--- product_id: 7272342 title: "Jerusalem: The Biography" price: "£19.11" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/7272342-jerusalem-the-biography store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Jerusalem: The Biography **Price:** £19.11 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Jerusalem: The Biography - **How much does it cost?** £19.11 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/7272342-jerusalem-the-biography) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description FULLY REVISED AND UPDATED FOR 2024 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK • JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL BOOK OF THE YEAR "Spectacular. [Montefiore] really tells you what the life of the city has been like and why it means so much. You fall in love with the city. It’s a treasure. It’s a wonderful book." —Bill Clinton "Impossible to put down. . . . Vastly enjoyable." — The New York Times Book Review The history of Jerusalem is the story of the world: Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of three faiths. The Holy City and Holy Land are the battlefields for today’s multifaceted conflicts and, for believers, the setting for Judgment Day and the Apocalypse. How did this small, remote town become the Holy City, the “center of the world” and now the key to peace in the Middle East? Why is the Holy Land so important not just to the region and its many new players, but to the wider world too? Drawing on new archives and a lifetime’s study, Montefiore reveals this ever-changing city and turbulent region through the wars, love affairs and revelations of the kings, empresses, amirs, sultans, caliphs, presidents, autocrats, imperialists and warlords, poets, prophets, saints and rabbis who created, destroyed, chronicled, and believed in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. A classic of modern literature, this is not only the epic story of 3,000 years of faith, slaughter, fanaticism, co-existence, power and myth, but also a freshly updated, carefully balanced history of the Middle East, from King David to the new powers of the twenty-first century, from the birth of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to the Israel-Palestine conflict. This is how today’s Middle East was forged, how the Holy Land became sacred and how Jerusalem became Jerusalem—the only city that exists twice—in heaven and on earth. “Magnificent. . . . Montefiore barely misses a trick or a character intaking us through the city’s story with compelling, breathless tension.” — The Wall Street Journal Review: Excellent read ... an important book - "Jerusalem, a Biography" ... there can never be an agreement on the `biography'. There is no story of Jerusalem that is not rabidly contested as to `facts', natural or supernatural, analytical or anecdotal, or ... merely made up ... but there can be little doubt that Jerusalem remains the center of the human ambition to be a city possessed. This 'biography' that melds narrative with archaeology is compelling. 7000 years of history is not easily compiled for this city's role in civilization. A story free of criticism, worldview bias and angry refutations is simply not possible. The binary nature of the past reviews from 5-stars to 1 stars is an evidence to the strong personal response. For me, it was a 5-star read. It is an excellent guided tour of the city and populations in time and place. Jerusalem is in fact the story of genocide, near extermination, our more simply just destroyed. The Temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and the Maccabees were dug out to bedrock to build Herod's Temple complex. Roman Titus strip mined the acropolis in 70AD. The Temple traces were wiped out excepting the nearby, vital Gihon Spring which the author cites as the most archaeologically excavated site on the planet. The place can be the pinnacle of human joy only to revert in the same generation to horror^3. Yet ... it remains the spiritual center of 3 major religions for reasons not to be found in human logic. It is a rather worthless piece of real estate as property goes in rugged terrain and off the main drags of the trade routes. It rises only when power voids among the hegemons permit it. Only in the modern era does it exist at its more ancient population levels. Jerusalem is an extraordinary violent story made more violent as supernatural Good and Evil are seen to perpetually battle for control. The reader that stops at page 70 or so is missing the complex Muslim history which is every bit as lethal to Jerusalem's residents as Titus. By 1300AD, the Crusades were over, Islam was in chaos and the Jews were scattered around the world. The spiritual center of the 3 Abrahamic religions was claimed by all manner of Sultans, Popes, and European kings, but Jerusalimites numbered but 2000 leaderless peasants of which 2 were Jews, a hundred or so were Christians and most were Muslim banished North African tribes dwelling in destitution amidst the 1500 year ruins of repetitive total destruction. Not until the 1850's did much change. Is it a rational place or an irrational place to possess and to continue for the thousands of years until the present? Montefiore attempts to tell the story. To Pagans, Jews, Christians and Muslims ... Jerusalem is an equally lethal and irresistible place ... a tinder box for annihilations and of no earthly value. Jerusalem is unlike any other relic on the planet with its insignificant geographical location. The reader is left to wonder at the story. That Jerusalem survives at all is a miracle of sorts in chapter after chapter of Montefiore's work. Elsewhere in the ancient world, ancient and far more powerful cities were forever abandoned, but not Jerusalem. Mohenjo-Daro never survived. Troy was not reborn to greatness, Persepolis never survived. Neither great Nineveh nor Babylon survived. The great city at Amarna disappeared and was `undiscovered' until the past century. These other ruins do not tell the narrative from the people of the street in these great and abandoned places. They have no granular, connected narrative like Jerusalem. Millions of people go out of their way to seek this remote Judean hill town of Jerusalem where millions lived and died and some believe it to be the essence of man's final rest. These are too numerous and multi-cultural to be coincidence or merely pursuit of myth. Like moths to the flame, humans are attracted to Jerusalem. Montefiore tries mightily to render a `biography' but it is just not possible to satisfy everyone or to be rendered without an historically informed position woven through the controversy of the cities biography. The essence of any author must come through in narrative this large. An 'unbiased' accounting of Jerusalem could not be constructed that made rational sense. This is a long story that pages by quickly for the historical reader. I read it in 5 days. It could easily be doubled in size exploring the leads in the excellent footnotes. Jerusalem is one of the most important historical books the year. Review: A fun, fascinating, enjoyable history! - Okay, this is a book that covers over 3000 years of history. Of course there are going to be things that get glazed over or even skipped. It is not comprehensive, it is not academic, it is not authoritative. But it is a joy to read! I'm a history teacher and my forte has always been contemporary US and European history. But this book was a brilliant example of good writing on both ancient and contemporary history. Much of the early history of Jerusalem is based on Biblical and apocryphal texts, before moving into more traditional histories. This book highlights just how much Jerusalem is an international city, a home to many kinds of people, and a source of constant strife. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have all fought and killed for control of this city and Sebag Montefiore does a fantastic job describing the to-and-fro history of the city. Other reviewers have brought up legitimate complaints about the book, but I found this a great book for the casual history buff or the moderately curious. It is a pleasure to read and gives a vivid account of one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Strongly recommended! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #40,335 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #14 in Israel & Palestine History (Books) #20 in History of Religions #25 in Middle Eastern Politics | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,089 Reviews | ## Images ![Jerusalem: The Biography - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91jczzFCqNL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent read ... an important book *by S***E on May 13, 2012* "Jerusalem, a Biography" ... there can never be an agreement on the `biography'. There is no story of Jerusalem that is not rabidly contested as to `facts', natural or supernatural, analytical or anecdotal, or ... merely made up ... but there can be little doubt that Jerusalem remains the center of the human ambition to be a city possessed. This 'biography' that melds narrative with archaeology is compelling. 7000 years of history is not easily compiled for this city's role in civilization. A story free of criticism, worldview bias and angry refutations is simply not possible. The binary nature of the past reviews from 5-stars to 1 stars is an evidence to the strong personal response. For me, it was a 5-star read. It is an excellent guided tour of the city and populations in time and place. Jerusalem is in fact the story of genocide, near extermination, our more simply just destroyed. The Temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and the Maccabees were dug out to bedrock to build Herod's Temple complex. Roman Titus strip mined the acropolis in 70AD. The Temple traces were wiped out excepting the nearby, vital Gihon Spring which the author cites as the most archaeologically excavated site on the planet. The place can be the pinnacle of human joy only to revert in the same generation to horror^3. Yet ... it remains the spiritual center of 3 major religions for reasons not to be found in human logic. It is a rather worthless piece of real estate as property goes in rugged terrain and off the main drags of the trade routes. It rises only when power voids among the hegemons permit it. Only in the modern era does it exist at its more ancient population levels. Jerusalem is an extraordinary violent story made more violent as supernatural Good and Evil are seen to perpetually battle for control. The reader that stops at page 70 or so is missing the complex Muslim history which is every bit as lethal to Jerusalem's residents as Titus. By 1300AD, the Crusades were over, Islam was in chaos and the Jews were scattered around the world. The spiritual center of the 3 Abrahamic religions was claimed by all manner of Sultans, Popes, and European kings, but Jerusalimites numbered but 2000 leaderless peasants of which 2 were Jews, a hundred or so were Christians and most were Muslim banished North African tribes dwelling in destitution amidst the 1500 year ruins of repetitive total destruction. Not until the 1850's did much change. Is it a rational place or an irrational place to possess and to continue for the thousands of years until the present? Montefiore attempts to tell the story. To Pagans, Jews, Christians and Muslims ... Jerusalem is an equally lethal and irresistible place ... a tinder box for annihilations and of no earthly value. Jerusalem is unlike any other relic on the planet with its insignificant geographical location. The reader is left to wonder at the story. That Jerusalem survives at all is a miracle of sorts in chapter after chapter of Montefiore's work. Elsewhere in the ancient world, ancient and far more powerful cities were forever abandoned, but not Jerusalem. Mohenjo-Daro never survived. Troy was not reborn to greatness, Persepolis never survived. Neither great Nineveh nor Babylon survived. The great city at Amarna disappeared and was `undiscovered' until the past century. These other ruins do not tell the narrative from the people of the street in these great and abandoned places. They have no granular, connected narrative like Jerusalem. Millions of people go out of their way to seek this remote Judean hill town of Jerusalem where millions lived and died and some believe it to be the essence of man's final rest. These are too numerous and multi-cultural to be coincidence or merely pursuit of myth. Like moths to the flame, humans are attracted to Jerusalem. Montefiore tries mightily to render a `biography' but it is just not possible to satisfy everyone or to be rendered without an historically informed position woven through the controversy of the cities biography. The essence of any author must come through in narrative this large. An 'unbiased' accounting of Jerusalem could not be constructed that made rational sense. This is a long story that pages by quickly for the historical reader. I read it in 5 days. It could easily be doubled in size exploring the leads in the excellent footnotes. Jerusalem is one of the most important historical books the year. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A fun, fascinating, enjoyable history! *by B***N on September 4, 2012* Okay, this is a book that covers over 3000 years of history. Of course there are going to be things that get glazed over or even skipped. It is not comprehensive, it is not academic, it is not authoritative. But it is a joy to read! I'm a history teacher and my forte has always been contemporary US and European history. But this book was a brilliant example of good writing on both ancient and contemporary history. Much of the early history of Jerusalem is based on Biblical and apocryphal texts, before moving into more traditional histories. This book highlights just how much Jerusalem is an international city, a home to many kinds of people, and a source of constant strife. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have all fought and killed for control of this city and Sebag Montefiore does a fantastic job describing the to-and-fro history of the city. Other reviewers have brought up legitimate complaints about the book, but I found this a great book for the casual history buff or the moderately curious. It is a pleasure to read and gives a vivid account of one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Strongly recommended! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Blood and guts, yet written with an entertaining flair *by C***S on January 6, 2016* I am not half way finished. This biography describes and reveals the long history, not just about Jerusalem, the main subject, and its beginning, but the histories of the Middle East in general, mostly about invasions, invaders, war and brutal vengeance (s), some brief facts about their resources and trade, names and chronologies of rulers of various levels and importance-kings and kingdoms, tyrants, despots, shahs, imans, etc. As the centuries turn from older to modern times, Montefiore includes the spreading global participation of war-mongering of Eastern Asia, Russia, China, and other parts, into this/these areas. If the facts and descriptions about Jerusalem's history be even partially true, it is nevertheless amazing that the Jewish people continued to grow, in spite of pomgrom after pomgrom. It had short periods of peace, yet according to Montefiore's facts, these people were afflicted by everyone outside of there city, eventually to nearly every area of the globe, all wanting to expunge a people and own the power these believed in. Yet, they would survive, incredibly, eventually become a strong, independent people who were meant to exist. And that they went on to gather their own, create a state and a place in permanent history, almost beyond believe-ability, on a promise of a God for His people. But what Montefiore describes in explicit detail about there struggle and deaths, and I wasn't expecting, is the nature of war and its brutality, human to human and often, gruesomeness, and in some cases downright insanity, revealing the deep depravity of man. It is the way Montefiore writes that keeps it interesting, sometimes a sitting on the edge, expectation, for what will come next. I would not have known otherwise this shocking life of Jerusalem, that was filled with both religious orthodoxy and depravity, even within itself and its many emptied out, periods before another take over, destruction to the Temple, and other buildings that were destroyed over and over and yet, always rebuilt. Little of this has been revealed. However, what I do appreciate is his short descriptions (as some histories are too long and detailed, or too broad, unbalanced) of bloodied, gorged out dismemberment, death and dying of people, of each occurrence, although there are many occurrences. Some of it takes a strong stomach not to be turned off to the rest of the story. Though I was turned off, I returned. Montefiore's biography is written details by details as if fact (of exaggeration or fanciful imagination I do not know) yet sometimes is entertaining. He writes cleanly, simply stating or describing them. I have a better understanding of what empire meant and in some cases, still does, as empire is another word for power. And as modern times approach, slowly technology has replaced invaders (with US help) yet still, in the name of human power, in the name of one unseen; yet, not ironically, the same major players remain to attack with their weapons: those of the Middle East-Iraq, Pakistan, Palestinians, Iran, even Russia, as well as some others. I look forward to reading "the rest of the story", and yet, though not finished, I would recommend this book, as it gives a good general understanding of what was all to important then and even moreso, now, still being the center of the world. ## Frequently Bought Together - Jerusalem: The Biography - Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar - The Romanovs: 1613-1918 --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/7272342-jerusalem-the-biography](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/7272342-jerusalem-the-biography) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-06-23*