Books about Jewish history

[Torostoros]

I'm after some recommendations for good books about Jewish history as I think this could greatly enrich my study of the Old Testament and other standard works like The Book of Mormon. Please don't just say "the Bible". I'm hoping to increase my understanding of the Jewish as a people and the nation of Israel, their history and current situation, etc. I think this would also help me gain a greater appreciation for prophecies given (both anciently and in modern times) regarding the Lord's covenant people and the nation of Israel.

Hoping for something relatively in-depth (not only surface-level summaries) without being fat and thick enough to be a five-year task.

Any recommendations?

[james12]

A classic for the New Testament is Sketches of Jewish Social Life by Alfred Edersheim. I'm not sure about the Old Testament.

[Quin]

If you'd like to get a reeeeeeally long list, long enough to be able to choose the voices of your authors as well as find out what you're looking for, Google Jewish Conversion.

There is apx 12-18 months worth of study required BEFORE a person is allowed to convert to Judaeism. A good portion of that is studying the history of the Jewish people. While your Rabbi would give you a list of required reading, that list is variable from Rabbi to Rabbi to a certain extent... And those lists are often published. So, too, many people blog about their journey to conversion, including their reading.

A brief scan online gave me about 150 titles, probably 1/4 of them pure history.

Since you're online, you could download a sample from Amazon, and find which authors suit you best.

Wish I could give you a short list, but it's been a couple decades since I last read them.

All my best,

Q

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I don't think this is what you are looking for, but hey there's a chance someone else curious about Jewish History might appreciate it.

I have learned alot about Jewish history and culture through reading Chaim Potok's books. He is a rabbi, and while his books are fiction, they are full of great teaching. My favorites are The Chosen and My Name is Asher Lev.

The best book I have found to help me understand the Old Testament was James Ferrel's: The Hidden Christ: Beneath the Surface of the Old Testament. The greatest value of the Old Testament for me is what it teaches me about the Savior.