Product Description
Booklet examining whether Allah is the same as the Christian God. Fifteen pages of text with black-and-white photographs; three pages of maps, three of footnotes ... Read more

Product Description
This compelling blend of science, history, politics, and biblical scholarship explains how modern archeology is challenging our understanding of the Bible and its accounts of ancient history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

View From A Neboite
As a person who once lived at the base of Mount Nebo (Arkansas that is), I suppose I am as qualified as anyone else writing a review for this book.I rather enjoyed this when I purchased it several years ago in my study of biblical archeology and then my re-reading recently when I became interested in the Nag Hammadi discoveries and 2nd century manuscripts in general.

It must be understood that the author - who by the way spent several years in the middle east as a journalist - wrote this book for the average Joe; not the scholar.And as an average Joe, I found it to be a pleasant tour guide through some of the less visited arenas in this part of the globe.We (or most of us) are all well aware that the Bible is not a history book nor it is a consistent geography map as the various writers and various memories strayed from the path on occasion.Bearing this in mind, the actual scratching of the soil leads to some conclusions that leave us scratching our heads.

Overall, it is a good read and will lead to deeper thought in a plethora of areas that a learned person will want to further explore.

Well done Amy Dockser Marcus.

You might also enjoy these books - Discovery!: Unearthing the New Treasures of Archaeology, Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why (Plus) and The First Paul: Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church's Conservative Icon

I hope you find this review helpful.

Michael L. Gooch, SPHR

Lacking Objectivity
If you REALLY want a more objective perspective about how archeology is truly re-writing the Biblical tradition, then read The Bible Unearthed, and forget this book. I bought the book used and cheap, but I'm still angry that I spent one dollar on this book.

shes wrong
she forgets to mention shesonq or jesus christ in her book and she lacks many things like kenneth kitchen findings about joseph being sold 20 pieces of silver matches the prices of slaves during that period, she would need toread jeffery shelers book is the bible true?

Digging for diplomacy
Scientists look with suspicion at journalists.Media often lacks understanding of the role of research.Worse, journalists are usually working to an agenda.Amy Marcus glaringly falls into both these categories.The result is a book that starts with a vista and concludes with a vision - one that's seriously flawed.Marcus spends the book running the Red Queen's Race - running as fast as you can to stay in the same place.Her quest is a struggle to keep abreast of the fast-moving science of archaeology in its most tumultuous arena, the land of Canaan.We must admire her ambition to come to grips with a difficult topic, but this book would have been better conceived if Marcus had been a co-author or ghost writer with someone knowledgeable.Instead, she relies on a few publications and a trove of personal interviews, of which we read but snippets.

Marcus, rightly assuming her readership likely has a broad concept of Biblical stories, but lacks detailed knowledge, summarises certain legends from The Book.She then introduces us to the diggers, their sites and their analyses of the data.We are given snippets of personal observation along with scientific assessment.Mt Nebo, from which Moses was to have observed the Promised Land, has been subject to excavations for over sixty years.What has been learned, that the ancient societies of Palestine were dynamic and mixed, sets the tone for the remainder of the book.

The issue addressed is the roots of the modern societies of Palestine-Israel.Situated on major trade and empire-building routes, calling the history of this region "dynamic" is merely a starting point.Until recently, only two books constituted source material for how these dynamics developed - the Hebrew Bible and Josephus' History.Neither, it turns out, can be relied upon.Modern archaeology, as Marcus goes to some effort to relate, has overthrown millennia of legend and myth.Her point is that modern propaganda has little foundation on which to rest.Israel, an artificial nation derived from the shattered British Empire, has long substantiated its claims over Palestinians on the fable that it is comprised of a unique people, specially established by divine fiat.Marcus uses the finds of archaeologists to point out the Jews are but one among many with deep roots in the area.Their "unique" status fails under the scrutiny of newly revealed data.

Marcus traveled the area, reading and interviewing the researchers delving into Palestine's past.The Jews and the Palestinians share a common Canaanite ancestry.Their beliefs and practices share a mutual foundation, she asserts.The evidence is in scrolls, clay tablets and architecture.Israel's former glories are manufactured through a series of writings designed to unite the separated nations of Israel and Judah.In revealing these recent disclosures, Marcus speaks with various scholars, attends conferences and assesses the information they present.Challengers of traditional views are almost universally labelled "controversial" or "brash" or other pejorative phrases.Traditionalists fare little better, but we're left with the feeling that everybody has an agenda.Still, she argues that the revelations of their efforts should "reshape the Middle East".

In making this claim, Marcus mercifully ignores the force of theology in driving human passions.There is little mention of divinities in this work, or the hold they have on human thinking.Her approach is purely historical, which is apt in challenging the sources guiding opinion.How the populace can be brought to a fresh understanding of its roots, Marcus studiously avoids.The role of education is ignored, a strange omission in a book that purports to be a guiding light for change.Her stress on politics leaves the validity of the science and the depth of popular conviction obscured.Reliance on tradition, however falsely based, will overcome whatever archaeology reveals until a populace understands its weaknesses.Only immense political will can achieve her desired theme.

Part of the failure to attain that will is found in Marcus' presentation of the science involved.She spends much effort in describing debates and the debaters, wholly ignoring the fact that the politicians select the portions they can use while ignoring the remainder.In her hands, archaeology remains a political tool instead of a scientific icon.Attempting to bring contending factions to negotiations founded on real science is admirable, but Marcus is addressing the wrong audience.
[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Maybe worth a read, but be warned....
A major disappointment, but worth reading if you get it from the library.It is not in any sense a critique of the newly emerging archeological finds in the Middle East.It is a rambling collection of impressions from a somewhat informed, but certainly untrained (in archeology, history or anthropology), correspondent.It would have been more accurate on the book jacket to say that these are the personal reflections of the author, rather than to profess some objective or pragmatic approach.This is not in any way a "scientific" book, and probably belongs in the travel log or personal philosophy section of the book rack.(I fully concur with the other reviewer who suggested that the trip to Egypt was made as a vacation, with an obligatory bit of dialogue thrown into the book to keep the IRS happy - the entire section is drivel, demonstrating an almost total lack of preparation or background research on the author's part.)

The omissions, misunderstandings, and lack of depth show up in almost every section.But this may not be obvious to the casual reader, unless they have been following the developments made from recent excavations and new interpretations of old finds.Sadly, the author starts with too many preconceptions.The story of the exodus has no basis in archeology, and so the premise should be that it is a false claim, unless there is some evidence to support it.The list goes on.(I would suggest that the author read "Krakatoa", by Simon Winchester (a trained geologist turned correspondent) before offering any more theories on the Santorini eruption.)

BUT, if you set aside the lack of depth, and enjoy the book more as a personal journey of discovery (albeit an incomplete one), then it becomes enjoyable.Don't take what is in here as "fact" and you will be OK.Let it serve as a guide to some of the new emerging possibilities, and if you're interested, go learn more from authors who are noted historians, archeologists or anthropologists.There is a tremendous amount of new material on these subjects being published, and if this book gets you sufficiently interested to read the more erudite works, then it has served its purpose. ... Read more

Product Description
The Archeology of the New Testament is the authoritative illustrated account of what is presently known about the chief sites and monuments connected with the life of Jesus and the history of the early church. To follow the order of the New Testament, it first investigates sites connected with John the Baptist and then proceeds to Bethlehem and Nazareth, Samaria and Galilee, Jerash, Caesarea, Jericho, the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, and Emmaus. Each site is illustrated, and the accompanying text, numbered to facilitate cross-reference, contains a bibliography. This edition has been completely revised to reflect the most recent scholarship and excavations, and it contains many new entries. Anyone concerned with the historical, geographical, and cultural background of the New Testament will want to study this classic work as it retraces the steps of Jesus. "The definitive handbook. Finegan's comprehensive treatment of almost every problem in the field of New Testament archeology as well as his judicious evaluation of the evidence makes this book indispensable to every serious student of the Bible."--The New York Times Book Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fast becoming my #1 resource
I have the revised edition of this text (1992), and before purchasing it from Amazon, I frequently came to the site to research information from this book.The book is technical enough to satisfy the researcher, yet easy to read for the beginner in archaeology or Bible. I've quoted from this text for several research papers for college classes.It's concise and reliable in its presentation and information.

Valuable Resource
This book is an enormous treat - an archeological book written by a biblical scholar. It's hard to know which aspect provides the more valuable information. Of particular interest and surprise is the amount of coverage of such topics as John the Baptist, the Tombs, and the Cross.

The book is well written and amply illustrated. There are few notes: the author instead includes lots of information in the text itself. Also, there is no bibliography, although there is an extensive "List of Ancient Sources" which is highly informative.If I had one criticism it is that the book assumes the reader is not a beginner, and as a result this may not be the best introductory text.

Written in 1969, the book is dated. Yet almost everything relevant to the archeology of the New Testament had been discovered by this date, so the few finds since (e.g., the ossuary of James the Just) do not negate the book's value.

Every New Testament reader should have this book in their library.

Excellent book, but too short!
This is a wonderful and lovingly prepared work. For the best of all worlds, I would suggest reading this with the incredible companion book, "The Autobiography of Jesus of Nazareth and the Missing Years". Then it is almost like an interactive experience, because you see the real man Jesus through "The Autobiography..." and see exactly where he lived in this book.It may appear a daunting book because of its 400 + pages, but I found it too short!If there is anything else the authors could have included in this excellent book, it can only because there is still 2000 years of dust on it! Buy it today. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Folklore, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 7936 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The evil eye and cultural beliefs among the Bedouin tribes of the Negev, Middle East [1].
Author: Aref Abu-Rabia
Publication: Folklore (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 116Issue: 3Page: 241(14)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
A psychiatrist looks into the tortured psyche of Komitas, the great compiler and arranger of Armenian folk music. After surviving a death camp, Komitas developed a severe form of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and spent twenty years in virtual silence in mental asylums. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Seminal Work
Archeology of Madness weaves a magnificent story and analysis of a life lived with faith, great creativity, tragedy, madness and, possibly, love.Profound and thorough, the book offers incites into the creativity and madness of Komitas through an interdisciplinary analysis that elegantly ties the fields of psychiatry, art, music, history and geopolitics.

People are always fascinated by the creative process, by what inspires great works of art and the great artists that produce them.The Archeology of Madness, seemingly through exhaustive research and original thought, draws lines between this great artist's childhood, life's experiences, relationships with the Church, the Armenian nation, friendships and love, music, creativity, the tragedy of the Armenian Genocide and his madness.

I recommend this book to all who wish to gain an incite into a great creative mind, its making and destruction.

The truth about Komidas' childhood by his close relatives
Dear Sir,
As a close relative of Komidas I disagree and reject the statements of the author about Komidas' childhood. My maternal grandmother Marig who is referred to in the book is Komidas' cousin and they have been brought up together and fed by my great grandmother. Having been supplied our family's version of the true story told by Marig herself, the author has totally disregarded the truth and even misquoted Marig's statements, (footnote-21 page-18) that is, the words published in the author's book were taken out of context to reflect the opposite meaning, thus distorting the childhood life of Komidas. The author has consciously manipulated the words of the original article of my mother and grandmother Marig and used the manipulated version to prove her own point.
The Karakashian and Tashjian families regretfully reject the author's opinion and false statements about Komidas' childhood life.
Sincerely,
Sebouh Z. Tashjian
Sydney - Australia

A precious find
I have been exposed to Komitas's music all my life and I have heard so much about him. I had heard that the genocide of 1915 had driven him crazy. I did not know he lived another 20 years, mostly in asylums in France.

The author of this book went digging for information about those two decades and about earlier events that led to Komitas's mental illness. She found that 1915 did not suddenly drive him mad. An accumulation of earlier events (e.g., he was an orphan) had him on the edge. Well, all great artists are slightly mad, I suppose.

She writes about his strained relations with the church (he was a celibate priest) and about his "relationship" with a certain woman.

All in all a very informative book about an important person for Armenians.

The book Archeologhy of Madness - Komitas - ...
Dear Sir,
As a reader of the above mentioned book and a close relative of Komitas, I disagree and reject the statements of the author about Komitas' childhood. My maternal grandmother, Marig who is referred to in the book, is Komitas' cousin and they have been brought up together and fed by my grand grandmother. Although the author was supplied our true version of the story told by Marig herself, the author has totally disregarded the truth and even misquoted Marig's statements thus distorting the childhood life of Komitas.
The Karakashian and Tashjian families, being the close relatives of Komitas, regretfully reject the author's opinion and false statements about Komitas' childhood life.
Sincerely,
Sebouh Z. Tashjian
Sydney - Australia ... Read more

Product Description
This intriguing book is the first to explore the potential of shipwrecks discovered off the Holy Land to rewrite social and economic history. Ancient myths and modern misconceptions about Byzantine Palestine’s maritime compatibility are radically reconsidered by discussing cargoes in relation to wine, glass, cloth, and dye processing across the Holy Land and by plotting mass exports shipped as far as Britain and the Yemen. A new model for the province’s economy is assembled, in which middle class merchants and entrepreneurs replace the traditional image of oppressive State and Church domination.

Shipwreck Archaeology of the Holy Land integrates archaeology, history, and early modern travelogues to argue that in isolation shipwrecks are of limited value and must be appreciated as cogs in far broader exchange mechanisms. It sets a new theoretical agenda for the thousands of shipwrecks continuing to be discovered beneath the Mediterranean Sea and is an invaluable source for students of everyday life in Late Antiquity. ... Read more

Product Description
Archeologist Linda Rhodes discovers an ancient manuscript, which appears to be the work of Judas Iscariot. Before she can authenticate the relics, radicals take control of the dig site and steal the scroll. The drama unfolds against the backdrop of distrust immediately before and after the 9-11attack. Linda is kidnapped and forced to translate the untold story of history's most infamous traitor. Every phrase she deciphers reveals more of Judas' account and brings her closer to the threat of execution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Acts Of Judas
The Acts of Judas is the story about an archaeological excavation in Modern day Jordan. This excavation is suddenly plagued by a string of accidents, sabotage, and bad omens that add to the ever growing political and racial tension between the American students and the Jordanian crew. At the height of this tension, however, an amazing discovery is made: a single scroll dating from the first century. The writer of this scroll identifies himself as Judas Iscariot. Now the real trouble begins. Everyone wants to know what the scroll says but everyone has particular political and religious agendas that they want the text to confirm.

The Acts of Judas masterfully interweaves several parallel storylines into one fully developed completely integrated story. The archaeological story addresses the need for adventure and the thrill of finding some piece of our historical puzzle. The political and racial storylines remind us about the realities of our modern world, beyond the ongoing troubles in the Middle East. Judas' story reminds us about timeless truths that relate to our own political and racial conflicts while reminding us that love, compassion, and hope are and always have been the keys to solving our problems. Though this book obviously has some religious themes, these aspects are expertly illustrated without point fingers or choosing one right religion or way of being. Thus making the message of this book accessible to and appropriate for any reader.

A very compelling read
In the first few pages I held my breath as someone's face is devoured by a flesh-eating camel spider, and I don't think I breathed out until the final page.
But even if you set aside the fact that this heart-thumping adventure in the Middle East compels you to turn the pages, the book is riveting on deeper levels. With the topics of the more contentious aspects of Christianity, as well as the modern hotbed of terrorism at its heart, Baldino resists the temptation to write platitudes, and approaches both issues from refreshing, thought-provoking angles. She has created characters that are far from being stereotypes with stereotypical views, and so they approach the religious sensitivities and emerging violent extremism from very human, individual angles. Perhaps most compelling is the question at the book's heart -- What if there are extra 'books' to the Bible yet to be discovered that provide new insights and radically change Christianity? It's fascinating.
In this book Georgiann Baldino has revealed herself as an excellent researcher and original thinker. I highly recommend this book. It could very well be a movie, and I hope someone has the foresight to film it.

Simply good stuff in "The Acts Of Judas"
For archeologist Linda Rhodes, it seems that everyone and everything is conspiring against her and the expedition she leads in the Jordanian desert. The attacks of September 11, 2001 have yet to happen but the old blood feuds, religious hatreds and distrust that fuel everything in the Middle East continue unabated. Her expedition has been attacked by the weather, a camel spider, food poisoning, deliberate stupidity by some expedition members and a host of other problems. Still, she persevered in her search despite all obstacles including the sudden arrival of the Jordanian Police and a minister, Dr. Fawzi, to investigate the latest problems that have occurred.

While the police take away a large group of her expedition for questioning, Dr. Fawzi and his bodyguard assistants are still present when the expedition finds the object they have been searching the desert for these past many weeks. Buried in a cave, a relic that seems to be a scroll written by Judas explaining his actions is found sealed in a jar. Beyond determining that the ancient text which will need extensive work to be translated, seems to be consistent for the time period, little more is determined before Dr Fawzi wields his considerably governmental authority and takes possession of the artifact.

His plans to move the artifact to Amman for study and safe keeping away from outside influences are quickly thwarted by the arrival of gun toting terrorists. After removing the token resistance permanently, they take the artifact and vanish into the desert. In the resulting aftermath, as an investigation in this matter is conducted by the Jordanian government, Linda is captured by members of the same terrorist group. They need a translator and have decided she is to be their translator. If she refuses they will execute her. She knows once she finishes they will execute her. But in the meantime, she has a chance to work with the ancient scroll and attempt to translate a document that will fundamentally change mankind's understanding of the history of the Middle East.

On one level this is a thriller featuring chase and adventure across the Middle East along with a hint or romance. On another level, this is a complex work that provides a deep insight into the religious differences in the region that shape behavior and politics still today. Using her extensive research into various religions via a number of sources, the author explains the religious and cultural history of a large portion of the Middle East while at the same time, telling an engrossing story. This is not something that is an easy thing to do but in this case, the teaching and the fiction blend almost seamlessly together. In so doing, the author has created a read that is a very good book and leaves the reader with plenty to think about after turning the last page.


Book Facts:

The Acts Of Judas
By Georgiann Baldino
WhooDoo Mysteries
www.trebleheartbooks.com
2004
ISBN # 1-931742-84-7
Large Trade Paperback
292 Pages
$13.50 US

This review previously appeared online at The Blue Iris Journal Blog.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

exhilarating archeological thriller
The Acts of Judas
Georgiann Baldino
Treble Heart, 2004, $13.50
ISBN: 1931742847

In Jordon American archeologist Linda Rhodes feels she is near a great discovery from antiquity, but, her expedition runs into problems.A camel spider chews off a chunk of a worker's face.This on top of a seatbelt incident has spooked the workforce into believing that evil travels with Linda.Only the help of her loyal followers Abu and Zuhair keep most of the men from leaving, but six do.Finally two men are poisoned as someone placed ipecac syrup in their food; the syrup came from the American students' first aid kits.

In spite of someone sabotaging her efforts perhaps because Israeli Jewish Professor Gold is on the team, Linda stubbornly continues her work that pays off with a major find that appears to be from the Dead Sea Scrolls era.However, Muslim terrorists invade her dig and kill the government liaison Dr. Fawzi.Linda is not sure whether she found the gospel according to Judas or a fake.The terrorists direct her to translate the document or die; she knows that once she completes her translation, they will kill her anyway, but she needs to know what Judas said.

This exhilarating archeological thriller occurs just before and after 9/11.Though the preliminary mischief seems childlike compared to the terrorists' activities and the world scene on 9/11 and afterward, the backdrop of growing distrust and disenchantment in the Middle East provides tension because readers know of the World Trade Center tragedy and the suicide bombings in Israel (and now Iraq).The contents of the Judas "translation" augments a fantastic archeological tale caught in the global war on terrorism.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
While studying an ancient scroll, Egyptologist Thomas McAllister finds the lost account of a secret journey Moses made to Egypt after the Exodus.Using clues in the text McAllister ingeniously finds, and attempts to solve, a perplexing riddle Moses carved inside the oldest temple in Egypt.The riddle leads McAllister and his partner Mayanologist Ann Davenport to a treasure so powerful, so controversial, that both government adn high powered religious factions will stop at nothing to confiscate it.When Ann is kidnapped, McAllister discovers just how far he'll go for someone he loves.Unless McAllister can outwit the vengeful, highly resourceful team assigned to stop him, Moses' ancient treasure, and Ann, will be lost.Based on the biblical fact that Moses made a second set of Commandments after he broke the first (Exodus 34), and that Moses gave two very different accounts of the Commandments (Exodus 20 versus Exodus 34), The Moses Riddle is the explosive story of one man's quest for the truth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Disappointing
After purchasing this book based on the positive reviews I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with it.
The setup of the story is interesting and it kept me going for about a third of the book through the continuous change of point of view, childish situations and overall bad writing.
The rest of the book read just like a romance novel which I really didn't care for.

What really did it for me is the fact that the author kept telling me how our hero is this super-cool, Better-Than-Indiana-Jones, highly intelligent mega-being, and then he has him behaving like a plain stupid person.
Some examples:
*SPOILERS* (sort of)
At one point, the tension is building, the riddle is about to be solved and right in the thick of things, he get drunk and spill major beans to an unknown woman. I really felt betrayed by the author at that very point.
Or, better yet, he has the bad guy quite literally say "look at the birdie" and then sucker-punch him during a major show down.
Sure, in a few pages you will learn that he is trained in a semi-obscure martial art and he could have taken the bad guy out if he wanted to, but you'll never see that happen.

Same goes for the villain, depicted as a genius, but coming off as a plain idiot.

My suggestion for this first effort by the author is definitively a pass. But, since I seem to be the only one with this opinion, you may want to trust the other reviewers and give it a try.

It definitively didn't do it for me.

Fun to read
Imagine staying up late at night watching an old black and white, adventure/mystery movie where the hero of the story is after a treasure, several people are trying to stop him or obtain the treasure for themselves, and the hero meets a woman who may or may not be really on his side.Since it's an old movie, profanity is sparse and romance rules over graphic sex.Now during this old movie, you might find a few situations that seem maybe a might odd, a few conversations a bit odd too and a few lose ends left hanging at the end, but you find yourself hoping the hero prevails though it all, and in the end you find you enjoyed the movie very much and wondering how time passed so quickly.

"The Moses Riddle" is that movie in book form.This is not the type of book I would normally read.In fact, had I not received it as a gift, I would not have read it. And when I started to read it, I expected not to like it.But the writing was enjoyable, the "good-guy" characters were likable, the action moved right along, and there was enough "what is going to happen next" to keep me interested right to the end.If there were one word I was limited to to describe this book, it would be "fun."This was a fun book to read.And even though this is not the type of book I would normally read, if the author writes another, I am going to read it also.Of course, the next time I may have to buy it myself, but I will as it is worth the cost.I recommend this book for those looking for an old time mystery/adventure that is fun to read.Good job Hunt.Keep writing.

Excitement & More
This book deserves more than 5 stars.If you like adventure, action, mystery and a hero that stays 2 jumps ahead of the villains, this is it.There was enough romance and betrayal to make it interesting. I couldn't put it down and devoured each page racing to the next.So much excitement packed into this that I'm looking forward to the second of the series.Indiana Jones look out.

What a fun book!Can't wait for the next one in the series!!
This book was so much fun to read.I have not read such a 'page turner' in quite awhile.Some of the other reviewers here have compared it to the DaVinci Code.That is a good comparison since it deals with controversial Biblical themes - but the book actually had a stronger plot line than the DaVinci Code.And, I loved the fact that the main character has a romantic relationship during the story, another difference w/the DaVinci Code.The main character, Thomas McAlister, is perfect for a series; rough with a bit of compassion, intelligent but with some faults.The two other main characters, Ann, and DJ Warrant are fascinating.If you're looking for a fast paced book full of twists and turns this is it!

Superb
This is such a wonderful book. Because of the large success of the Dan Brown Da Vinci Code there are obviously some comparisons but that is unfair to this book. This book can stand on it's own as a book about a puzzle.

In this story the main character stumbles across a mention of a man going into a pyramid for two days with a mysterious package. From deciphering the story and solving a puzzle on a pyramid wall, the plot moves fast and furious.

I particularly like that the main character is all too human. He is excitable and falls in love and makes some mistakes in judgements.

This story starts moving early in the book and the action continues to the very end. I can hardly wait to read more by this author.

Enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
THE ARCHEOLOGY BIBLE: HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS, in CD-ROM format, contains over 1300 photos of artifacts and biblical sites that illustrate and clarify the biblical text. Photos are placed near the text (KJV) to which they relate. Artifacts shown are from 53 museums in 14 countries, plus 360 biblical sites* that illustrate the life of Christ. The CD opens with Acrobat Reader, which allows photos to be copied for use with PowerPoint and other programs. In Harmony of the Four Gospels CD edition, the parallel texts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are arranged in side-by-side columns on the same page and present the life of Christ chronologically. This edition has fewer total photos than The Four Gospels but the same number of original photos. With the Gospels together in columns, there is less repeating of photos. ... Read more

Product Description
THE ARCHEOLOGY BIBLE: THE FOUR GOSPELS, in CD-ROM format, contains over 2600 photos of artifacts and biblical sites that illustrate and clarify the biblical text. Photos are placed near the text (KJV) to which they relate. Artifacts shown are from 53 museums in 14 countries, plus 600 biblical sites that illustrate the life of Christ. The CD opens with Acrobat Reader, which allows photos to be copied for use with PowerPoint and other programs. In The Four Gospels, CD ROM edition, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are arranged sequentially as they appear in the Bible. ... Read more

Product Description
Biblical archeology has for centuries been subject to the manipulations of adventurers, generals, and statesmen, all seeking to further their own aims. Now more than ever, digging into the Holy Land is a weapon as two rival nations seek to prove their claims to ownership. The most puzzling casualty in this tug-of-war is Albert Glock, a prominent American archeologist, who devoted his life to helping Palestinians find evidence of their historic roots and was shot dead in the West Bank. Edward Fox investigates Glock's unsolved murder and its background in the explosive cultural politics of archeology. Fox reveals the strange subdiscipline of biblical archeology and pursues the various suspects-Islamic zealots, Jewish extremists, and rival archeologists-only to find himself caught in an expanding labyrinth of deceit.

A lively history and a riveting mystery, Sacred Geography is also the tragic story of a man who dedicated himself to a cause that ultimately destroyed him.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Review of Fox's 'Sacred Geography'
Fox does a great job of blending biography, history and crime novel in his short account of Glock's life and assassination. He also blends archaeology with criminal forensics, which I really admired. The writing isn't terribly exciting, but its enough to hold one's attention for 200 pages, and this book offers a lot more than thrills.

Conclusion unwarranted
Fox can't decide whether to write an academic book on the politics of archeology, or a mystery novel, so it makes for slow reading.He makes factual errors about Albert Glock's religious affiliations--makes me wonder what other factual errors he includes.

If I were a member of Glock's family, I think I would regret giving Fox access, as he paints yellow-journalism's sensationalist and negative portrait of this good man.Then after shifting through a lot of complicated evidence, he draws a silly conclusion: Hamas did it.Please!--how politically convenient!The preponderance of the evidence he himself offers supports the more plausible view that Israelis did it--either army or Mossad-like agents--as Palestinian archeology is a basic threat to the Israeli state's official narrative of who has claims to the land.

Most disappointing.Fox, you took on an admirable and courageous task, but dropped the ball in the end.

Local complexity of Israeli-Palestinian conflict
How important can archeology be today?Unbelievably crucial.In this part of the world it is the justification forworldview, religion, the meaning of life. It seems all of the parties involved come off are charlatans, awful human beings, and trying to justify their own criminality via archeology.This poor Dr Glock gets ineptly kmixed up in it and gets himself killed.
No matter how complex the issues of Palestine/Israel appear, they are clearly more complicated.And they are international, national, and LOCAL.
The book is clearly written and fun to read.Do not expect an answer.
I would have liked even more archeology.

Digging Up Conflict, Fascinating and Biased
The phenomenon that catalyzes - and paralyzes --the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems to be the riddle of our age.By reopening this 1992 murder investigation, journalist Fox reveals how much wider a puzzle it is. Why has this patch of earth attracted so much political, cultural, and religious investment?

Investigating the murder of Dr. Albert Glock, director of the Palestinian Institute of Archaeology, Fox uncovers the key role Biblical archaeology, an opportunistic subdiscipline founded on the idea that the Bible is a true chronicle of history, has played in Palestine's tumultuous history.

Since the age of the Holy Roman Emperor Constantine, the field has been replete with religious charlatans and swashbuckling adventurers, generals and statesmen, all mining Palestine for biblical wonders to advance their own causes.Fox calls this "negative cosmopolitanism", meaning the identification of many people with one place-- the region's most insoluble problem.

Making the landscape fit the map has served the modern state of Israel, Fox claims, yet soon enough he admits his bias, writing that he "took to rooting for the Palestinian underdog."

Regarding the Hague Convention's 1954 prohibition of excavation in occupied territories, the author gleefully reports Professor Glock's circumventions, while reminding us "all respectable archaeologists" refrained from excavating, "except the Israelis."

Fascinating and compelling!
A well-written, compelling account of the politics and various agendas of two centuries of archaeology in Palestine and Israel, as well as as a troubling and eye-opening study of social, political, andcrime issues in Israel and the Occupied Territories in the '90s. ... Read more

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"The city of Petra is located south-west of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 255 km away from Amman. It is dominated by the city of Wadi Mousa where some think that Prophet Moses drew up water from the rocks. Petra is surrounded by many villages and sites which had ther impact on history, like Udruh, which existed since the Nabataeans till the Islamic period....[excerpt taken from introduction]. It includes 52 color pictures and archeological map of its sites. ... Read more

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With the approval and encouragement of the excavator, Mr. Maurice Dunand, Mrs Jidejian has written a book which meets the highest standard of up-to-date scholarship while yet presenting and admirably lucid and lively account of the millennial life of this remarkable city. G. Hanfmann This beautiful volume performs a quite indispensable function. Not only in English, as the author modestly says, but not in any language has there ever appeared a documented survey of the whole results of the excavations of Jubayl. Mrs. Jidejian gathers together all available information from any source, including inscriptions and histories with the relevant parts reproduced in all desirable fullness. But it is chiefly the excavated materials and the artifact-chronology for which her ample footnotes, neatly running along the inner margin instead of at the bottom, furnish a treasury which all archaeologists will acclaim. Robert North, Orientalia 38, Rome, 1969 Mrs. Jidejian has written an excellent survey, based on primary sources, of the more than 6000 years of Byblos history. This is popularization of the finest sort, neither pre-masticated for the reader nor too abstruse for utility. To those who vaguely remember Byblos as part of Phoenicia, this book should come as a revelation. Alan R. Samuels, Graduate Library School, Pratt Institute Brooklyn, Library Journal (February 1, 1970). Although much has been published about Byblos, the results are scattered throughout archaeological, historical and philological literature and therefore difficult of access to all but the specialist. Now the long-felt need for a synthesis has been met by Mrs. Jidejian. This most useful and interesting book concludes with a list of kings of Byblos... High praise must be given to the production of this handsome volume. Dianna Kirkbride, Antiquity 44, Cambridge, March, 1970 ... Read more

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A flight to the golden lands of Archaeology which takes the reader to the sites of some of the most famous recent discoveries in the Middle East, in Egypt, Jordan and Iraq. ... Read more

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The ca seventh-century Christian hymn edited in this volume is one of the most extensive and important Greek liturgical documents to emerge from Egypt in recent years. The leather parchment, measuring 23.3 x 38.5 cm, preserves a three-hymn cycle, interlaced with the Trisagion refrain, "holy is God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us." The first cycle consists of an acrostic recounting of the birth, baptism, passion and ascension of Jesus. The second and third concern Isaiah's vision of the seraphim and Old Testament typologies of the person and work of Christ. As a whole the text focuses on the incarnation and baptismal motifs (with theologically interesting turns of phraseology, e.g., that Jesus was "begotten through the word of God" and "baptized for our sakes") and dramatically sets forth the polarities of Christ as pantocrator and sufferer. These themes receive detailed treatment in the commentary, as do other important issues, such as phonological and syntactic features of the Greek, the origin and use of the Trisagion in Eastern and Oriental Orthodox communions, the ascription of the hymn to Christ as opposed to the Trinity, and the Monophysite addition, "who was crucified for us."
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