Ecclesiastes and the Riddle of Authorship

Reviews / Votes

"In this lively and well-written book, Bolin stands Qohelet scholarship on its head by analyzing interpretations of Ecclesiastes - in particular, mapping the varieties of portraits of its author, Qohelet - rather than simply offering one reading of the text. Bolin thus combines the work of scholars such as Jennifer Koosed, who has explored the question of Qohelet's identity, and scholars such as Eric Christianson, who has collected interpretations of Ecclesiastes that span millennia. Along the way, Bolin interjects fascinating asides about such diverse topics as Greek mythology, the origins of biblical scholarship, and consumer culture."

- Brennan Breed, Columbia Theological Seminary, USA, Ancient Jew Review 2017

"Bolin's volume represents a tour de force in the interpretation of Ecclesiastes. It constitutes a superb example of the reception historical method. It is a delightful short book, packed full of information, framed from a postmodern perspective. Bolin's wit, engaging style, and erudition make this a book to purchase, for fans of either Ecclesiastes or reception history, whether scholars, ministers and seminary students, or simply for the educated public. Carpe librum!"

- Mark Sneed, Lubbock Christian Univeristy, USA, Restoration Quarterly 2018

"[This volume] is engagingly written and never dull. Bolin takes the reader by the hand along his journey through key issues in Ecclesiastes scholarship as seen through the lens of reception history ... Bolin unmasks readerly bias [of Ecclesiastes] of every type, religious, scholarly, 'objective', rational, and otherwise. Bolin makes some important arguments here that have application to our interpretations of texts beyond that of simply 'the Preacher' himself ... This work is important in the link in makes between older reception history and more recent scholarship - it shows how we are all engaged in the same interpretaive task just from different standpoints and different cultures. The quest to understand this enigmatic books goes on ... "

- Katharine Dell, University of Cambridge, UK, Journal of Theological Studies 2018

"Although small in size, Thomas M. Bolin's Ecclesiastes and the Riddle of Authorship is big in ideas. Bolin sets out to show that how the reader imagines and constructs the author shapes how a book is interpreted [...] He has certainly set out the roadmap he intended, and it will offer good guidance for those who continue down this path."

- Jason Kalman, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, Israel, H-Net Reviews in the Humanities & Social Sciences 2018

"As an early foray into the use of Brennan Breed's model of reception history, I heartily recommend this probing study by Thomas Bolin to those interested in Ecclesiastes or in the reception history of biblical texts."

- Douglas B. Miller, Tabor College, USA, Reading Religion 2019

"Bolin takes us on an exhilarating journey through the reception history of a particularly puzzling biblical book, charting and critiquing the multifarious answers that various readers down the centuries have given to the question 'Who is Qohelet, the author of Ecclesiastes?' ... Each of [the existing] readings of the authorial voice in Ecclesiastes is skilfully traced by Bolin, who clearly revels in the multiple potential readings that such a text elicits and who equally clearly appreciates the creativity that many readers have brought to the interpretational table."

- John Jarick, University of Oxford, UK, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 2020