Historian Barbara Tuchman wrote a book titled A Distant Mirror, about how we can see ourselves in 14th Century politics. I found the same is true when looking at the 9th Century BCE. For example, we’re still engaged in siege warfare. From ancient Assyria to modern Iraq, now to Venezuela, and probably next to Iran, […]
Archive | Empire
Reviews, and a Holiday Sale!
By Martha Shelley on November 7, 2015 in Ebisu Publications, Elijah, Empire, Israel, Jezebel, Martha Shelley, The Stars in their Courses, The Throne in the Heart of the Sea
I’ve just had both books reviewed by Amos Lassen, a gay activist and scholar of Jewish history. A somewhat abridged version of the reviews is below. And these came just in time for the holidays! So I’m announcing a special holiday sale of the second volume, The Stars in their Courses. Normally you can buy […]
Assyrian Empire: Blood at the Banquet
By Martha Shelley on December 14, 2014 in Assyria, Empire, Jezebel, Middle East, The Throne in the Heart of the Sea
This week the big news in the U.S. has been about torture, as conducted by the C.I.A. after 9/11. I’ve spent some time with the comments section in my hometown newspaper: the majority of readers are outraged, while some defend the practice. Some even seem naïve enough to be shocked. However, most ruling elites, ours […]