Slayer of Goliath. Wordsmith of the Psalms. Ancestor of Jesus. Biblical hero King David was a lot of things, but many don't realize he was a master power-broker whose shrewd dealings rival those seen on TV's "Game of Thrones" and "Boardwalk Empire," says Joel Baden, author of "The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero" (HarperOne, 2013). Baden will discuss his new book at 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 5, at Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Road, Fairfield.

The event is free and open to the public.

In his book, Baden, an Old Testament scholar, strives to bring the historical David to life by reaching back through the accumulated legend, beyond the pro-David agenda of the biblical text, into the ancient world in which David roamed. His book paints a fuller picture of the hero king. "The historical David is ambitious and clever, persuasive and threatening, not always in power but always in control," Baden said.

Baden is an associate professor of Old Testament at Yale Divinity School and the author of several works on the Hebrew Bible. His talk is sponsored by the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, the University's Department of History, the Judaic Studies Program, the Learning for a Lifetime program and the Bookstore.

For more information on this event, contact Elizabeth Hastings, ehastings@fairfield.edu or (203) 254-4000, ext. 2688.

Posted On: 03-17-2014 03:03 PM

Volume: 46 Number: 226