In bringing together stories of the Talmudic wonder-workers, the first Christian hermits, early Sufi mystics, Muslim ascetics and martyrs, and the most revered Hindu and Buddhist saints, Woodward illuminates both the striking similarities and significant differences in each tradition's understanding of the miraculous.

Review Quotes

Annie Dillard All roads to the sacred run through the tricky terrain of miracles. For those making the journey, Ken Woodward's The Book of Miracles is a wise and delightful guide.

Colman McCarthy The Washington Post Book World Journalists are rarely scholars, scholars are rarely journalists. Kenneth L. Woodward...ably displays a mastery of both roles.

Kenneth A. Briggs The Philadelphia Inquirer The Compendium of stories is rich and intriguing....a solid contribution to the study of comparative religion.

William F. Buckley, Jr. There is nowhere else to go to survey the whole scene, meaning Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Absolutely necessary for those who are curious.

About the Author

Kenneth L. Woodward has been Religion Editor at Newsweek for thirty-six years. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Smithsonian, Commonweal, The Nation, and America, among other publications. He is also the winner of a National Magazine Award and the author of Making Saints.