The Jews

The "epic and stirring story" of 4,000 years of Judaism—told by a #1 New York Times–bestselling author (Jewish Quarterly). From their nomadic beginnings and the rise of Moses to the kings David and Solomon through the Diaspora and the unthinkable horror of the Holocaust—and culminating in the founding of the state of Israel—this is the sweeping tale of the Jews. Howard Fast, author of the classic Spartacus, displays his gift for compelling narrative throughout this eminently readable and well-researched saga.   In Fast's telling, truth is stranger, and more inspiring, than fiction. "Here, I decided, was one of the most exciting and romantic adventures in all the history of mankind," he explains in his introduction. "It had a continuity that spanned most of recorded history. It was filled with drama, passion, tragedy, and faith; and with all due reverence for the scholars, it pleaded for a storyteller to tell it as a story, indeed as the story of all stories."   Fast's accomplishment is required reading not only for lovers of great literature but also for anyone interested in the march of civilization. Barry Holtz, the editor of The Schocken Guide to Jewish Books hails The Jews as "an exciting and pleasurable [introduction] to a four-thousand-year epic."   This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author's estate.