Jerusalem

Understanding Jerusalem is Understanding the World

"The shelter of the world is Syria, the shelter of Syria is Palestine; the shelter of Palestine is Jerusalem, the shelter of Jerusalem is the Temple Mount; (…) The shelter of the Temple Mount is the Dome of the Rock." Jerusalem... A golden goblet filled with scorpions... A universal city, the capital of two peoples and the temple of heavenly religions; the spoils of empires, the scene of Judgment Day and the battlefield of today's clash of civilizations. An epic story of 3000 years, where faith, massacre, fanaticism and the idea of coexistence are intertwined, from King David to Barack Obama, from the east of the three great religions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. How did this small and remote town become a Holy City, the center of the world, and now the key to peace in the Middle East? Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals how this constantly changing city comes to life each time with a dazzling narrative, bringing each period and each historical character to life in a striking way. The biography of Jerusalem is told through wars, love affairs, and the people—kings, empresses, prophets, poets, saints, conquerors, and prostitutes—who created, destroyed, preserved, and believed in the city. Who is not among the historical actors of Jerusalem? From Suleiman, Saladin and Suleiman the Magnificent to Cleopatra, Caligula and Churchill; From Abraham to Jesus and Muhammad; Many historical figures, from Isabella, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod and Nero of ancient times to Disrael, Mark Twain, Rasputin and Lawrence of Arabia of modern times, have left important traces in the history of the city. Drawing on new archives, current academic studies, his own family's documents, and his lifelong research, Montefiore elucidates the essence of the sacred and the mystical, of identity and empire, within the unique history of this city believed to be the scene of the Apocalypse. This history is the story of how Jerusalem, the only city with both a divine and earthly existence, became Jerusalem.

"A must-read history... A masterpiece."
-David Sexton, Evening Standard-

"Already a classic - a gripping and thought-provoking study of a city whose modern religious, political and ethnic conflicts can only be understood in the context of the conditions of three thousand years ago. Montefiore handles interesting historical details with a vivid, sensitive and intense perspective."
-Tony Barber, Financial Times-

"The period-appropriate and astonishing portrait of Jerusalem is intriguing from start to finish."
-Christopher Hart, Sunday Times-

"An astonishingly daring and magnificent, epic history... A fluent book, with its eyes fixed on the stars but with its feet firmly on the ground... Jerusalem may be a heavenly city, but it is at least as much a part of this world. The greatest success of this wonderful book is to bring these two together." "It's about being able to bring them together in the same biography."
-Tom Holland, Daily Telegraph-
"Montefiore's book is filled with breathtaking and often gruesome detail, thrilling tales of war, betrayal, plunder, rape, massacre, torture, fanaticism, vendetta, cruelty, corruption, hypocrisy, and spirituality... Montefiore's narrative is remarkable." objective… A reliable and interesting source.”
-Antony Beevor, Guardian-

"Riveting... A masterpiece... Montefiore has shown himself to be a great novelist who can sense details, a great journalist who can sense human flaws, and a great historian who knows how to choose the right sources to bring the past to the present... Extremely ambitious... Reasonable, detailed and sensitive... When a history is written this way, you will definitely "It won't be too much."
-Michael Gove, The Times-

"Jerusalem is an extraordinarily successful work written with an imagination and energy that both consumes and intoxicates the reader. A collection of countless historical cases about collapsed walls, devastation, massacres and a city where everyone built something on top of the previous one... Read this book. "
-John Cornwell, Financial Times-

"Magnificent... A huge and fascinating epic, the equivalent of Hollywood movies like The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur and The Fall of the Roman Empire."
-Peter Burton, Daily Express-

"Simon Sebag Montefiore's history of Jerusalem is a product of love and scholarship. It is a very serious achievement... He has a special talent for capturing the adventures and anomalies of the past... It is gripping... Fluent, intriguing, full, thought-provoking and informative."
-Barnaby Rogerson, Independent-

"Outstanding... Extremely objective, sensitively written and entertaining."
-Saul David, Mail on Sunday-

"Simon Sebag Montefiore's biography of the city of Jerusalem is a work that is mind-blowing as well as hair-raising and has sold more than almost all other famous books... The breathtaking stories they tell about the unholy things done in holy places... The story of a place that is constantly the subject of debate." "In addition to its history, it is the story of the crimes committed by all the powers and individuals who occupied this sacred place, their eternal hypocrisy and rare generosity."
-Boyd Tonkin, Independent-
"The story of Jerusalem is full of countless examples of human cruelty, greed, hatred, arrogance, arrogance, fanaticism and madness that we can encounter in the history of any place. I recommend that you read this book carefully from beginning to end. You will not find a single unnecessary page."
-Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph-

"In his latest work, Simon Sebag Montefiore puts his talent and meticulousness at the service of Jerusalem, the city of anger. A masterpiece. A great success... It seems that it takes a Montefiore to make even people who are knowledgeable about this subject feel as if they do not know anything about Jerusalem. A dazzling fresco ."
-Christian Makarian, L'Express-

"It's wonderful. (Montefiore) has managed to accurately convey what it's like to live in this city and why the city is so important to everyone... You fall in love with the city and feel sad because the people can't make peace... This is a treasure. A great book."
-Bill Clinton, The Today Show (NBC)-

"Ambitious and striking. Jerusalem: Biography of a City is a great success, informative without being arrogant and sincere with its detailed archaeological information... It is perfect in terms of telling the struggle of religions... Jerusalem: Biography of a City is two-fold: On the one hand, it is an academic work, on the other hand, it is a popular genre." is the guide."
-Colin Thubron, New York Review of Books-

"Simon Sebag Montefiore's magnificent biography of Jerusalem embodies all the magnificence and developments in the three thousand year history of the city. With his skill in research and ability to bring the work to life, he has produced a breathtaking work for both academics and ordinary people."
-Henry Kissinger-

"Montefiore is a rare figure: he is a historian who can write history like gripping novels. His biography of Stalin was no different from successful HBO documentaries. His biography of New Jerusalem is nothing less than him. Sebag has a unique ability to find what makes history readable. Two thousand years ago." He gave life to dead people and made it possible for them to breathe. Sebag has such a talent for reading the minds of psychopathic tyrants that one cannot help but wish he worked at the US State Department."
-Philip Kerr, Newsweek-

"It's absorbing and fluent... Montefiore is a skilled person in presenting us with details and anecdotes in the most colorful way... His book is extremely impartial and balanced."
-Jackson Diehl, Washington Post-

"There have been countless history books written about Jerusalem... But Montefiore was the first to write a biography of the city - a detailed account of the lives of its rulers and inhabitants, heroes and villains, prostitutes and saints. Montefiore takes us through the breathtaking and suspenseful story of the city, focusing on a single event or event." "He doesn't even skip the character."
-Norman Lebrecht, Wall Street Journal-

"It is impossible to put it down... It is an enjoyable history to read with many delightful aspects... Montefiore is a writer who is skilled at detecting details and a master at telling a good story... This is not an easy thing to achieve for a book that covers three thousand years."
-Jonathan Rosen, New York Times Book Review-

"Jerusalem: The Biography of a City is no different from a gripping novel with its complex characters - kings, priests, Jewish friends and enemies - and fascinating anecdotes. It also examines the ongoing conflict in the region today."
-Dan Ephron, Newsweek and Daily Beast-

"Judgement… (Montefiore) He has been preparing to write this book his whole life and has given great thought to how the subject should be approached. The story of Jerusalem is told chronologically through the lives of the men and women who shaped it, and this direct approach really works. Mr. Montefiore is religious." He was careful to use an apolitical tone without getting involved in hostilities and political intrigues. He further enriched his work by adding non-English sources... Mr. Montefiore, a writer, has a skillful narrative ability and a distinctive ability to choose heart-rending anecdotes... These details are from his reading of Jerusalem. It makes it a much more entertaining book."
-Economist-

"A dazzling historical encyclopedia that brings to life the world of the three Abrahamic religions... Its sassy historical characters include insidious kings and queens, bloodthirsty feudal lords and murderous emperors, ravenous soothsayers and attractive prostitutes... An ideal resource for those who want to learn the history and origins of the three religions... "Those who want to understand the power and influence of religions that shape today's world should definitely read this book... It is a very fair and thought-provoking work."
-Adam LeBor, Literary Review-

"Jerusalem - a perfect blend of biography, history, archeology and wit."
-Kate Mosse, Woman & Home Magazine-
"This book is as readable as it is important."
-Bettany Hughes, Daily Express-

"Admiringly impartial... Lively, effective, full of anecdotes, full of crazy, enthusiastic and extraordinary characters."
-Sue Arnold, Guardian-

"An entertaining work done masterfully and at the right time."
-Victor Sebestyen, Evening Standard-

"Ambitious, politically courageous... A gripping and magnificent history."
-Rebecca Abrams, New Statesman-

"A talent show."
-Philip Mansel, Spectator-

"Although it is not everyone's cup of tea to attempt to write a biography of Jerusalem, Simon Sebag Montefiore has never hesitated to take on this responsibility. The book can be recommended to anyone who wants to understand the basis of the Palestine problem or to visit Jerusalem - or to those who just want to read a good book. The author is especially "It is very successful in archaeology... It brings the stones to life and makes them sing. It could be a great guide book for an archaeological tour."
-Bruce Anderson, Prospect-

"It was written with meticulousness and authority."
-Diarmaid MacCulloch, London Review of Books-

"A great book."
-Paul Levy, Wall Street Journal-

"Jerusalem required a great biographer, and Montefiore proved to be the best of recent times."
-Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post-

"When I think of the countless works written on this subject, I realize that none of them come even close to this... A book that is impossible to put down. Jerusalem: Biography of a City is a masterpiece that can only be written by someone who carries Jerusalem in his blood... A history free from political and religious prejudices... This is magnificent "A book that can be read by anyone who wants to learn something about the city."
-Bishop Andrew White, Third Way-

"Although this book by the British author and historian, who wrote two works about Stalin (Young Stalin and Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar), is an incredibly ambitious project - despite the many footnotes and references it contains - it is full of dramatic scenes, unexpected developments and lively people. "With its portraits, it is as gripping as a crime novel."
-Tygodnik Powszechny, Polish Catholic Weekly-

"Simon Sebag Montefiore says, 'The history of Jerusalem is the history of the world,' because this city has never lost its feature of being the center of the world. He tells the story of the city with incredible charm and intelligence. A must-read book."
-Tomasz Bielecki, Gazeta Wyborcza-

"Simon Sebag Montefiore's work Jerusalem: Biography of a City - I'm choosing a strange path and reading it from the end to the beginning!"
-David Cameron, Spectator-

"An epic and immersive study of a city whose modern religious, political and ethnic conflicts can only be understood in the context of its three thousand years of history. Montefiore has written about the historical conflicts with precision and attention to detail, with incredible enthusiasm."
-Financial Times-

"Jerusalem: Biography of a City is one of the most breathtaking and ambitious books of the year. The most magnificent city in the world has the most perfect biographer in the person of Montefiore. The city is told not only about the wars but also about the people who built it. Spiritual, devastating and epic, from the last page to the last page It's a story you won't be able to put down."
-Dan Jones, Daily Telegraph-

"A lively story... Fair and exciting, Montefiore shows that he deserves the title of one of the best popular historians, keeping an equal distance from every religious tradition."
-Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times-
"A magnificent biography of the city. While it is fluent and entertaining, it is also an ideal resource for those who want to see the heavenly Jerusalem beyond the city made of stone and soil."
-Tom Holland, Guardian-

"Super."
-Lesley Chamberlain, New Statesman-

"The history of murder and religion has me completely hooked."
-Frances Osborne, Evening Standard-

"A comprehensive, dynamic history with entertaining Gibbonian footnotes."
-Hermione Eyre, Evening Standard-
(From the Promotional Bulletin)



Number of Pages: 680

Year of Printing: 2016


Language: Turkish
Publisher: Pegasus

Editor: Dilek Yücel
Page Design: Meral Gök
Editor: Kemal Küçükgedik

First Print Year: 2016

Number of Pages: 680

Language: Turkish