Presents the narrative history of the Jewish people from biblical times to today. This book tells a dramatic story of change and migration deeply rooted in tradition, taking readers from the mythic wanderings of Moses to the unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust; and from the Babylonian exile to the founding of the modern state of Israel.
"Drawing on the best recent scholarship and wearing his formidable learning lightly, Michael Brenner has produced a remarkable synoptic survey of Jewish history. His book must be considered a standard against which all such efforts to master and make sense of the Jewish past should be measured."--Stephen J. Whitfield, Brandeis University
"With his characteristically deft touch, Michael Brenner has produced a sweeping and riveting account of Jewish history from Biblical times until the present day. This slender volume is lively, engaging, and a pleasure to read."--John M. Efron, University of California, Berkeley
"Brenner is a proven author with a broad competence in Jewish history, which makes him one of the few Jewish historians able to handle a volume of such large scope. His book has a novel approach that sets it apart from other one-volume histories. It is intended as a first book in Jewish history for readers with little knowledge of the subject. The style is extraordinarily readable."--Michael A. Meyer, author of Judaism within Modernity
"[A]n interesting survey and good place to start for any reader curious about the history of the Jewish people in their societies."
---Jay Howard Geller, Canadian Journal of History