“This is a scholarly book about the political, economic, and cultural relationships between Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the rest of the ancient Mediterranean world from prehistoric times to 586 B.C. Although Israel appears in the title, it does not appear in the book until about page 250. And even then, much of the discussion is about how little is known due to deficiencies of certain Biblical texts as historical sources or works of history. (These deficiencies are discussed in some detail. If you believe the Old Testament is historically accurate, you will likely find this book infuriating.)
A non-specialist will find an atlas and a Bible helpful while reading. There are lots of place names and very few maps. There are lots of Biblical references and very few quotes. And there are several arguments that rely on a knowledge of ancient Egyptian, Hebrew, and/or other ancient languages. I don't know what will help with those :)
I thought the book was interesting, even though it wasn't what I expected. I expected to learn more about the people & culture of these lands, but the book is more about the actions of the ruling elite than the people in general.”
marykir wrote this review Saturday, December 13 2008.
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