Frank Carlson Library

L. Frank Baum was 44 when he published the first book about Oz, having spent most of his life reinventing himself with each new career in pursuit of the American Dream. When in Chicago, his observations of an uncertain nation during the Gilded Age informed his magical tale of survival, adventure, and self-discovery which went on to become a quintessential classic

These twenty-four lectures offer an introduction to the history, literature, and religion of ancient Israel and early Judaism as it is presented in the collection of texts called the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, and the Tanakh. Attention is given not only to the content of the biblical books but also to the debates over their meaning and the critical methods through which they have been interpreted.