Goliath as a Gentle Giant is a colossal contribution to where biblical scholarship, pop culture, and literary and media criticism intersect. Friedmann explores the fantasy and reality of Goliath-leading readers to expanded interpretation and compassion. An immense undertaking to grasp the heart of a giant. -- Rochelle Robbins, Academy for Jewish Religion California Moving effortlessly from biblical commentary, classical literature, and archaeology to graphic novels, Xena the Warrior Princess, and Andre the Giant, Friedmann's writing hits on a truly astounding number of cultural touchstones for those of us who aspire to the smart yet proudly geeky set. This book forever changes the readers' relationship to the overused David-versus-Goliath metaphor, requiring us to question not just whether we're really the David in our own struggles-as individuals or as a people-but perhaps more importantly, to ask what we don't know about the motivation and experiences of our Goliaths. -- Paul Golin, Society for Humanistic Judaism.