A History of Judaism, Martin Goodman
A History of Judaism, Martin Goodman
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A History of Judaism

Author: Martin Goodman

Narrator: Derek Perkins

Unabridged: 23 hr 59 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/21/2018

Synopsis

A sweeping history of Judaism over more than three millenniaJudaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and it has preserved its distinctive identity despite the extraordinarily diverse forms and beliefs it has embodied over the course of more than three millennia. A History of Judaism provides the first truly comprehensive look in one volume at how this great religion came to be, how it has evolved from one age to the next, and how its various strains, sects, and traditions have related to each other.In this magisterial and elegantly written book, Martin Goodman takes readers from Judaism’s origins in the polytheistic world of the second and first millennia BCE to the temple cult at the time of Jesus. He tells the stories of the rabbis, mystics, and messiahs of the medieval and early modern periods and guides us through the many varieties of Judaism today. Goodman’s compelling narrative spans the globe, from the Middle East, Europe, and America to North Africa, China, and India. He explains the institutions and ideas on which all forms of Judaism are based, and masterfully weaves together the different threads of doctrinal and philosophical debate that run throughout its history.A History of Judaism is a spellbinding chronicle of a vibrant and multifaceted religious tradition that has shaped the spiritual heritage of humankind like no other.

About Martin Goodman

Martin Goodman is professor of Jewish studies at the University of Oxford, where he is president of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies and a fellow of Wolfson College. His books include Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations and The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Studies.

About Derek Perkins

Derek Perkins is a professional narrator and voice actor. He has earned numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration, as well as numerous Society of Voice Arts nominations. AudioFile magazine named him a Best Voice consecutively in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Augmented by a knowledge of three foreign languages and a facility with accents, he has narrated numerous titles in a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Justin on July 03, 2018

Very well done indeed--Goodman's book is structured a little oddly, but once you get used to that (one overview chapter per section followed by a series of deeper dives), there's nothing to hold you back. If, like me, you've got pieces of this history floating around your mind, but no way to organiz......more

Goodreads review by Reid on July 31, 2019

Martin Goodman's History of "Judaism" (Judaism! not Jews, not Jewish People) is the finest single volume history of Jews and Judaism I have read to date. I can't compare it to Salo Baron's magisterial Social and Religious History of the Jews, but it belongs on any shelf of superb narrative histories......more

Goodreads review by Margaret on December 31, 2017

Read this for Library Journal, and I really liked this one.......more

Goodreads review by Yehuda on December 12, 2021

The sheer scope of this book is incredible. He goes through two thousand years of Judaism developing as a religion. Goodman offers a captivating and accurate narrative. I greatly enjoyed this, although a lot of it was review for me. Would recommend to anyone interested in Jewish history.......more

Goodreads review by Caleb on April 07, 2024

Astonishingly boring......more

Quotes

“Taking in three millennia of religious thought and practice, Goodman’s scholarship is formidable.” Guardian (London)

“For Goodman…the Jewish story has much more to do with shared ideas and beliefs…[and] what made Jews Jews.” New Yorker

“Goodman…sketches every figure, defines every movement and captures the ‘kaleidoscopic variety’ of Judaism’s modulating expressions without losing sight of its living core.” Wall Street Journal

“A hugely welcome addition to the library of Jewish studies for the general reader and an absolute godsend for rabbis always perplexed by what book they should recommend to people about how Jewish beliefs and practices have evolved…encapsulating most of Jewish thought over four millennia in one extraordinarily readable volume.” Literary Review

“This is the rare scholarly volume that offers new insights and details for the lay and academic reader alike.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“An expansive and fascinating history…A masterpiece of pedagogy crafted as a tool for teaching and learning about one of civilization’s oldest religions.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Accessible and engaging to listeners…With a British accent and an appropriate vocal pitch, Perkins smoothly pronounces Hebrew terms and makes clear where explanations appear in his delivery of theological/legal texts. This work is unusual because it follows the history of the religion rather than the more frequently documented history of Jews as a people or the first centuries of emerging monotheism.” AudioFile

“One won’t find within a single volume a more comprehensive account of Jewish religious history.” Moment Magazine

“Keenly conceived, tightly constructed, and very well written.” Reading Religion

"A History of Judaism is an accessible read. While expansive in content, it does not overwhelm the reader with details of Jewish history that might detract from a broader understanding of Judaism’s complex and nuanced development.” The Jewish Book Council

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