Author Description

The scholars who have produced this work have woven an engrossing, continuous narrative out of the historical materials, presenting a rich array of peoples and cultures, from the ancient Hebrews and their neighbors down to the time of Jesus and the Roman wars and then on through the Arab and Crusader conquests, the Mameluk domination, the long period of Turkish rule, British mandate, and the rebirth of Israel. An integral part of the story is the magnificent selection of photographs illustrating the land, its sites, its ruins, and its treasures. This expanded millennium edition takes the story into the twenty-first century with a new and comprehensive survey of the State of Israel from its establishment to the present day. The new material includes a review of political, economic, and social developments in Israel and summaries of the country's wars and the peace process.