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.
Terry Fallis is a best selling author who has an identical twin brother, Tim Fallis.
One Brother Shy
Praise for One Brother Shy:
“One Brother Shy is a two-for-one flight of invention, full of hilarious one-liners. A compelling and surprising tale about the importance and inspiration of family is twinned with a rich portrait of characters in keenly observed social contexts. The wit and brio of the storytelling belies its sensitivity and emotional depth. Terry Fallis has written another fast-paced, incisive, and wry novel that doesn’t shy away from the enjoyably genuine and the genuinely human.”
Gary Barwin
“Mark Twain once observed that the “secret source of humor is not joy but sorrow.” In One Brother Shy, Terry Fallis locates this secret source in a very moving yet often funny story about a young man’s search for lost family, lost identity, lost confidence and lost time. In so doing, the author marries joy with sorrow. The result is a wonderful, powerful tale of pain and redemption. Treat yourself to One Brother Shy—you’ll get to see one of Canada’s finest storytellers at the top of his game.”
Joseph Kertes
“One Brother Shy is funny, heartbreaking, and sensitive, just like its reluctant semi-hero, Alex MacAskill. Terry Fallis has worked his magic again in this story of a young man battered by the fates and healed by his own courage and the kindness of an unlikely assortment of people. One Brother Shy is life-affirming and an absolute joy to read.”
Susan Juby
“One Brother Shy is what I would describe as “classic Terry Fallis”. A story that you don’t ‘read’ so much as LIVE along with thanks to sparkling dialogue full of so much wit you don’t realize how damn reasonable it is. I recommend this book for everyone who has a twin or wishes that they did.
To me, the magic of Terry Fallis is dialogue that allows you to eavesdrop on the conversations we all wish we could overhear rather than the ones that are actually inflicted on us in daily society. What Terry writes isn’t just worth reading, it’s worth LISTENING to. [so try to read this where you can read out loud. Which for me meant alone in hotel rooms. Although it’s so good I’m sure the other people on the plane wouldn’t have minded one bit.]
One Brother Shy is another great example of the great gift of Terry Fallis: To make us laugh just enough we don’t realize we’re also learning. My only complaint with his novels is that he can’t write them as quickly as I can devour them.”
Steve Patterson
