exical trilogy, Frederick Buechner profiles more than 125 of the Bible's most holy and profane people -- and one whale. In his lively and witty prose, Buechner brings to life such moments from scripture as:

• Adam's pangs of regret for a remembered Eden

• Delilah's last glimpse of Samson as they dragged him away

• Lazarus's first impressions upon rising from the dead

To read Peculiar Treasures is to realize that many of these legendary figures are not who we thought they were. But they are -- in their human dreams, ambitions, and imperfections -- very much like us.