Download or read book Superheroes and Their Ancient Jewish Parallels written by Johnny E. Miles and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2018-03-23 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Persia had Rostam. Babylonia had Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Egypt had Horus and Isis. Greece had Odysseus and Achilles. Israel had its heroes, too--Moses, David, Esther and Samson. While Israel's heroes did not wear capes or spandex, they did meet cultural needs. In times of crisis, heroes emerge to model virtues that inspire a sense of commitment and worth. Identity concerns were especially acute for a post-exilic Jewish culture. Using modern American superheroes and their stories in a cross-cultural discussion, this book presents the stories of Israelite characters as heroes filling a cultural need.