What bearing has the Old Testament on our lives today? How well are its once famous stories known, and what is the point of them? Is there a consistent pattern throughout its many books? Is the Old Testament as important for Christians as for Jews? What does it tell us about God's plans for the human race? Canon Trevor Shannon has gone a long way to answering some of those questions and to clarifying some of the difficulties and obscurities. He approaches the books historically, so that we have a continuum against which the major themes can be played: the establishment of monotheism and the Jewish nation; the gradual discovery of the possibility of a personal relationship with God; the crucial part played by the prophets; the acceptance of suffering as something other than a sign of God's displeasure; and, running alongside and beneath all these, the unquenchable belief that God intends to bring blessing on all people. The author's stated aim is to illuminate what readers already know, introduce us to some things of which we may be unaware, and tell us that joy and enlightenment can mingle and help us to grasp the riches of these wonderful stories. His brisk, clear narratives - many were written to be read aloud - are like beams of light cast on the workings of human nature, which then as now form a tangled web of struggle and despair, hope and the joy of fulfilment. Trevor Shannon studied theology at Cambridge and London universities. He has a particular interest in Old Testament studies. Ordained in 1959 he has served as parish priest and schoolmaster in Lancashire and East London. His publications include 'Jesus and Christmas' and 'Easter' (Lutterworth) and the Christian section of 'Ethical Issues' in 'Six Religious Traditions' (Edinburgh University Press).