Judaism 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.
"Goodman . . . integrates up-to-date scholarship into an accessible narrative look at more than 2,000 years of Judaism. . . . Despite the volume’s ambitious scope, Goodman leaves no significant topic unaddressed. This is the rare scholarly volume that offers new insights and details for the lay and academic reader alike."—Publishers Weekly
"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. . . . Goodman has done both Jews and non-Jews a great service with this book, encapsulating most of Jewish thought over four millennia in one extraordinarily readable volume."—Julia Neuberger, Literary Review
"An expansive and fascinating history. . . . Goodman . . . has crafted a worthy addition to the wide-ranging genre of Jewish studies, offering a hefty yet accessible historical overview of the Jewish religion. . . . Well-written and exhaustively researched, Goodman's work is a masterpiece of pedagogy crafted as a tool for teaching and learning about one of civilization's oldest religions."—Kirkus
"Taking in three millennia of religious thought and practice, Goodman’s scholarship is formidable."—Daniel Beer, The Guardian
"It was a particularly inspired example of lateral thinking to ask Professor Martin Goodman, a renowned Jewish historian and specialist in Graeco-Roman Jewish history, to write a history of Judaism. Bringing a huge amount of historical knowledge to an analysis of the development of dogma and doctrine inevitably leads to a finely pitched study of great objectivity and worth. . . . A History of Judaism is beautifully written and meticulously annotated, and includes maps and illustrations. Goodman holds the book with authority and impeccable even-handedness, engaging the reader with his erudition, but also seasoning the narrative with some of the great and most influential Jewish lives. I could hardly recommend it more."—Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh, Church Times
"Imagine a scholarly history of Judaism, told from the points of view of the time, rather than treating so many events as lead-ups to later anti-Semitism. . . . I found the book to be a useful mood affiliation jiu jitsu, plus it has plenty of information that competing sources don’t, most of all about the immediate post-Temple period. Recommended."—Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution
"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."—Jonathan Fass, Jewish Book Council
"Keenly conceived, tightly constructed, and very well written."—Hillel J. Kieval, Reading Religion
"[A] magisterial work."—David Tesler, Association of Jewish Libraries
"In this remarkable book, Martin Goodman compresses the entire history of Judaism—from Josephus to Jewish Renewal—into a thoroughly readable synthesis, paying special attention to Jewish diversity and drawing on up-to-date scholarship. Henceforward, all students of Judaism should begin here."—Jonathan D. Sarna, author of When General Grant Expelled the Jews
"Martin Goodman's A History of Judaism is a boundlessly edifying work, combining a glittering career's worth of erudition with the drive for clarity and the expressive gesture of a master educator. Everyone will find a great deal to learn from—and think about—here."—Jeremy Dauber, author of Jewish Comedy: A Serious History
"Covering an astonishingly wide geographic spread, Martin Goodman's authoritative and nuanced history places Jewish communities in their many contexts and analyzes their religious and intellectual developments from antiquity to modern times. This thoughtful book allows the reader to follow the thread of Judaism in its multiple manifestations through the ages."—Sarah Stroumsa, professor of Jewish thought and Arabic studies, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
"Martin Goodman writes with the intimacy of an insider and the breadth of an incisive scholar. At once lucid and authoritative, expansive and nuanced, his book is the finest introduction to Judaism written in recent years."—Steven J. Zipperstein, author of Pogrom: Kishinev and the Tilt of History
"With admirable erudition, Martin Goodman offers an entirely fresh perspective on how Judaism combines both past and present. This book will surely become the standard work on this vast subject."—David Biale, University of California, Davis
"A magisterial journey along the highways and many of the byways of Jewish thought. Firmly anchored in his area of expertise, the renowned historian of late antiquity Martin Goodman ventures beyond, from ancient times to modern, in a compelling display of scholarly virtuosity. A History of Judaism is a major achievement."—David Myers, professor of Jewish history, UCLA, and president of the Center for Jewish History
"Multiple millennia. Numberless generations of seers, scribes, and scholars. Martin Goodman’s lambent prose captures it all, the whole glorious, noisy, improbable history of so many different Jews and so many different inflections of Jewishness. Savor the journey."—Paula Fredriksen, author of Augustine and the Jews
"This insightful book is the work of a major historian of Judaism. Goodman's bold and original thinking, excellent historical judgment, and elegant style are all on display here. A History of Judaism is an introduction for the twenty-first century, incorporating new knowledge for our own times."—Philip Alexander, author of The Mystical Texts
