A History of the Jews

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	A History of the Jews
	by Paul M. Johnson Sales Rank: 11630	Discount: 32 % ~~List Price: $17.95~~ $12.21 At Amazon on 4-16-2008.

*Features* Cover Type: Paperback with 656 pages Published by: Harper Perennial September 14, 1988 Written in: English ISBN 10 Number: 0060915331 ISBN 13 Number: 978-0060915339 Book Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 1.6 inches Weighs: 1 pounds *Product Review* Paul Johnson says that writing A History of the Jews was like writing a History of the world "seen from the viewpoint of a learned and intelligent victim." Johnson's History begins with the Bible and ends with the establishment of the State of Israel. Throughout, Johnson's History is driven by a philosophical interest: "The Jews," he writes, "stand right at the centre of the perennial attempt to give human life the dignity of a purpose. Does their own History suggest that such attempts are worth making? Or does it reveal their essential futility?" Johnson's History is lucid, thorough, and--as one would expect of almost any project with such a broad scope--a little wrong-headed. By the end of the book, readers will be grateful for Johnson's questioning of the Jews' confidence in their cosmic significance. However, readers may also be a little annoyed by his energetic inquiries as to whether this significance was man-made or providentially provided. Either way, it's a given: for a historian of Israel, this should adequately settle the question. Johnson's 600-page History is probably the best we've got by a living gentile--which is no small accomplishment at all. --Michael Joseph Gross *From Publishers Weekly* Less a seminal contribution than a distillation of a wide range of sources, this History of the Jews focuses on their four-millennia interplay with, and adaption to, other, often hostile, civilizationsa "world History seen from the viewpoint of a learned and intelligent victim." Weaving biblical and archeological data, Johnson (Modern Times and A History of Christianity is particularly deft at placing the patriarchs and early Israelites (the Bronze Age through the destruction of the First Temple) in their historical context. His dense, somewhat arbitrary, capsule extols Judaic rational scholarshipwhich contributed to ethical monotheism and the 18th-century economic system, in turnand denigrates mystic kabbalah"heresy of the most pernicious kind." Although Johnson, who seeks to acknowledge "the magnitude of the debt Christianity owes to Judaism," traces "an inherent conflict" between the Religion and the state of Israel through the various ages, the work is incontrovertibly sympathetic to Zionism. BOMC and QPBC featured alternates; author tour. Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. *Reader Reviews* This is my third book by British historian Paul Johnson. There is no question that he is an extremely talented writer and an excellent but opinionated historian. As always this combination makes for a lively and exciting read. Johnson states in the introduction that, as a believing Christian, he feels he owes much to the Jewish people who he greatly admires. He therefore felt that he wanted to write a complete history. It proves that a good Jewish history does not need to be written by a Jew. Johnson divides Jewish history into a series of epochs, each one of which consumes a part in the book. The chapters are called "Israelites" which covers the biblical period, "Judaism" which covers the period from the building of the Second Temple through the early Christian and early Islamic period, "Cathedocracy" in which Johnson deals with the experience of the Jews under medieval Christendom and Islam, "Ghetto" which deals with the late Medieval and Renaissance period in Europe. "Emancipation" which discusses the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe, "Holocaust" which needs no further explanation and "Zion" which covers not only the birth of modern Israel but also the post-war Jewish experience world wide. This book is enormously detailed and highly opinionated. Johnson's affection for the Jewish people shines through on virtually every page. Never one to hedge on a conclusion, Johnson has opinions on everyone from Abraham to Begin. My favorite chapter was the opening one, "Israelites". Here Johnson attempts to use similarities between biblical descriptions and known facts of other ancient civilzations to demonstrate that the bible, from Abraham forward is essentially historical. This section will be of enormous interest to everyone, whatever your knowledge of the bible. The Jewish saga is the human saga. It is complete with pathos, absurdity, tragedy and triumph. It is remarkable that an ancient people could survive under such hostile conditions. Really a miracle. Johnson captures the essence of that miracle. The entire book will be of interest to those with less than complete knowledge of Jewish history. It will also be excellent reading for those who have a good knowledge of Jewish history because of Johnson's excellent writing ability. This book is well worth the money. Comment \| Permalink \| (Report this) Back To Top
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