This is a rather brief overview of an interesting topic, given the recent explosion in Markan scholarship. I was hoping for a bit more in-depth analysis of each period of Markan interpretation, but got just enough to satisy my curiosity. The only big disappointment was the lack of translations for many of the foreign texts, which are offered only "as is". The bibliography is outstanding. However, the use of end-notes rather than footnotes was a bit annoying, and the index is a bit skimpy if you are looking for topics rather than people. Otherwise, the book is well worth the time for anyone needing a complete survey of the history of the reception of the Gospel of Mark. Above all, the author clearly shows how our immediate needs and social context shapes our understanding of what the gospel author is saying, or at least what we "think" is saying. Where it not for the occasional foreign language barriers, this would be a book to be recommended for lay audiences, although probably best suited for biblical scholars.