As It Was Written is a 'first book' about the bible which presupposes no previous knowledge. In seventeen chapters, eleven for the Old Testament, and six for the New Testament, every book of the Bible is discussed. The origins and message of each book are told against the background of the history of Israel and of the Church. The main focus is on the Bible's meaning for the Catholic Christian reader today. A final two chapters discuss the Bible as 'God's Book'.