Pharaohs and Kings: A Biblical Quest

This volume, a companion to the current Learning Channel TV series of the same name (first known in Britain as A Test of Time: The Bible from Myth to History), intends to upend current chronology as it pertains to the Middle East. By re-examining the reigns of the pharaohs and concluding that some ruled simultaneously, Egyptologist Rohl has shifted the established scheme of things by several centuries. Along the way, he claims to have found better and/or possible historical matches for such biblical characters as Joseph and Moses, who continue constantly to disappear into the land of legend for lack of archeological evidence. Despite its simplicity and first-person familiarity, Rohl's prose does not sacrifice substantive content. Overflowing with high-quality illustrations, charts and maps and with a running glossary, the volume (as well as the series) will appeal to a broad public. (Feb.)