History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel

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Dirty Harry a man of deep moral conviction?
Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel
An Intriguing Look at the Influence of Religion on Politics

Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel
Michael T. Benson
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0275958078

Book Description

Harry S. Truman sensed something profound and meaningful in the Jewish restoration to Palestine, something which transcended other considerations. As the president recorded in his Memoirs, the Palestine question was "a basic human problem." In the end, Truman was willing to go against the current of his most trusted foreign policy advisers, who were absolutely opposed to the establishment of a Jewish state in the Middle East. These advisers argued that however humanitarian a Jewish homeland might seem, such a proposition posed a real risk to American interests in the Near East and to United States national security in the late 1940s. Despite their continued opposition, Truman stood his ground and maintained that he would decide the entire issue based on what he thought was right. Of interest to historians, and students of Israel and of the U.S. presidency.

Customer Reviews:

Dirty Harry a man of deep moral conviction?.......2002-04-20

While the author heaps truckloads of eulogies about "honor, integrity and deep moral convictions" on a man whom Gen. Douglas MacArthur should have hanged as a traitor, the fact is, it was Truman's flagrant disregard for the U.S. Constitution that gave him the "fortitude" to support the invasion of a foreign nation. The 1st Amendment, as we all know, clearly states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." While everyone is at liberty to endorse and support whatever religious cause or organization they choose, our government is supposed to remain neutral on such matters. As was the case with Harry "atomic bomb" Truman, left wingers always refer to the first amendment when it serves their purpose to subvert our institutions but always flagrantly violate it when it is convenient for them to do so. To refer to Harry Truman, who was directly responsible for the systematic slaughter of American soldiers during the Korean War, the Massacre at Hiroshima, the betrayal of China to his Communist friends, the communising of Europe, as a man motivated by deep moral conviction, humanitarianism, etc, is enough to make anyone puke.

Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel.......2001-07-29

Everyone knows that Harry Truman provided help to the Zionists because he could count votes, and there were few Arab votes in 1948. That, anyway, is the thesis developed by John Snetsinger in 1974 and since repeated ad nauseum. Well, it turns out not to be true. In a masterful and exciting presentation, Benson proves that Trumanýs policies resulted not from nose-counting but from deeply-held beliefs. His pro-Israel outlook ýwas based primarily on humanitarian, moral, and sentimental grounds, many of which were an outgrowth of the presidentýs religious upbringing and his familiarity with the Bible.ý Extensive research into Trumanýs biography and earlier career shows his impressive consistency. Benson, of the University of Utah, establishes Truman as a studious child and deeply religious young man who, when he unexpectedly found himself in the Oval Office, lived faithfully by his precepts. In the case at hand, he expressed sympathy for Zionism as early as 1939 and reiterated his views many times subsequently. Trumanýs determination had great importance; of the many momentous issues in his presidency, he personally involved himself most directly with what he called the ýpuzzle of Palestine.ý In Bensonýs words, these personal interventions against the entirety of the American foreign policy establishment ýconstantly rescuedý the Jews from defeat. The author concludes that the standard account of Truman risking U.S. security interests for cheap political advantage is deeply unfair to this most moral and honorable of American presidents.

Middle East Quarterly, September 1998

An Intriguing Look at the Influence of Religion on Politics.......1998-07-20

Most of us in America presume that religious convictions are checked at the doors of our governmental offices. Benson's book articulates exactly how Truman's deep religious convictions guided--even determined--the U.S. policy toward Isral, leading to the official recognition of its independence. Without that recognition, the Nation of Israel might not have lasted a week--let alone 50 years.

This book is a slightly modified version of Benson's Oxford University Ph.D. dissertation. There he studied Modern Middle Eastern History.

As an academic work, the research is absolutely unmatched, with dozens of references and footnotes for each chapter. The author interviewed several prominent people who knew Truman and participated in the development of the policy toward Isreal.

More importantly, however, the book is accessible to any well-read student of American History. Anyone who is a fan of Truman will love the book; those not already enthusiastic supporters of the! late President, will likely become such after reading Benson's account.

Book Description

Like Rizzoli's Views of Rome, Views of Jerusalem and the Holy Land juxtaposes contemporary photographs with engraving and watercolors of corresponding earlier views, extending the tradition of the vedutisti to accommodate the qualities of the photographers art-and creating a provocative dialogue between past and present.

Elegant monochromes depict some of the region's most famous holy places, including the Western Wall, the Damascus Gate, the Ecce Homo Arch on the Via Dolorosa, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of St. John the Baptist, the tomb of the Virgin Mary, and the room of the Last Supper.

Customer Reviews:

Remarkably beautiful photographs .......2006-03-03

I have lived in the Holy City of Jerusalem for thirty years. But Steven Brooke gives in his remarkably beautiful photographs his own special way of seeing it. He does not see and photograph the people of the city but rather its great historical religious sites. And he does this often through panoramic vistas , striking and surprising.
I would have preferred that he focus a bit more on the Jewish sites. I would also have loved to see his visions of the new city, the city outside the walls. But he focuses on the religious monuments of the three monotheistic religions, and shows them in a way which create a certain wonder.
To really know Jerusalem I would certainly supplement this book with those that contain images of its people and daily life.
But this book is a special treasure a real delight to the eyes and the soul.

stunning, unforgettable images of the Holy Land.......1998-12-08

Like his earlier classic work "Views of Rome", Brooke presents visual poetry of the architecture and monuments of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. The composition and lighting are flawless; the images are stunning and unforgettable. Not just a "coffee table" book, but one to re -visit and appreciate over the years.

Mysteries of the Desert: A View of Saudi Arabia

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A Treasure of a Book
An Unlikely Tool to Dispel Racism

Mysteries of the Desert: A View of Saudi Arabia
Isabel Cutler
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0847823598
Release Date: 2001-09-22

Book Description

Journey into the Arabian desert, a place few outsiders have ever visited. With an insight and sensitivity that reveal her love of this region, Isabel Cutler demystifies the landscape and people in Mysteries of the Desert. Dramatic lighting, shadows, and cloud patterns punctuate the moody desertscapes and provide a fascinating counterpoint to portraits of the vibrant Bedouins who live in this stark land. Cutler's full-color photographs celebrate the hearty life in the desert, exploring the subtle patterns made by windswept dunes, sand textures produced by the erosion of rock, and relics of ancient palaces. Accompanying the evocative images are excerpts from classic and modern Arabic verse--a tribute to the rich oral and written poetry traditions of the culture. This captivating book reveals the timeless essence of the land and its people.

Customer Reviews:

A Treasure of a Book.......2001-11-14

This book is a gift to read - which may be why I keep ordering additional copies to give as gifts to my friends. The photographs, taken over a twenty-five year journey into the Aranbian desert are combined with exquisite poetry selections that beautifully articulate the visual images. Through the book I've journeyed to a part of the world I'd never seen. Included are pictures of Bedouin men and women, camels, and the most sensuous desert imaginable. A rare book that's a real tour de force.

An Unlikely Tool to Dispel Racism.......2001-09-21

I stumbled upon this book and could not believe how timely it is. Not only does this lovely photographic book feature beautiful images of sand dunes and people in far away places, accompanied by imaginative poetry, but it shows the side of Arabia that President George Bush and New York City Mayor Rudolph Guiliani, among others, are asking us to remember in light of the difficult times.

We are lucky to have at our fingertips, in a moment of need, an artistic expression of this part of the world to remind us of beauty and not fear.

I intend to share this book with as many people as I can, not only because of the stunning photography and magical poetry, but because I have found solace in its pages.

Book Description

This extraordinary book is the first to analyze the ideological roots of an Islamic state as conceived by the Ayatollah Khomeini. Surprisingly the author finds much of the inspiration behind Khomeini’s political thinking being influenced by Western sources—his writings on the supreme Islamic Jurist being affected by Plato’s notions of the philosopher-king and his views of state power and centralism being closely linked to his understanding of Marxist/Leninist totalitarianism.

Prison Writings: The Roots of Civilisation

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How can a killer give a lecture on civilization

Prison Writings: The Roots of Civilisation
Abdullah Ocalan
Manufacturer: Pluto Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

How can a killer give a lecture on civilization.......2007-08-02

USA does not even allow O. J Simpson to benefit from a hypothetical murder book that he wrote.

Abdullah Ocalan is a convicted killer. He was tried in front of European monitors and found guilty of instigating murders of thousands of civilians.

Would you distribute Osama Bin Ladens books?

The View from Nebo: How Archeology Is Rewriting the Bible and Reshaping the Middle East

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Lacking Objectivity
shes wrong
Digging for diplomacy
Maybe worth a read, but be warned....
A Disappointing Collage

The View from Nebo: How Archeology Is Rewriting the Bible and Reshaping the Middle East
Amy Dockser Marcus
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316591629

Book Description

Were the pyramids built by Egyptian artisans and laborers or, as the Bible suggests, by Israelite slaves? And how do new revelations about the history of the pyramids affect todays Arab-Israeli relations? These are among the many questions explored in this compelling book that explains how modern archaeology is challenging our understanding of the Bible.

Customer Reviews:

Lacking Objectivity.......2007-06-10

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.......2006-04-24

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 to read jeffery shelers book is the bible true?

Digging for diplomacy.......2004-07-19

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...........2003-08-12

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.

A Disappointing Collage.......2002-10-03

The dust jacket for Amy Marcus' book says that this book is an investigation into how archaeology is changing our view of Scriptures and the Middle East as well. Unfortunately too much of the book is a collage of Bible stories mixed with anecdotes of modern people and events.

For example, Marcus offers a paragraph of some 180
words describing the office of Zahi Hawass. (BTW, his name is mispelled in the index.) In another instance, Marcus tells how Kent Weeks is changing the image of Ramses II. This story is included because if the Exodus is historical, Ramses II is probably (?) Pharaoh.

Marcus also includes stories to show how archaeology is changing the Middle East. On page 90, she tells the story of Palestinians who recreate the story of Baal dying and rising back to life. Although this story is interesting in its own right, it comes across as Marcus' mind wandering again.

Customer Reviews:

A mediocre book.......2006-02-06

Neill Lochery has written about Israel before (you may want to read my basically positive review of his book "Why Blame Israel," which came out last year). Well, let's see what insights he has to offer this time.

Lochery examines the need for a separation fence. He explains the immediate reason: suicide bombers were killing Israelis. He should also have discussed the extent to which the suicide bombings had affected day-to-day life in Israel. In addition, I think he should have mentioned the fact that to attack Israel with a fence in place would be more difficult, and might require such sophisticated planning that a major military response by Israel would be appropriate. Without a fence, it's just too easy for an attack to look spontaneous. Lochery ought to have talked a little bit more about what other nations do in such situations.

The author talks about possible demographic issues in Israel. However, he never explains why demography ought to be so important. After all, it may be obvious to everyone that if the Arabs do become a majority in Israel, they'll probably vote to get rid of human rights for Jews there. But it is far from obvious that this is a reasonable thing for a majority to do. Nor is it obvious that Israel's Jews ought to tamely submit to a bunch of thugs who demand all this, especially when Israel is already so land-poor. Once again, I think Lochery ought to ask what other nations would do in such a situation.

Lochery has a good discussion of the Balfour Declaration. But he fails to point out that it certainly did not promise the Levant to both the Jews and the Arabs. It merely promised to support a Jewish homeland, not a Jewish nation. And it did not support an Arab nation in the Levant either. It promised very little to anyone.

The immorality and impact of the 1939 British White Paper is underemphasized in this book. In fact, Lochery is probably right that it was part of an attempt to appease Arabs, although even this may be somewhat misleading. And Lochery does not discuss how perfidious this White Paper was, nor how many hundreds of thousands of deaths it caused. Nor does he mention another direct result of the White Paper, namely the reversal of Zionist policy on the issue of statehood: as I see it, the White Paper caused the establishment of Israel.

The author does mention the assassination of Count Bernadotte. I feel that this murder was unjustified. But I recognize that Bernadotte was indeed very dangerous to Israel, and I think that Israel profited from his death, just as the United States almost surely profited from the killing of Yamamoto in World War Two. Lochery does not agree with me at all, saying that Israel was hurt by Bernadotte's death.

There is a big discussion of peace efforts. Once again, Lochery and I disagree about most of the fundamentals. I feel that the war is over human rights, and that the main Arab demand is to win the Right to Oppress Jews and other minorities. Land is a very peripheral issue. I think resources aren't much of an issue either: there's probably more than enough water to go around, and the price of desalinated water is getting low enough to make that a possible solution.

In addition, I think that too much emphasis is placed on people being willing to say they will agree to what is called peace. This is even called "historic." And far too much time is wasted discussing the supposed opportunities Israel may have squandered in search of peace. The Oslo process was a disaster: it surely did not help Jews, Arabs, or anyone else. Lochery was readier to admit this in his previous book than he is in this one.

I also feel that some folks may be misled by the propaganda about Levantine Arabs merely wanting some rights and some land. If they truly wanted such things, they would accept them when they were offered them, and they would also ask for land not just from Israel but from other nations as well. That's why I think the "peace process" was doomed from the start: it did not offer anything either side wanted. The Israelis wanted peace, but the "peace process" never really offered it that.

Lochery says that when the fence comes down, it will be a good sign that true peace is in the works. That's fair. But I think it is a little like cheering when a tourniquet finally can be removed. And if either a tourniquet or a fence is simply removed prematurely, that's not good news at all.

I'm giving this book three stars. But I had trouble finding anything interesting in it that I agreed with. Many times, I felt that the topics that were discussed were not very relevant to the Arab-Israeli conflict. I don't recommend this book.

Israeli Backpackers: A View From Afar (Suny Series in Israeli Studies)

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Israeli Backpackers: A View From Afar (Suny Series in Israeli Studies)

Manufacturer: State University of New York Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0791464989

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Examines the backpacking trip usually taken by Israeli youth following military service.

The Rushdie Affair: The Novel, the Ayatollah, and the West

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Views the outcry over Rushdie in a larger geopolitical context
More Serious Than an Affair
For anyone seeking a better understanding contemporary Islam
Full of insights
Flourish in a language lover's paradise

The Rushdie Affair: The Novel, the Ayatollah, and the West
Daniel Pipes
Manufacturer: Carol Publishing Corporation
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Views the outcry over Rushdie in a larger geopolitical context.......2005-09-20

THE RUSHDIE AFFAIR is Daniel Pipes' analysis of the uproar by Muslims over Salman Rushdie's novel THE SATANIC VERSES from mid-1988 to March 1989, with especial attention on Ayatollah Khomeini's death fatwa and the resulting diplomatic fallout. Though the book was published in early 1990 and so lacks a long-term view of the matter, it is still a valuable and informative historical document.

Pipes explains how the novel is offensive to Muslims, explicating its references to the founding of Islam which the average Western reader wouldn't grasp, as well as Khomeini's edict and voices of support and dissent with it. The second part of the book is an examination of larger issues evoked by the novel's reception, namely the relationship between Iran and the West, the efficacy or lack thereof of censorship and, quite pertinent to our times sixteen years later, the matter of Muslim communities living in the West. Pipes asks if perhaps the greatest danger against speech isn't far-off pariah states like Iran, but rather Muslim communities in Europe which refuse to integrate and wish to eradicate all opposition to Islam and its sharia law in the society around them.

It is clear right away that Pipes has little sympathy for Rushdie. In the short biography of the author, Rushdie is described as a haughty intellectual, an elitist, an a nihilistic Leftist. I thought this was unfair, and showed the author to have little understanding or appreciation of the literary art. However, Pipes' low view of Rushdie allows him to consider in greater depth the question of whether Rushdie deserved the criticism and fatwa. Ultimately, what Pipes feels about the matter is simple bafflement, because the Muslim world during the 20th century tolerated writers and intellectuals who said far worse things about Islam than Rushdie, and there's no real reason why Rushdie should have been singled out for such a great outcry.

The book is informative, but more on its coverage of international relations than any insights on the literary world. If you haven't read THE SATANIC VERSES yet, don't try Pipes' book, because you've been missing out on an entertaining and truly marvelous novel, and it will be baffling to read about a controversy over a book you know nothing about yet. The book may be worth flipping through if you're curious about why Rushdie's novel sparked such a reaction.

More Serious Than an Affair.......2005-01-18

This book is a must read for anyone contemplating the reading of Salman Rushdie's, "The Satanic Verses." It places into perspective an insight into all of the hoopla.

Salman Rushdie wrote a little book back in 1988 that literally placed his head on a platter. Was it literature or blasphemy against the Islamic religion? The debate continues to this day. In this book Daniel Pipes (author of several books on the Middle East), attempts to explain the controversy that exists around Rushdie's words. The satanic verses are basically a few words referring to the existence of Meccan goddesses and whether or not they were acknowledged by the Prophet Muhammad. Apparently historical beliefs exist that suggest the possibility of Muhammad being coerced by nobles to recognize their idols/goddesses in exchange for a chance to continue preaching within their vicinity without restrictions. The problem with this theory is that it then makes the religion of Islam non-existent as a faith because it goes against the monotheistic belief that Islam is based upon and also suggests that Muhammad wrote the Holy Qur'an as a human being and not as an inspired prophet of God. Rushdie ran into trouble when he wrote an extremely blasphemous novel based on these controversial verses and basically laughed into the face of the Islamic faith ruffling some very fundamentalist feathers along the way.

Daniel Pipe brings a relatable book to the table which explains how Rushdie, the Ayatollah and the West started and resolved the controversy surrounding, "The Satanic Verses." What was once a complicated issue now seems entirely explainable from all fronts due to this book by Pipes. Rushdie is explained as a highly educated man who spends his life basically making a mockery of many things with an intellectual snobbery and seemingly massive ego. However Rushdie has a right to freedom of speech that is without question, but was that right taken to extremes in order to create a platform for infamy? In my opinion Rushdie knew exactly what he was creating and in fact weathered the storm quite well while receiving a mountain of publicity and notoriety that quite possibly the novel on its own doesn't stand up to. I believe the average reader would not be able to relate to Rushdie's weighty style and cultural references and that had the uproar been non-existent the novel would be relegated to the discount book pile and soon forgotten. Rushdie has great marketing skills but at what price?

So why such a violent response? Pipes writes a thorough explanation as to why the Ayatollah decreed a fatwa against Rushdie and his publishers. In the western world this action appears rather harsh but in the Islamic tradition of punishment towards individuals who blaspheme God it was merely an action supported by a law most westerners do not understand. Call it cultural divide if you will with a huge exclamation point! And so it goes. This book provides additional insight into the ever present differences between the Middle East and the Western world and continues to pertain to modern issues as well. From a tolerant God stems the intolerance of man and his religions. After reading this book you might begin to understand the serious faith of the Islamic world and the laws they live by. Although we live in a complicated world taking a step towards understanding one another can begin with well-rounded explanations such as those found within this book by Daniel Pipe. The ideas are multifaceted but very necessary to contemplate in order to be a citizen of the world today.

For anyone seeking a better understanding contemporary Islam.......2003-07-26

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, The Rushdie Affair: The Novel, The Ayatollah, And The West by Daniel Pipes (Director of the Middle East Forum and a columnist for the "New York Post" and the "Jerusalem Post", studies the events that played out when Salman Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" was denounced by Muslim clerics as blasphemous to Islam, resulting in a confrontation that led to an Iranian edict demanding the execution of the author. Scrutinizing not only modern history, but also what it shows about further relations between different nations and world views, The Rushdie Affair is a informed and informative account which is very highly recommended for anyone seeking a better understanding contemporary Islam in general, and this defining controversy in particular.

Full of insights.......2001-11-14

Here is one example: the title of Rushdie's book. Pipes explains that while in English "the Satanic verses" is a plain ordinary phrase that refers to an embaraasing event in Islamic history, this phrase is not used in Arabic. Most Muslims won't recognize the event by that designation; Muslims call it something quite different. But when "verses" is translated into Arabic the word used refers specifically to Quranic verses. So the title is translated roughly as "The Satanic Verses of the Quran" or "The Satanic Quran".

Don't assume from this that Pipes if profferring an apologetic. He is not; this book is critical of "fundamentalist Islam". But Pipes is careful to explain how such Muslims think and react.

Flourish in a language lover's paradise.......2001-10-11

Salman Rushdie is brilliant. He knows who to derive from and steal from: James Joyce being one of his main sources. Good for him. If you're going to steal, steal from the best. Joyce's footprints are all over THE SATANIC VERSES. I felt at home. And Rushdie's tough and demanding like Joyce. Even moreso because he's dealing with issues western readers are not familiar with. So you have to go slow and get internet help (plenty available). Slowly, the novel begins to take shape. It's a book of dreams and nightmares bounded by the first and last very moving chapters about Chamcha's domestic crises with his father and ensuing alienation. Chamcha's torn between cultures, a lost searching soul, an alienated man. He's also an intellectual prig who wears many protective masks to conceal his sufferings and with which he explores religious and emotional wanderings. Read the first and last chapters to make contact with the down to earth domestic issues of the novel. Very moving. In between, you have this massive and intensive and witty and funny and dark and brilliant exploration of Muslim religion as seen from a willing/unwilling, searching unbeliever's point of view. He mocks and participates all at the same time. The language is gorgeous because it moves on many levels--from slang to pop to literary to religious, back and forth--and from the point of view of two languages and cultures. At one minute it's blasphemous, at another it's holy...and it's always a rich and makes the reader smile, smile, smile at the author's brilliance and learning. It's linguistic magic. What does it all add up to? You got me. I haven't scratched the surface. It may or may not add up. Talk to me in a year.

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