The Bible and Its Interpreters. Even if you're not very familiar with the Good Book, it has profoundly affected you already. The Bible is the foundation upon which all of western culture and morality is built. For this reason, exposure to the Bible helps you to understand many of the motivations and currents in our own society: for instance, even if secularized, our modern (often conflicting) notions of justice and compassion both have deep Biblical roots. Furthermore, the Bible is a constant touchstone in all western literature and communication, so if you're not conversant with its contents, you will be clueless when it's referenced, whether in a favorite novel or a business meeting. Ultimately, whether you are religious or not, you can't afford to ignore the Bible.
The New Oxford Annotated Bible
Since a Bible is such a crucial part of anyone's home library, and is the kind of book you back to often, you should buy a good one. This edition contains the Revised Standard Version (RSV) text, has useful scholarly footnotes that help clear up some of the langauge issues, and has some very nice full-color maps in the back which help to orient the reader in the sometimes confusing geographical world of the Ancient Near East.
The Good Book
The Bible is a very complicated book, and many people have spent the greater part of their lives thinking about its meaning, something which is not always clear. Although we can't all be be biblical scholars, we can still consider the interpretations put forward over time by those who are. Regardless of whether we always agree with every interpretation, engaging with other people's readings and thinking about the issues they raise will invariably enrich our understanding of the Bible.
Introduction to the Old Testament
James King West's classic, very detailed introduction to Old Testament scholarship. This book is a fantastic companion to be read in conjunction with the Old Testament. From Wellhausen's source critcism ("JEDP") on, the book is serious enough to be assigned at many seminaries but accessible enough for the layperson.
In Potiphar's House
The standard interpretations of Biblical events and the expanded stories and explanations we hear are often based on very short passages that don't explicitly give all the details that find their way into the popular tradition. This book explores the way seemingly minor details in very short passages are expanded by various exegetes, how competing readings arise, and how biblical passages become encrusted with layers of interpretation and meaning as they are read, reread and explained over the course of centuries.
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