An updated and revised edition of one of The Complete Idiot's Guidespopular religion and history titles. Additional information about Jews in early American history through the 19th century. Expanded coverage of Jewish history and culture in the places you might least expect - Asia and South America. Jewish history and culture brought up to date to 2004.

This second edition updates and revises one of The Complete Idiot's Guidesmost popular religion titles. New topics covered- How the winds of change have affected the major denominations of Judaism in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. New times, new concerns-what about the role of women in Judaism, gay rabbis, interfaith marriages? And can a clone count for a Minyan? Gazing into a crystal ball, Judaism and the future-can the present population preserve a religion? Is Israel making it harder or easier for Judaism to survive? And is there a difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism? First edition has netted 1.3K

Offers an introduction to Italy's history and culture, from ancient Rome and the power of the Vatican to Mussolini's rise to power, Milan's fashion designers, and Italian cuisine.

WWII began in 1939 as a European conflict between Germany and an Anglo-French coalition but eventually widened to include most of the nations of the world. It ended in 1945, leaving a new world order dominated by the United States and the USSR. This book features updated and expanded coverage of the fateful D-Day invasion, a critical timeline of major WW II events, and a WW II timeline highlighting the crucial and most important events of the war. It will include details about major battles on land, in the air, and on the sea - starting with Hitler's rise to power and his goal of European conquest; to Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbour; to the decisive battles such as D-Day and the Battle of Midway, which turned the tides of the war toward the Allies.

You’re no idiot, of course. You know your own mind, but when it comes to understanding what’s really going on in your head—all those synapses! all those neurons!—you feel like you’re just about brain-dead. Don’t let it unnerve you! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Understanding the Brain proves that you don’t need to be a genius to be in the know—and gives you lots of fun stuff to think about, too. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • The history of human knowledge of the brain. • Insights into what causes brain disorders—and how best to treat them. • Thoughtful tips about the many different ways we learn new information. • Fascinating, little-known facts about the nervous system.

-- Though the growth of the Jewish faith has leveled in the U.S., its estimated 5.6 million adherents still outnumber all other non-Christian religions. -- Provides accurate and concise information from a recognized scholar of Judaism- no prior knowledge required. -- There are few pocket-sized books that present a condensed survey of Jewish history, key beliefs and practices. Jewish culture and religion has played a significant role in the formation of world, as well as American, culture. Jews, both practicing and non-practicing, have become thoroughly integrated into society. Outside of Israel, the U.S. maintains the highest concentration of Jews worldwide. The Pocket Idiot's Guide "RM" to Judaism looks at the Jewish religious tradition from its birth in Biblical times to the foundation of the modern Jewish state of Israel. Key themes in Judaic history, such as the formative period of the Temple, coexistence with Christianity, the critical Reform and the community's long struggle against anti-Semitism, are explored. Important contemporary concepts, practices and holidays such as Zionism, Kaddish and Passover, are but a few points of interest concisely covered. The book ends with a brief survey of Judaism's future challenges: the survival of the Jewish state, Judaism and feminism and the assimilation of Jews into secular society.

Fully updated fourth edition. The Middle East is perhaps the most tumultuous area on earth, with ancient battles still being fought. This updated guide offers an intense look - through the lens of present-day knowledge - at current events and the everchanging political and social landscape, as well as the region's history. And it addresses: ?The re-arming of Hezbollah ?Iran's increased threat of acquiring nuclear weapons ?The odds of Palestinian unity in peace talks ?The evacuation from Gaza

You're no idiot, of course. You know the Crusades were a war between Christian and Muslims for control of the Holy Land. However, these bloody conflicts raged over centuries, under changing circumstances, making the whole story difficult to follow. You don't have to don armour and cross deserts to relive the Crusades! 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades' shows you why these wars began, why they continued for so long, and how their impact on the world still resonates. This 'Complete Idiot's Guide' gives you: -An introduction to the Dark Ages and the Renaissance, and why Pope Urban II would grant absolution to anyone who reclaimed the Holy Land for Christianity.-The origins of such Holy Orders as the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers, and the Teutonic Knights and the roles they played during the Crusades.

• Fascinating, fact-filled writing that delivers hundreds of years in the life of the European continent • Terrific supplementary reading for AP History students

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A “fascinating and very moving” (Aaron Sorkin, award-winning screenwriter of The West Wing and The Social Network) chronological timeline spanning from Biblical times to today that explores one of the most interesting countries in the world—Israel. Israel. The small strip of arid land is 5,700 miles away but remains a hot-button issue and a thorny topic of debate. But while everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Israel, how many people actually know the facts? Here to fill in the information gap is Israeli American Noa Tishby. But “this is not your Bubbie’s history book” (Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher). Instead, offering a fresh, 360-degree view, Tishby brings her “passion, humor, and deep intimacy” (Yossi Klein Halevi, New York Times bestselling author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor) to the subject, creating an accessible and dynamic portrait of a tiny country of outsized relevance. Through bite-sized chunks of history and deeply personal stories, Tishby chronicles her homeland’s evolution, beginning in Biblical times and moving forward to cover everything from WWI to Israel’s creation to the disputes dividing the country today. Tackling popular misconceptions with an abundance of facts, Tishby provides critical context around headline-generating controversies and offers a clear, intimate account of the richly cultured country of Israel.