You will enjoy traveling with this archaeologist - she tells you how to navigate through narrow alleys, how to find the best seafood, and how dirty and difficult it is to be involved in an archaeological dig!
You will enjoy her pictures, stories and descriptions of finding artifacts in Israel.
However, some of her descriptions are different than those traditionally found in the Bible, especially Goliath of Gath and his brothers, so I do not agree with her findings, and those of us who take the Bible literally as fact will be disappointed, too.

An interesting travelogue about Israel, archaeology and the Bible. The author writes in a chatty, informal style, interspersing her travel journal with information about discoveries in biblical archaelogy.

This is my first book to read by Amanda Hope Haley and I hope it will not be the last. This book is packed with intelligent information on biblical archaeology in Israel and includes bonuses of good travel and lodging tips. The history of Israel as well as excavation finds are fascinating.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

Having previously read “Mary Magdalene Never Wore Blue Eye Shadow” and insight into biblical interpretation and scholarship, I was interested to read more from this author and learn more about Biblical Archeology.

This book is far more than I imagined. I thought it would be more detailed in terms of the science and exhibits a dig involves like a Time Team production on TV. Rather it was an insight into the author’s passion for her Christian faith and how this has been enhanced by her love of archeology.

In the end I would best describe this book as a travel guide to Israel via places of biblical interest for the major faiths which hold Jerusalem and the holy land close to their hearts and their relationship with God.
So through the many tourist spots and sites of historical importance we learn the history of the land and the people who fought over it.

Having been there myself in 1979, I was amazed by the changes to both historical and popular destinations. So much archeology is ongoing that a great deal of encouragement can be gained from the support such excavations have made to our previous understanding where only scripture was our guide.
The author highlights these discoveries and scientific interpretations. She is fair and balanced regarding why scholars disagree and where disputes remain.
She is not preachy in her style and this approach is well received by a reader like me. We are left to make up our own minds on the facts known and shared.
Indeed, we are given further sources to consult and consider to assist our own conclusions.

This seems to mirror the state of play on the ground between Muslim and Jew / Palestinian and Israeli. Her piece on the visit to Hebron is as eye opening as much as it is moving.

The book left me feeling for all the people living here, their common heritage but complicated family dispute.
In closing the author shares the counter balance of the Holocaust with digging up the past. I found this very movingly outlined. How in the passing of time over centuries an archeological dig can be forensic and scientific while more recent events like the Holocaust and the six million Jews killed should never be forgotten.

She then encourages us all to dig a little deeper, beyond headlines, cartoon caricatures and dogma to grasp things around us. The raise of anti-semitism, the balanced needs of all peoples in this land and the need to work outside of political ends.
I suppose it is the lessons of history against the search for truth through our own eyes and experience. Something, all travel such bring when we seek insight, observe and hear the cries of others.

We may not be able to make much of a difference but as the joint tour to Hebron demonstrates we have to start somewhere. Independent travel only happens in my opinion when we free our minds and senses.
It is a long time ago since I travelled to Israel. This book rekindled my joy then and challenges me now. I would love to return but this book was the next best thing and should appeal to all.

This is a quirky look at a young woman's life who has participated on archeological digs in Israel and then takes her husband and parents on a guided tour of the sights. They visit many of the towns and places that Jesus went. She relays the history and the cultures of these places in a way that brings the past alive. I have read books that are similar by Lynn Austin, a christian author and Kathie Lee Gifford , a TV host and this book would be another perspective if you were planning a trip to Israel. It was an enjoyable read.

This is a book that popped up and beckoned to me. I took one look at the title and thought no way is this going to be my type of book! Sure I am interested in archaeology and the history of Israel but a book that combines the two with a Christian bias - I am definitely not sure!

Having said that, I thought two out of three makes it OK and so I will give it a go. Happy that I did as, although the book was a little lightweight in its style, it did cover some very interesting things that I was not aware of and offered me a far more modern view of Israel and its archaeology. I would be more up to date but have chosen not to visit since the 90s as I cannot deal with the way that the Israeli government and certain sections of the population have dealt with those with whom they should be sharing the land.

A nice easy book with some interesting insights if you fancy a bit of a mash-up of tourism, Israel and archaeology and have a few hours to while away. I found her rebuttal of the usual belief that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute to be a breath of fresh and truthful air, especially coming from a committed Christian.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.

I have always been fascinated by Israel and this book gives an interesting overview of the Country during Amanda’s trips, first for work as archaeologist, then on vacation. I like her style and I appreciated the photos. It is totally an enjoyable reading.

I love the narrative style in combination with Biblical History and pictures from digs. She is straight forward in her approach and her archaeological explanations make me feel like Indiana Jones. The subject matter is presented in an interesting way, like I said, I love her narrative style and voice. I picked this out thinking it was fiction so I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly it reads.

I received a complimentary copy and this is my honest review.

Israel, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting

What a fun way to learn about archaeology and travel in Israel! The author skipped out on working toward a law degree and went for one in archaeology instead after taking a required religion course, this time in biblical archaeology, and acquiring a full scholarship to go on a dig at Tel Rehov. Unfortunately it was at a time of unrest and although the dig was canceled, she met her future husband and went on to study biblical archaeology at Harvard. In 2004 she was invited to a dig at Ashkelon and learned just what physically hard and exacting work archaeology was. She was able to tour other sites and some of the places important to several religions.
There follows much information correlating archaeological finds with various translations of the Bible and also the Torah. Reminded me of our devouring the Canadian TV series The Naked Archaeologist but without the bias inherent in cases where archaeology is deem for use to prove whatever religious point. She also points out how very much more precise archaeology has become with the development of technological devices.
The next part is a travelogue given by an archaeologist on vacation with husband and parents to places she has seen before and comments on the changes as well as the complications and potential dangers inherent to the region today (2018-19) complete with more educational history. She has lots of anecdotal fun including an Israeli guide who relates that he is from the Peoples Republic of Berkeley, and another with a very thick Texas accent. There is also a good bibliography complete with plenty of websites.
I totally enjoyed this book and plan to get the softcover so I can appreciate the photos and maps better and hopefully an audio so I can learn to pronounce people, places, and things correctly.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Harvest House Publishers via NetGalley. Thank you!

In THE RED-HAIRED ARCHAEOLOGIST DIGS ISRAEL, AMANDA HOPE HALEY gives us a wonderful exposé of her time in Israel, first of all when she went on archaeological digs and then when she visited the country with her husband and parents. She has a lovely sense of humour and of course is very knowledgeable about the different civilizations and the old cities we read about in the Bible.
I also "dig" Israel and her people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose God I serve as a committed Christian. I am also privileged to have travelled in Israel in 1982 with my husband and sons, and know that there is something special there that one doesn't experience anywhere else in the world.
I really enjoyed the book.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Harvest House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

This book is a lot about everything Israel and nothing in particular with an ambition to disprove stories from the Bible. Not sure why everything has to be a shock. Did you know Goliath was not a giant?! Because of some unfounded speculations? The height of Goliath is specifically mentioned in the Bible, and it does not mention anything that is not important. We do not know how tall Solomon was or even Jesus, but we do know that Goliath was tall and very strong, he wore a bronze helmet, a bronze coat that weighed 125 lbs, a bronze leg armor, a bronze javelin on his shoulder, the shaft of his spear weighed 15 lbs. The point of the story is that the guy was huge! The Israelites were terrified and deeply shaken but David was brave enough to challenge him, so the traditional interpretation is not wrong. Yes, Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute and everyone who can read the Bible can see it plain and clear. I understand that the author had some difficulties with her faith and understanding of the Bible (My spiritual foundation was first shaken in my late teens. I took religious studies courses at Rhodes College, and for the first time I was learning from people who did not believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God--but who knew more about it than any Sunday School teacher I'd ever met. In my first semester, my eyes were opened to everything that is "wrong" with my beloved Bible, all the contradictions, textual errors, and historical inaccuracies.

For the next several years, I described my faith as schizophrenic. In class I was learning and regurgitating biblical facts that threatened to undermine my biblical faith. Many of my classmates abandoned Christianity as they learned there was no apple in Eden, Moses parted a reed sea, Jericho was destroyed long before Joshua got there, Goliath (probably) wasn't nine feet tall, there is no whale in the Book of Jonah, and Jesus was three years old when the Wise Men showed up. But I still had my quiet time every night in my dorm room. My faith in God never wavered, although my understanding of Him did. the rest of the testimony is here) , but it is not clear from the book what the point of this writing is. Supposedly a Christian author is using B.C.E. as in before common era and C.E. as in common era evidently to be religion neutral, that would be my guess. Perhaps Jesus was not proven enough by these Israel digs either.

Fascinating insight into archaeological digs alongside the history of Israel and the related scripture.