The Bible as History: Second Revised Edition Paperback – Illustrated, 25 Aug. 2015

I bought the paperback copy which was affordable for me. The text is very well written and packed with fascinating information. It is an honest and knowledgeable rendition 9in my opinion) and I love it. Only downside is the lack of maps or pictures but I have another book that I use with this one (Alfred Hoerth Archaeology of O.T.). which helps to fill that gap. I would highly recommend this book.

OK, I'm not a believer in the bible as 'the word of god'...it is a compilation of verbally 'handed down' stories from a stone age tribe. What I do believe is that most of the bible has a strong basis on real events...and this book will leave you in little doubt about that. Stories that are passed on verbally tend to get embellished over the years...some of the bible stories are thousand of years old so chances are 40 became 400 which became 4000 etc... However, this book explains how much of the Middle Eastern landscape has changed since the time of the bible and how recent discoveries have revealed the evidence.

Was recommended by a friend, very interesting, and informative

Although I must admit to faith rather than currently provable facts, I have long believed science and archaeology would, in time, provide those proofs.So I bought this in 2017 for grist rather than to add to my faith...and properly started reading it on the train yesterday. Very easy to read and absorb and his enthusiasm is wonderful. However!!! Yes, there is a however ... he mentions how the Fertile Crescent is central to a "multiplicity of civilisations"."Rays of light streamed out from them into the surrounding darkness of mankind."And this is where I took exception - being of South Indian ethnic origins.He goes on to confirm (in his view) the darkness of the rest of the world where at the foot of the Himalayas 'the flickering lamp of an isolated outpost of civilisation in the Indus valley was fast going out." Hmmm. Not true.Archaeological excavations in the past fifty years have dramatically changed the understanding of India’s past and, by extension, world history. A 4000 year-old skeleton discovered at Balathal in 2009 CE provides the oldest evidence of leprosy in India. Prior to this find, leprosy was considered a much younger disease thought to have been carried from Africa to India at some point and then from India to Europe by the army of Alexander the Great following his death in 323 BCE. It is now understood that significant human activity was underway in India by the Holocene Period (10,000 years ago) and that many historical assumptions based upon earlier work in Egypt and Mesopotamia, need to be reviewed and revised."Archaeological excavations in the past fifty years have dramatically changed the understanding of India’s past and, by extension, world history. A 4000 year-old skeleton discovered at Balathal in 2009 CE provides the oldest evidence of leprosy in India. Prior to this find, leprosy was considered a much younger disease thought to have been carried from Africa to India at some point and then from India to Europe by the army of Alexander the Great following his death in 323 BCE. It is now understood that significant human activity was underway in India by the Holocene Period (10,000 years ago) and that many historical assumptions based upon earlier work in Egypt and Mesopotamia, need to be reviewed and revised. "Does that mean the rest of what he has written should be dismissed? No, not at all.His book has made me curious for more current information and, as I said, he write is an easy style.And I still believe :)

I had a small paperback of this book which is wonderful - but it's been 'remodelled' in this larger format, and all the original illustrations are sadly missing, including maps! The layout isn't good and it should have been proof read properly, as there are lots of mistakes. The photo part of the book is in black and white - and you can't really make out the pictures. Bad choice. The Holy Land looks good in colour and details are lost in this version. I was disappointed, as this has not been done well at all and obviously not by a professional publisher, which is sad.

Scholarly yet very readable - a brilliant work setting out what is known of biblical history and archaeology to provide everyone with a rich background to the Bible. A masterpiece and right up to date too.

Enjoyed this book a lot. I'm not a part of any religion but after reading this you do approach the bible and quran in a different way. I bought it really after looking for a book that would chronicle the entire history of the old testament period and ended up with much more. Really interesting for religious and non religious alike. Good book.

A very interesting and informative read. I'm very pleased with this book.