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Jerusalem  By  cover art

Jerusalem

By: Simon Sebag Montefiore
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's summary

Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of three faiths; it is the prize of empires, the site of Judgement Day and the battlefield of today’s clash of civilizations. From King David to Barack Obama, from the birth of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to the Israel-Palestine conflict, this is the epic history of three thousand years of faith, slaughter, fanaticism and coexistence.

How did this small, remote town become the Holy City, the “center of the world” and now the key to peace in the Middle East? In a gripping narrative, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals this ever-changing city in its many incarnations, bringing every epoch and character blazingly to life. Jerusalem’s biography is told through the wars, love affairs and revelations of the men and women - kings, empresses, prophets, poets, saints, conquerors and whores - who created, destroyed, chronicled and believed in Jerusalem. As well as the many ordinary Jerusalemites who have left their mark on the city, its cast varies from Solomon, Saladin and Suleiman the Magnificent to Cleopatra, Caligula and Churchill; from Abraham to Jesus and Muhammad; from the ancient world of Jezebel, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod and Nero to the modern times of the Kaiser, Disraeli, Mark Twain, Lincoln, Rasputin, Lawrence of Arabia and Moshe Dayan.

Drawing on new archives, current scholarship, his own family papers and a lifetime’s study, Montefiore illuminates the essence of sanctity and mysticism, identity and empire in a unique chronicle of the city that many believe will be the setting for the Apocalypse. This is how Jerusalem became Jerusalem, and the only city that exists twice - in heaven and on earth.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2011 Simon Sebag Montefiore (P)2011 Random House Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

“Magnificent . . . The city’s first ‘biography’ - a panoptic narrative of its rulers and citizens, heroes and villains, harlots and saints . . . Montefiore barely misses a trick or a character in taking us through the city’s story with compelling, breathless tension.” (Norman Lebrecht, Wall Street Journal)

“Impossible to put down . . . A vastly enjoyable chronicle [with] many fascinating asides . . . Montefiore has a fine eye for the telling detail, and also a powerful feel for a good story.” (Jonathan Rosen, New York Times Book Review)

“Magisterial . . . As a writer, Montefiore has an elegant turn of phrase and an unerring ear for the anecdote that will cut to the heart of a story . . . It is this kind of detail that makes Jerusalem a particular joy to read.” (The Economist)

What listeners say about Jerusalem

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Amazing

Just the attempt at an impartial history of the holy city is worthy of praise.

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A startling history

A place with a more diverse cultural heritage does not exist on earth. Bathed in blood for millennia, not the least of whose blood is that of the Messiah, the history of this city is a story in microcosm of humanity. A place of reverence and disdain for life. To understand what has occurred here throughout history is to understand the struggle life has with its Creator. It is not easy or pretty. That this will be the holiest seat of government for a millennium boggles the mind to comprehend the struggle for it. To go there is to see a prize that has been fought over for all time. It will be worth the struggle, but a horrible price in lives will have been paid. May HaShem have mercy on us all and continue to bless Jerusalem.🙏

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History of Jerusalem at its best

This is the best history of Jerusalem as a whole, including all major religions with great objectivity.

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Superb Political History

"And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.") (Acts 1:19)

Having visited Jerusalem and the Holy Land in 1986 and again in 2019, and having even climbed to the top of Mount Sinai where Moses received The Ten Commandments, I knew some history of the sites. But never the complete political history. I must say when I return soon after reading this I will be more aware of the death, blood shed and power struggles that took place. The whole place is Akel Dama, the Field of Blood! Staggering killing and violence. Much like the entire world's political history. I never thought that much of it but now I do.

It reminds me of a unique saying of Jesus which defies the violence and makes anyone understand how different He was...

But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword." Matthew 26:52)

Lastly, in listening to this political history in its entirety I am made more aware and will appreciate Jerusalem much more. I will remember that all this happened where I'm walking.

Highly recommended reading (listening)!

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The Bloody History of a City of Faith

An exquisite reading performance by John Lee. A monumental popular history by Simon Sebag Montefiore. It is a unblinking narrative of a city where faith seems to be a black hole that draws three great world religions into a long history of conflict and massacres yet where faith is renewed. The story of a human historical paradox.

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Rich and interesting

This book was a rich and very interesting history of Jerusalem that was well researched.

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Splendid

A journey in time to marvel at the complex history of the world’s most fascinating city. The ancient/biblical and late modern (18-20th centuries) periods covered are especially interesting. Montefiore is a masterful storyteller.

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Excellent

The best view of Jerusalem ever. This fact-based scientific work has strengthen my faith.

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yes it is long, but not boring to me

I see complaints that this book is long. If readers checked the number of pages, or, in my case, checked the time to listen on Audible, the length should not be a surprise. John Lee does the narration here, and is, in my opinion, as good a narrator as I have heard. The disturbing thing to me is that there seems to be as much religious/sectarian violence now as there was in any time in the 'barbaric' past. This book could be subtitled 'people behaving badly.'
I found Montefiore's prose a delight to hear (I fiercely liked his two volume biography of Stalin, though I was ambivalent about his Romanov book.) I( liked his following different families as a way to present he book. (Listening to Neil Oliver's "love Letter to the British Isles," I was struck that what we call the 'stone age,' could be mainly because stone survives while plants and animals decompose. That makes social history conjectural.) I thought that Montefiore did a good job using the sources that he had. Some things are left out or not fully explored, but this book is over 25 hours long as it is.
So credit to Simon Sebag Montefiore and John Lee for creating a listening experience that I had a hard time putting down.

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This book may put you off religion

An amazing history full of information but a very depressing story of how humankind haven’t been unable to reconcile differences. Full of blood and gore the story of Jerusalem is a story of humanity at its worst.

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