Writing this down in a favorites list always feels like a cheat – like an obvious answer that I didn’t put any thought into. But it is a real answer, and I have to include it. The same is true with the old “what three books would you bring to a deserted island” question. This has to get one of the slots. Many of my readers probably have at least a vague idea of what the Bible’s about and have some opinions on it. It might be at the very top or bottom of your list, too. For those who aren’t too familiar with it, though, it’s the history of the world from beginning to end and mankind’s relationship with God (from good to bad to potentially good if you want).
As you’d expect even if you knew nothing else about it, the Bible is a very controversial book. I don’t have more recent stats, but in 1995, the Bible was the best-selling book of all time, with about 5 billion copies sold (according to the Guinness World Records). It is also one of the most frequently-banned books around the world, and having a copy in certain countries can get you into serious legal trouble. It’s also banned in some institutions in the US, though punishments are milder for culprits who break the rules here.