Tag Archives: #readerslog

Reader’s Log 058: Current Reads

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Nonfiction and Historical Fiction

I’ve recently started reading the three books below-one of them is historical fiction and the other nonfiction. I am finding them to be enjoyable and reads thus far. The Lost World of the Prophets and Finding Phoebe are books written by Biblical Scholars. They are informative and I’m truly gaining so much knowledge and insight from them so far and I would highly recommend them.

A few times I’ve posted about my deep dive into cultural and Biblical background studies and it has really opened up a whole new world for me about understanding and examining ancient cultures. By doing so you first must take off your western lenses. We westerners tend to carry over our modern cultural ideas, sensibilities and prejudices when reading about other cultures and ancient times.

I can’t wait to share my thoughts more in-depth about the books below!

Stephanie

Finding Phoebe: What New Testament Women Were Really Like by Susan Hylen

Published January 17, 2023 by Eerdmans

Forget what you think you know about women in the early church.

In this learned yet accessible book, Susan E. Hylen introduces first-century primary sources to illuminate readers’ understanding of New Testament women. Perfect for clergy, spiritual reading groups, and all curious minds, Finding Phoebe combines incisive scholarship and instructional sensibility to encourage readers to develop their own informed interpretations of Scripture.

Contrary to popular conceptions of “biblical womanhood” as passive and silent, women often served as leaders and prophets in their communities. Women owned one-third of all property during the period, granting them access to civic power through patronage. Many women worked outside the home and were educated according to the needs of their professions. Through careful examination of “modesty” and “silence” in the Greco-Roman world, Hylen reveals the centrality of these virtues to both men and women practicing self-control in service of communal good.

Hylen’s work will challenge readers to free their minds of modern preconceptions and consider New Testament women on their own terms. This practical book includes historical context, scriptural evidence, and questions for discussion.

The Lost World of the Prophets: Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature in Ancient Context (The Lost World Series #7) by John H. Walton

Published February 27, 2024 by IVP Academic

I’ve started with the 7th book in this series because I’m currently studying Biblical prophecy and the Prophets. I do intend to read the whole series.

Being responsive to God is at the heart of prophecy. But readers of ancient prophecies and apocalyptic literature―including those in the Old Testament―can come away thoroughly perplexed. Are the prophets speaking about their own times, about our present, or about some still-unrealized future? It’s common to study prophecy with a focus on the sole question of prediction and fulfillment, either for the sake of apologetics or for understanding the end times, but such an approach can fail to track with the original intent of the authors. We need to shake loose both from a paradigm of reading prophecy as an offer of mysterious divination as well as from the habit of constructing eschatological timelines of any sort. How do these books work as meaningful Scripture for Christians today? John Walton applies his signature method to help us recover the lost world of the prophets. To read these biblical books well, we must A fresh reading of the Old Testament text in light of the ancient Near Eastern context can open new avenues of awareness. Walton provides a clear, helpful guide to the nature of biblical prophecy and apocalyptic literature that will help readers avoid potential misuse and reclaim the message of the prophets for their lives. The books in the Lost World Series follow the pattern set by Bible scholar John H. Walton, bringing a fresh, close reading of the Hebrew text and knowledge of ancient Near Eastern literature to an accessible discussion of the biblical topic at hand using a series of logic-based propositions.

The Palace at the End of the Sea by Simon Tolkien

Theo Sterling #1

Published June 1, 2025 by Lake Union Publishing (For review.)

441 pages, Kindle Edition

New York City, 1929. Young Theo Sterling’s world begins to unravel as the Great Depression exerts its icy grip. He finds it hard to relate to his father, a Jewish self-made businessman, refuses to give up on the American dream, and his mother, a refugee from religious persecution in Mexico, holds fast to her Catholic faith. When disaster strikes the family, Theo must learn who he is. A charismatic school friend and a firebrand girl inspire him to believe he can fight Fascism and change the world, but each rebellion comes at a higher price, forcing Theo to question these ideologies too.

From New York’s Lower East Side to an English boarding school to an Andalusian village in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Theo’s harrowing journey from boy to man is set against a backdrop of societies torn apart from within, teetering on the edge of a terrible war to which Theo is compulsively drawn like a moth to a flame.

Reader’s Log 056: Current Reads and Contemplation

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I finished Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together by Ilana Kurshan. The book has been published but I haven’t turned in my review yet because there is something the author briefly mentions about a group of people that made me pause and I’m trying to work out how I’m going to address this issue objectively. I will say I wish she had fleshed it out a bit better to get a clearer picture and that is part of the problem I’m having with the passage. Also, the author’s narrative often moves rather quickly onto other things… Okay, that is all I’m going to say about the subject until I release my review. Be sure to be on the lookout for it!

The books I’m currently reading are enjoyable thus far and I recommend them to consider reading. In this post, I will show three of them and the fourth book will be for another post because it is a very complex topic that I will be talking about in depth.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend of resting and reading.

Stephanie

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

Not yet published Expected Date: March 24, 2026 – I have a review copy from the pubs.

1920’s London was enthralled by the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Filled with priceless statues, jewels, and the gold-encased mummy of the boy Pharaoh himself, the burial site unleashed a fascination with the ancient world and revolutionized the world of archeology.

The discovery was made by Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and his associate, famed archeologist Howard Carter. What no one knows is that without the pioneering spirit of Lady Evelyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s daughter, the tomb might never have been found. As a young woman, Evelyn was fascinated by the story of Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt. Although she brought peace and prosperity to Egypt, her male successors ruthlessly and thoroughly erased her name from history.

Lady Evelyn’s ambition to find the tomb of Egypt’s first woman ruler exposes her to life-threatening danger and pits her against archeologists who refuse to believe the tomb can be found―and certainly not by a woman. Refusing to give up, Evelyn is on the verge of success when she is suddenly forced to make an agonizing choice between loyalty to her beloved father and Carter and realizing the dream of a lifetime.

About the author:

Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie’s Maid, The Other Einstein, and the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. 
Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. 
Up next is the February 11, 2025 release, The Queens of Crime, the thrilling story of Agatha Christie’s legendary rival, mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a real-life murder, and the power of friendship among women.
And in April, her first children’s book will released, a middle grade historical adventure co-written with Courtney Sheinmel called The Secrets of the Lovelace Academy.

Phoebe by Paula Gooder

Published September 4, 2018

Sometime around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, whom he describes as the deacon of the church at Cenchreae and a patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman? Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder imagines Phoebe’s story—who she was, the life she lived, and her first-century faith—and in doing so opens up Paul’s world, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped his thinking and the faith of the early church. After the narrative, Gooder includes an extensive notes section with comments on the historical context, biographical details, cultural practices, and more. Rigorously researched, this is a book for anyone who wants to engage more deeply and imaginatively with Paul’s theology.

About the author:

Paula Gooder is a speaker and writer on the Bible, particularly on the New Testament. She began her working life, teaching for twelve years in ministerial formation first at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford and then at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham. Following this she spent around eight years as a speaker and writer in biblical studies travelling the country and seeking to communicate the best of biblical scholarship in as accessible a way as possible, after that she spent six years working for the Bible Society as their Theologian in Residence and then for the Birmingham Diocese as their Director of Mission Learning and Development. She is currently the Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright

Published April 1, 2025

In 1874, a battered woman awakens atop a forgotten gravesite by Lake Superior. Identified only by the locket around her neck inscribed with the name Rebecca, she seeks refuge with an elderly lighthouse keeper named Edgar. But as Rebecca struggles to remember who she is, she finds herself haunted by the lingering memories of Annabel, a mysterious woman who perished in the unforgiving waves of Lake Superior years earlier. With the spirit of Annabel seemingly reawakened, and an unknown adversary on the hunt to silence Rebecca once and for all, there is more at stake than just reclaiming her own memories. Rebecca must reclaim Annabel’s as well.

In the present day, author and researcher Shea Radclyffe escapes to the lighthouse outside a historic mining town in Michigan, seeking clarity about her failing marriage. Instantly drawn to the lighthouse’s landlord, Shea contends with the vengeful legend of Annabel’s ghost and a superstitious community that has buried the secrets surrounding a decade-old murder. As the secrets harbored around Annabel’s lighthouse unravel, Shea must navigate a fight of torn loyalty, self-discovery, and the haunting forces of love and a vengeance that should have drowned a century before.

About the author:

Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets.

Reader’s Log 053: Current Reads

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Historical Genre

My current reads are fantastic and I’m really enjoying the uniqueness of the writing style, characters and plot of “The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House.” I have created a daily reading schedule for these three books and the anticipation of looking forward to my time with them has really helped keep me on track with my reading habits. I love when that happens! First up, “Reflections on the Psalms by C. S. Lewis.”

This book was first published January 1, 1958.

For morning daily devotions, I’m currently studying through the book of Psalm verse by verse. So I thought I would read several books on people’s thoughts about the Psalms. Also, It won’t be too long before I read several others. I’ll be sure to post those books and my thoughts about them when I get to them.

The devotional I’m using is a four year plan but I’m wanting to shorten it in about two years tops. We will see how that goes!

Lewis writes here about the difficulties he has met or the joys he has gained in reading the Psalms. He points out that the Psalms are poems, intended to be sung, not doctrinal treatises or sermons. Proceeding with his characteristic grace, he guides readers through both the form and the meaning of these beloved passages in the Bible.

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano – This book is from my birthday book haul

Published April 15, 2025 by Revell

It is 1901 when clockmaker and brilliant tinker Sydney Forrester inherits Blakely House, the eclectic estate of an estranged uncle she’s never met. The well-known but mysterious industrialist has left behind a stunning array of peculiar inventions–and a couple of nephews’ intents on removing this interloper from the estate. Convinced that Sydney has something to do with their uncle’s death, the late master’s nephews contest the will and work against their cousin at every turn.

Sydney finds a sometimes-ally in the estate’s butler, an ex-adventurer who ran aground on the island years ago. But when a mysterious man washes ashore with a stunning surprise that upsets everything, Sydney must prove she has inherited the late master’s brilliance as well as his property–or someone else will.

The Lost Baker of Vienna: A Novel by Sharon Kurtzman

Not yet published Expected Date: Aug 19, 2025

I am reading this book from NetGalley for review and it is wonderful so far!

In 2018, Zoe Rosenzweig is reeling after the loss of her beloved grandfather, a Holocaust survivor. She becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to her family during the war.

Vienna, 1946: Chana Rosenzweig has endured the horrors of war to find herself, her mother, and her younger brother finally free in Vienna. But freedom doesn’t look like they’d imagined it would, as they struggle to make a living and stay safe.

Despite the danger, Chana sneaks out most nights to return to the hotel kitchen where she works as a dishwasher, using the quiet nighttime hours to bake her late father’s recipes. Soon, Chana finds herself caught in a dangerous love triangle, torn between the black-market dealer who has offered marriage and protection, and the apprentice baker who shares her passions. How will Chana balance her love of baking against her family’s need for security?

The Lost Baker of Vienna affirms the unbreakable bonds of family, shining a light on the courageous spirit of WWII refugees as they battle to survive the overwhelming hardships of a world torn apart.

What are you currently reading?

Stephanie

Reader’s Log 051: The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough

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I’m currently traveling my way through the Empires of Ancient Assyria, Babylon and the Persians. These studies are pretty intense and a few of my reading materials take liberties or have a running theme (if you will) that has a zero foundation. That said, I’m gaining quite a bit more insight into people’s cultures in ancient times by comparative studies. I will be sure to go more into that another time.

At the end of next year -or maybe sooner- I will be traveling forward again to the first century but before I do that, I want to study a bit more on Rome right before the first century. Also, I’ve been searching books on Rome that I haven’t read yet and I do include historical fiction as well. Last week, I came across Colleen McCullough’s books and I remembered I have the first book in her Rome series that has been sitting on my book shelf for quite some time. The book is huge and there are 896 pages! I’m still going to add it to my reading for next year but I know I will have to take a lot of notes. Despite the amount of pages and annotating, I’m excited about reading the story. Colleen McCullough is best known for her book, “The Thorn Birds.” I do believe McCullough wrote something like eleven books?

Stephanie

Masters of Rome #1

896 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 1990 by William Morrow & Company in New York City

The reader is swept into the whirlpool of pageantry, passion, splendor, chaos and earth-shattering upheaval that was ancient Rome. Here is the story of Marius, wealthy but lowborn, and Sulla, aristocratic but penniless and debauched — extraordinary men of vision whose ruthless ambition will lay the foundations of the most awesome and enduring empire known to humankind.

A towering saga of great events and mortal frailties, it is peopled with a vast, and vivid cast of unforgettable men and women — soldiers and senators, mistresses and wives, kings and commoners — combined in a richly embroidered human tapestry to bring a remarkable era to bold and breathtaking life.

Reader’s Log 050: The Greatest Knight

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Shortly after “The Greatest Knight” by Elizabeth Chadwick came out in the early 2000s, I read this amazing story and it was the first time I read anything about William Marshal. Chadwick’s stories are among my favorite historical fiction reads. After I read her story, I did a little research om William Marshal but since then, hadn’t picked up a biography on his life. Recently I discovered Thomas Asbridge’s book about Marshall and the reviews have been promising.

I have been adding titles to my wish-list and for books I want to read in the fall-time or next year and I will definitely be reading Asbridge’s book.

I wish there was more time on the day because there are so many intriguing books out there that are calling to be read.

Stephanie

The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick by Elizabeth Chadwick

A penniless young knight, William Marshal is plucked from obscurity when he saves the life of Henry II’s formidable queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. In gratitude, she appoints him tutor in arms to her son. However, being a royal favorite brings its share of conflict and envy. Besmirched by his enemies, banished from court, William seeks redemption in pilgrimages across Europe and the Holy Land, returning to find bygones forgotten and his prowess on the battlefield in demand. The only knight ever to unhorse the legendary Richard Coeur de Lion, William is offered the hand in marriage of Isabelle de Clare, 18-year-old ward of the King. Strangers to each other on their wedding day, the pair must immediately confront deadly political intrigue, strained family loyalties and betrayals. As King Richard prepares to depart on crusade, other men, including the King’s own brother John, are waiting for their moment to seize power – it is William’s duty to stand in their path…

The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, the Power Behind Five English Thrones by Thomas Asbridge

Caught on the wrong side of an English civil war and condemned by his father to the gallows at age five, William Marshal defied all odds to become one of England’s most celebrated knights. Thomas Asbridge’s rousing narrative chronicles William’s rise, using his life as a prism to view the origins, experiences, and influence of the knight in British history.

In William’s day, the brutish realities of war and politics collided with romanticized myths about an Arthurian “golden age,” giving rise to a new chivalric ideal. Asbridge details the training rituals, weaponry, and battle tactics of knighthood, and explores the codes of chivalry and courtliness that shaped their daily lives. These skills were essential to survive one of the most turbulent periods in English history—an era of striking transformation, as the West emerged from the Dark Ages.

A leading retainer of five English kings, Marshal served the great figures of this age, from Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine to Richard the Lionheart and his infamous brother John, and was involved in some of the most critical phases of medieval history, from the Magna Carta to the survival of the Angevin/Plantagenet dynasty. Asbridge introduces this storied knight to modern readers and places him firmly in the context of the majesty, passion, and bloody intrigue of the Middle Ages.

The Greatest Knight features 16 pages of black-and-white and color illustrations.

Reader’s Log 049: Books, Books and Books

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The last couple of weeks or so, I’ve really picked up my reading pace and achieving a good number of books read and reviewed. I’m not sure how long it will last-life tends to get in the way-but I’m encouraged and I’m really enjoying what I’m reading. I’m almost through with “The Lies They Told” by Ellen Marie Wiseman and I recently picked up “One Little Lie” (Pelican Harbor #1) by Colleen Coble from NetGalley. I thought why not since I’ve never read this author’s work before. So far, it is an interesting read. I’m also working my way through “Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire” by Eckart Frahm.

I’ve turned in a review to the Publishers through NetGalley for “The Man in the Stone Cottage” by Stephanie Cowell and my review will be posted on September 13th here on Layered Page. There will also be a couple reviews coming up shortly. Excited!

Be sure to check out my previous book review: Book Review: The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas

Stephanie

One Little Lie by Colleen Coble

Published Date: Mar 03 2020

Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, but there’s no time for an adjustment period. When her father is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, Jane quickly realizes someone is attempting to destroy the only family she has.

After escaping with her father from a cult fifteen years ago, Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother–who refused to leave–ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?

Reid Dixon is well-known for his documentaries, and his latest project involves covering Jane’s career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.

Jane finds herself depending on Reid’s calm manner as he follows her around filming, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross–especially once her father’s lie catches up with him.

Reader’s Log 045: A Bookish Weekend

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I’m absolutely thrilled with what I’m currently reading and with the book I just finished. Last night I started reading, “The Man in the Stone Cottage” by Stephanie Cowell. The story is really intriguing so far and as a big fan of the Brontë sisters, this is a must read. I’m also currently reading “The Lies They Told” by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Her story touches on a deep and troubling history that took place in American in the early 1900s. A story that everyone must be aware and it will surely touch the deepest depth of your heart.

Yesterday, I posted my review for “Last Light Over Galveston” by Jennifer L. Wright. Last night, I finished reading “The Lawyer and the Laundress” by Christine Hill Suntz and I will be posting my review early next week. Tomorrow, My review for “The Secrets of Good People” by Boo Walker; Peggy Shainberg is going live.

Have a beautiful bookish weekend, everyone!

Stephanie

Expected publication: September 16, 2025 by Regal House Publishing

In 1846 Yorkshire, the Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Anne, and Emily—navigate precarious lives marked by heartbreak and struggle. Charlotte faces rejection from the man she loves, while their blind father and troubled brother add to their burdens. Despite their immense talent, no one will publish their poetry or novels. Amidst this turmoil, Emily encounters a charming shepherd during her solitary walks on the moors, yet he remains unseen by anyone else. After Emily’s untimely death, Charlotte—now a successful author with Jane Eyre—stumbles upon hidden letters and a mysterious map. As she stands on the brink of her own marriage, Charlotte is determined to uncover the truth about her sister’s secret relationship.

Reader’s Log 044: Latest Reads

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This past weekend I was able to fit in a lot of reading time. I’m making a conscious decision to focus more on reading for reviews in the evening times before bed. I’ve gotten busy with so many other things that my reading pile for reviewing was somewhat neglected. It surely is time to get back on track!

I’ve chosen the evening times for focusing on my review pile because in the mornings I do my Bible studies, history studies and research. That is a good schedule for me and I’m wanting to stick to it! Sometimes life gets in the way but it’s important to regroup or make changes if it isn’t working out.

I would really like to get to the place where I’m posting book reviews every four to eight days. I probably could make that work if I don’t stress about it. We will see what happens. On top of reading and studying, I’m also working on my art. Now that is a juggle to stay consistent with everything. So many things to do, so little time…

Yesterday I started reading “The Lawyer and the Laundress” by Christine Hill Suntz and I’m enjoying it so far. Here is the book description: Canada, 1837. Widower James Kinney knows his precocious daughter, Evie, needs more than his lessons on law and logic, but Toronto offers few options. Classes with the neighbor children seem ideal until James discovers Evie is secretly spending her time with Sara O’Connor, a kind and mysteriously educated servant. For propriety’s sake, James forbids their friendship. But then Evie falls victim to the illness ravaging the city, and James must call upon Sara’s medical knowledge and her special bond with Evie to save his daughter’s life.

When Sara’s presence in his household threatens scandal, however, James offers an unexpected become his wife, in name only, and help him raise Evie to be a proper young lady.

If Sara can ignore the sparks she feels when they’re together, his logical proposal could keep her secret secure forever. But soon, the forces of rebellion unravel their tidy arrangement. When James is accused of treason, Sara must find the courage to face a past that could save her husband’s life.

I’m also trying to finish up “Letters from the Dead” by Isabella Valeri and I must confess I’m struggling to get though it which has caused me to get behind on posting my review. Here is the description of the book: For the first eleven years of her life, the precocious daughter of a great European family tracing its roots back more than fifteen generations, never set foot on land that her family didn’t own. Cloistered on a sprawling estate in the Alpine foothills, as the youngest sibling of her generation she has little knowledge of the dark forces gathering in the shadows to strike at her family. But, when her insatiable curiosity leads her to uncover a priceless text hidden hundreds of years before, she shines light into corners meant to be left in the dark and threatens to uncover secrets that could trigger an internecine battle for succession.

Then, with no warning or explanation, she is whisked away on a private jet and exiled to an elite but isolated all-girls boarding school in the United States. More than a decade later, now in her twenties, she finds her bank accounts abruptly frozen by her family. She is recalled from her affluent but empty existence abroad. Little does she know that her family has plans for her, including an arranged marriage. Worse, as she draws closer to discovering the horrific act that sent her into exile a decade before, and shadowy enemies close in on her family, she must face her most dangerous and powerful foe: her own father.

I’ve also started reading, The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman (I have an advance reader’s copy) and a book about Cyrus the Great.

Stephanie

Reader’s Log 042: Books on Cyrus the Great

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Ancient history is fascinating and so relevant to our present time. Once one takes a deep give into cultures and the rise and falls of civilizations, you see patterns of these events more clearly. This has been my experience since I’ve started this journey and I see so many events that are happening today in a different light. This has led me to read more about the Persian, Hellenistic, and the Hasmonean periods to the the beginning of the Roman period BC. Over my lifetime I feel like I’ve only done surface studies of these periods and I want to be more than just a generalist of these histories. Since I’ve decided to go this route, I realize I need to be a bit more methodical in my research. Which isn’t always easy since there are so many paths in the details one uncovers that can easily lead you down a rabbit hole!

Today, I thought I would share three books about Cyrus the Great that I have on my wish-list. I’ve always been intrigued by him, particularly because he freed the Jews from their Babylonian exile.

I’m curious about comparing these books as well as seeing what each writer has to say about Cyrus. Most likely, I will take my time with these readings and take breaks.

Stephanie

Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World by Reza Zaghamee

Some of the most fascinating human epochs lie in the borderlands between history and mystery. So, it is with the life of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire in the sixth century BCE. By conquest or gentler means, he brought under his rule a dominion stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Hindu Kush and encompassing some tens of millions of people. All across this immense imperium, he earned support and stability by respecting local customs and religions, avoiding the brutal ways of tyranny, and efficiently administering the realm through provincial governors. The empire would last another two centuries, leaving an indelible Persian imprint on much of the ancient world. The Greek chronicler Xenophon, looking back from a distance of several generations, wrote: “Cyrus did indeed eclipse all other monarchs, before or since.” The vision of the biblical prophet known as Second Isaiah anticipates Cyrus’ repatriation of Jews living in exile in Babylon with these words of the Lord: “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please.”

Despite what he achieved and bequeathed, much about Cyrus remains uncertain. Persians of his era had no great respect for the written word and kept no annals. The most complete accounts of his life were composed by Greeks. More fragmentary or tangential evidence takes many forms – among them, archaeological remains, administrative records in subject lands, and the always tricky stuff of legend.

Given these challenges, Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World is a remarkable feat of portraiture. In his vast sweep, Reza Zarghamee draws on sources of every kind, painstakingly assembling detail, and always weighing evidence carefully where contradictions arise. He describes the background of the Persian people, the turbulence of the times, and the roots of Cyrus’ policies. His account of the imperial era itself delves into religion, military methods, commerce, court life, and much else besides. The result is a living, breathing Cyrus standing atop a distant world that played a key role in shaping our own.

Cyrus the Great: A Life from Beginning to End by Hourly History

Cyrus II of Persia was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans—it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill.

More than merely a successful conqueror, Cyrus the Great is known just as much for being a great liberator as he is known for his conquests. He was even credited in the Bible as the one who freed the Jews from their long-held Babylonian exile. By the time of his death, Cyrus controlled more land and people than anyone before him. Under his dominion were countless principalities, nationalities, ethnicities, and religions of all kinds. In contrast to many other powerful rulers, Cyrus did not seek to oppress his subjects or interfere with their way of life, religions, or local customs. It is for this reason that, as great as his temporal conquests may have been, the benevolence of Cyrus the Great’s leadership stands as his greatest attribute of all.

The life of Cyrus the Great remains as an unparalleled testament in the annals of history.

Cyrus the Great: The Life and Legacy of the King Who Founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire by Charles River Editors

“I am Cyrus the king, an Achaemenian.” – An inscription found at the Persian capital of Pasargadae

At one point in antiquity, the Achaemenid Persian Empire was the largest empire the world had ever seen, but aside from its role in the Greco-Persian Wars and its collapse at the hands of Alexander the Great, it has been mostly overlooked. When it has been studied, the historical sources have mostly been Greek, the very people the Persians sought to conquer. Needless to say, their versions were biased.

It was not until excavations in the region during the 20th century that many of the relics, reliefs, and clay tablets that offer so much information about Persian life could be studied for the first time. Through archaeological remains, ancient texts, and work by a new generation of historians, a picture can today be built of this remarkable civilization and their most famous leaders.

When considering this empire’s rulers, the two most often referenced are Xerxes, the leader of the Persian invasion of Greece which caused the heroic sacrifice of the Spartans and their allies at Thermopylae, or Cyrus the Great, the man who created the empire. While he was one of the most influential men in the ancient world, research on Cyrus the Great is simultaneously fascinating and frustrating. The Persians’ ancestors did not write (in fact, in their epic poems and myths, they claim that it was something taught to man by demons and therefore something to be avoided), and though the Iranians had taken up writing in their governmental and administrative functions by the time Cyrus lived, the kings still did not learn to write. Put simply, it was considered a functional skill, but not of the greatest importance.

As a result, while plenty of ancient sources mention the great Persian king, Persian sources themselves are rare, and those sources that do exist, such as the Babylonian Chronicle, are largely dry and state only the basic facts and large events. By contrast, Greek sources about Cyrus embrace the artistic aspect of their work so highly that the accuracy often comes into question, and sometimes deep scrutiny is necessary to attempt to separate the fact from the fiction. In the end, the full truth about Cyrus and his reign may never be truly understood.

Of course, this reality has deepened the mystique that surrounds Cyrus even to this day, and it has elevated his status from conqueror and king to enlightened humanist monarch and ideal ruler. In fact, a modern misconception based on the Cyrus Cylinder has labeled him the first proponent of civil rights, though this is somewhat of an exaggeration. The argument hinges on the Cylinder being a unique artifact in listing the ideology by which Cyrus intended to rule, but it equally ignores the fact that such declarations were commonplace among kings of the ancient Near East and more a tool of monarchal propaganda than a sweeping declaration of human rights.

That said, Cyrus was a fair and rational leader, particularly compared to the many brutal kings and warlords of ancient times. The high praise he received, even from his enemies, must certainly not be dismissed, and the admiration directed toward him came from many other exceptional individuals, including Alexander the Great, a bitter enemy of the empire Cyrus founded. Whatever the underlying issues, the incredible achievements of Cyrus distinguish him as one of the greatest kings in history, and his life, conquests, reforms, and rule continue to be of great interest over 2,500 years later.

Cyrus the Great: The Life and Legacy of the King Who Founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire looks at the life of the Persian leader and the major legacy he left. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Cyrus the Great like never before.

Reader’s Log 040: Book Spotlight

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The ‘Hellenization’ of Judaea in the First Century after Christ by Martin Hengel

I’ve had this copy in my personal library for about three years now and I almost forgot I had it! I came across it while organizing my books by topic. Hengel’s work is absolutely brilliant and I’m delighted to be reading my copy again. This first time I read it, I mostly did surface reading and now I’m taking a deeper study of its text, highlighting passages and taking notes. It is my goal to read all of Hengel’s work.

Stephanie

Book Description: This short but highly significant study is the first real sequel to Professor Martin Hengel’s classic and monumental work Judaism and Hellenism. It demonstrates from a wealth of evidence, much of it made readily available here for the first time, that in the New Testament period Hellenization was so widespread in Palestine that the usual distinction between ‘Hellenistic’ Judaism and `Palestinian’ Judaism is not a valid one and that the word `Hellenistic’ and related terms are so vague as to be meaningless. The consequences of this for New Testament study are, of course, considerable. Martin Hengel was Professor of New Testament and Early Judaism in the University of Tuebingen.