In 701 B.C. the Assyrian empire was in its ascendancy. It had already vanquished the kingdom of Israel to the north including the capital at Samaria. It then prepared an assault on Judah and its capital at Jerusalem.
But in one of those significant events that changes the course of world history, Assyria was repelled. Jerusalem was saved until 586 B.C. when the Babylonians sacked the city, forcing its leadership class into exile.
Henry Aubin, in a major feat of scholarship, determines that Jerusalem was aided by a Kushite army from Africa which had marched northeast from the Nile valley. While the Bible attributes the Assyrian retreat to an angel and secular commentators cite pestilence, Aubin, in a meticulously documented work, demonstrates that an alliance with the African nation of Kush bolstered Jerusalem’s defences.
Kush, also known as Nubia, was located in what is now southern Egypt and northern Sudan. A monarchy that existed for more than 1000 years, from 900 B.C. to A.D. 350, Kushites held sway over Egypt from 712 B.C. to about 660 B.C. Of Egypt’s 31 dynasties, this, the 25th Dynasty, is the only one that all scholars agree, was black.
The commander of the Kushite expeditionary force was Taharqa (or as the Bible calls him Tirhakah). This Kushite prince, who had his own interests in halting Assyrian expansion, likely caught the aggressors by surprise as they prepared their siege of Jerusalem.
Aubin offers a thrilling military history and a stirring political analysis of the ancient world. He also sees the event as influential over the centuries.
The Kushite rescue of the Hebrew kingdom of Judah enabled the fragile, war-ravaged state to endure, to nurse itself back to economic and demographic health, and allowed the Hebrew religion, Yahwism, to evolve within the next several centuries into Judaism. Thus emerged the monotheistic trunk supporting Christianity and Islam.
Joanna Goodman is the author of three acclaimed novels. She lives in Toronto with her two children and her husband where they operate upscale retail linen shops Au Lit.
Check out Joanna’s website:
http://joannagoodmanauthor.com/
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The Finishing School
Advance Praise for The Finishing School:
“As a successful novelist, Kersti Kuusk appears to have it all, but feelings of inadequacy have haunted her entire life. Back when she was reluctantly enrolled at a prestigious boarding school, Kersti’s working-class upbringing contrasted starkly with the lives of her privileged classmates. Destined to be an outsider, she instead is taken under the wing of popular, beautiful, worldly Cressida, who’s hiding a devastating secret. Twenty years after leaving school, Kersti receives a mysterious letter from a classmate, stirring memories of Cressida’s suspicious fall from her balcony. Kersti decides to escape her current shortcomings and search for answers. Spanning between her childhood memories and Kersti’s present day, Goodman’s fourth novel craftily depicts a mystery hidden for decades under the veil of boarding-school tradition and secret societies. Through the lens of Kersti’s research, Goodman unravels a web of lies intertwining the well-developed characters that cross Kersti’s path. Each discovery draws Kersti and the reader in a different direction until she finally learns the truth about the school, Cressida, and, ultimately, herself.”
Melissa Norstedt, Booklist
“Goodman clearly knows her way around the rarefied world of the rich and famous. Every page of this compelling novel resonates with authenticity, and is filled with suspense. The book will keep readers up late at night.â€
Roberta Rich
“The Finishing School pulls back the curtain to expose a fascinating world of desire, betrayal, and dangerous secrets.â€
Lou Berney
“A compelling tale of horrific teenage secrets inside the walls of an elite school in Switzerland, unearthed with verve and sly irony. The truth is cold and slippery as ice as Goodman draws us into the darkness beneath the glittering surface of lakes and snowcapped mountains, and of privilege itself.”
Deborah Lawrenson
“The Finishing School plunges the reader headfirst into a fast-paced, nail-biting mystery that also manages to explore friendship, love, adolescence, family and motherhood. By the time you reach the unexpected ending, you’ll practically be gasping for air.â€
Jessica Anya Blau
