THE ALEPPO CODEX A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of an Ancient Book

The historic Hebrew Bible was long kept in Aleppo, Syria. When the synagogue where it was kept was set afire in 1947, the Bible was thought to have been destroyed. But a portion survived, was placed in hiding, and 10 years later was smuggled into Israel. The Associated Press's Friedman went into "the Aleppo Codex underground" to track its journey. Friedman's excellent descriptions set the stage for the stops along the way, and Simon Vance's smooth British accent puts listeners on the scene. As Friedman's investigation unfolds, Vance embodies the author's outrage at "the tragedy of human weakness" responsible for the loss of some of the great work. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2012]