Christian Historical Bookclub discussion

Chat it up about Noah, the ark, and all the books written about him since his story was first recorded in the Bible!

I recently read The Ark and the Dove by Jill Eileen Smith. The book lionizes Noah as expected but also seeks to remind the reader of his wife's contributions. Indeed, the prelude, interlude, and epilogue are all written in first person from her point of view. She provides a mother's unique kind of unconditional love and emotion as she reflects on the violence of that barbaric age, the wickedness of humankind, and the hope for civilization following the Deluge. In the book, the dove returns with an olive leaf from a tree that has already recovered and grown now that the flood has passed. I suppose that would be most people's way of understanding the olive leaf. Still, as a child, I always thought that the dove ascended into heaven and brought the olive leaf back as a sign of hope—similar to the rainbow that God eventually places in the sky. Anyway, I do recommend The Ark and The Dove. You can also look up my review.