Weaving together biblical texts with centuries of interpretation and commentary, best-selling author Jonathan Kirsch brings vividly to life one of the most commanding figures of the Bible. In his probing new book, King David: The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel, Kirsch reveals a hero of flesh and blood, not the cartoon character of sermons and Sunday school stories or the immaculate ruler of legend and art. Kirsch’s David is a magnetic, disturbingly familiar man, as vibrant and compelling today as he has been for millennia. In a special evening with the author, Kirsch will read from and discuss his work on Monday, October 16 at 8 p.m. in UCSB Corwin Pavilion. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend. Courtesy of the UCSB Bookstore, copies of books by Kirsch will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

In a taut, dramatic narrative, Kirsch brings new depth and psychological complexity to the familiar events in David’s life—his slaying of the giant Goliath and his swift challenge to the weak rule of Saul, the first Jewish king; his tragic relationship with Saul’s son Jonathan, David’s cherished friend and possibly his lover; and his celebrated reign in Jerusalem. Yet for all his greatness, David was also a man ruled by his passions: a voracious lover who secured the favors of his mistress Bathsheba by secretly arranging the death of her innocent husband; a merciless warrior who triumphed through cruelty; a troubled father who failed to protect his daughter from rape and whose beloved son Absalom rose against him in armed insurrection.

In his second volume of biblical history, Moses: A Life, which he read from and discussed at UCSB in 1998, Kirsch also countered with detailed research and fascinating revelations commonly held myths about another Old Testament figure. His account of little known stories of the Bible, the best-selling The Harlot by the Side of the Road: Forbidden Tales of the Bible, explored stories that have been censored or suppressed because of their erotic, mystical or violent content. The audio edition of that book was cited by Publisher’s Weekly as one of the best audio books of 1997.

Kirsch has been a book critic for the Los Angeles Times since 1968. Since July of 1998, he has served as the “literary correspondent” and book critic for National Public Radio affiliate KPCC-FM, where his book reviews and author interviews air on the Monday program AirTalk. A member of the National Book Critics Circle and president of PEN Center USA West, Kirsch is also a former correspondent for Newsweek. He is the author of two novels, Bad Moon Rising, published in 1977, and Lovers in a Winter Circle from 1978.

Kirsch is an attorney in private practice in Los Angeles where he specializes in entertainment and intellectual property matters, including copyright, trademark and publishing law. In that capacity, he has authored the books Kirsch’s Handbook of Publishing Law for Authors, Publishers, Editors and Agents and Kirsch’s Guide to the Book Publishing Contract.

Presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures, this event is co-sponsored by the UCSB Department of Religious Studies and the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center.

For more information,
call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535.

Editor: For photos, please call
Roman Baratiak at (805) 893-2080.