Jerusalem: The Biography

I have listened to a lot of audible history books, including many on the Middle East. This one is a standout. Justly praised by experts on the subject, this book manages to walk a lot of tightropes: it is a biography of a place, but manages to include many engaging characters. It covers vast amounts of time, but still gives you a deep and vivid feeling for periods of history. It draws on many scholarly sources, but manages to remain compulsively interesting to non-experts while still acknowledging the many disagreements and debates over various time periods. It offers great sweep, but avoids moralizing or lessons.

And, in perhaps the greatest tightrope of all, it covers the entire history of Judaism, and much of Christianity and Islam, in a way that is both historically based and respectful. While the author does not take any religious claim seriously (mentioning how many religiously important tombs or shrines are actually known to have different origins than those ascribed to them, discussing the historical evidence for David and Jesus, and so on), the book sticks to historical facts in a way that is likely to enlighten more than it will offend.

Really impressive overall, and very well-read. I would suggest it to anyone with an interest in world history, the middle east, or the history of religion - really, just about anyone.

You start into this book looking at the historical context of this time in middle eastern history and you become wrapped up in a drama meant for television. John Lee captures the personalities and background politics of an incredibly influential period of time in Israeli Arab relations leading to this war. You understand the pretext of the political events leading to this war but more important, you feel the intricacies involved among all sides involved as well as the intelligence and political motivations both short and long term. The material is read with depth and intention bringing the listener into the events as they fold so that the listener understands what was generally believed by the people of the nations drawn by nationalism and one countries plight to remain on the map. This is a political journeyman's flight through prewar, understanding the politics of war and the long term affects considered long before the end of a conflict.

I was shocked at how little I knew (with a Masters in History) on many aspects of the Worlds Most well known city. This is a long, in-depth detailing history of the most influential spot on the planet. Don't miss your opportunity to listen to this fine detailing of Jerusalem. There's murder, mayhem, intrigue, and beauty that will just keep you rooted to the book for all 8+ hours of listening and you won't even notice how long you've been listening.

It was very well performed and extremely interesting. The muslim periods were difficult for me to keep track of because the names all seemed so similar. However, it would rank it in the top 80% of audiobooks that I've listened to.

There was humor, scandal, and very interesting connections that were peppered all throughout the book. I felt like it was tied together very, very well.

Buckle Up - This is a Long, Long Story

While this book increased my knowledge, and I am glad that I listened to it, I'm quite uncertain about the quality of the knowledge gained. When the author announced that his only historical basis for a section of his book was the Bible, I was alarmed by how badly he managed to misstate the facts. It made me wonder about the rest of his "facts" when drawn from sources where I was not an expert.

Another cause for concern about his credibility arises from how he treats his relatives in the book. For example, he describes one elderly ancestor who (as I recall) raped a household servant. (I say "raped" because I understood the servant to be a 14 year-old.) Instead of treating this as a character flaw (to put it mildly), the author claims this event shows the vigor of his ancestor. It made me wonder about the accuracy of his conclusions where he did not recount the underlying facts.

The narrator has a most unusual way of pronouncing names. Historical names familiar to most people are pronounced in such a bizaarre way that it takes a few moments to realize which historical figure is being discussed. Time yourself to see how long it takes you to realize that the person under discussion is, for example, Hercules or Nebuchadnezzar.

I would gladly listen again because of the richness of the narrative.

It flows so compellingly. It is like listening to a historical novel.

He brings a richness that makes the story come alive.

No. 25 hours is a long time for one sitting, but it is well worth setting aside like the intermissions in long movies of years ago.

Exvellent rendition of history of Jerusalem

Excellent research of the subject

Not unless I had to

No

Excellent book

As much as I enjoyed the audio edition, I need the print version as I see this becoming a well worn reference book.

As always, John Lee makes hard history an enjoyable listen.

For all searchers, looking for answers to unanswerable questions about the human condition, "Jerusalem" is an apt place to start.