I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I read the description provided for the giveaway and was curious, but I was not quite sure what to expect since the series is titled "Biblical Imagination". I thought there might be significant extrapolation on Mark's life based on the facts of his life provided in the Bible, turning it into something like a fictionalized biography. I assumed it was not an academic commentary, which is something the author confirmed in the preface. I wanted something fact-based. As I read, I was pleased to find it is an easy-to-read, organized presentation of the facts. I started to read it earlier, but other situations intervened, so I restarted when I had time again and read through it comfortably in one sitting.

The author states his goal for the book as:
"It is an attempt to model this approach of 'engaging with the Scriptures at the level of the informed imagination.' It is not an academic commentary, although I make use of the best academic commentaries. Neither is it a devotional commentary, though I hope it leads to a deeper devotion in those who read it. I intend to take seriously the author of each of the Gospels insofar as their individual backgrounds shape the text."
He provides context - historical context, geographical context, the personal context of individuals' lives as known from the Bible - any factors that he thinks can lead to greater understanding.

When the author indulges in imagining additional details, he is clear about that. For example, he writes, "I imagine him [Peter] looking up from the parchment as he writes these words [2 Pet 1:15 verse], perhaps smiling across the room at his 'son' Mark, who might have already begun writing his Gospel." As another example, he writes, "When I listen to the opening verse of Mark, I hear an enthusiastic young man who is almost out of breath." By expressing his personal interaction with the book of Mark, he gives the book less an analytical feel and more a familiar or intimate feel.

I had notes for a longer review, but I don’t know where they are after my house was rearranged by friends who were preparing it for my post-surgery needs. If they survived, I will add to this review. ( )