Books

History is written by the winners, we are told – but what if it weren’t? What if those who lost were to have their say? Terence Morgan (author of ‘The Master of Bruges’, ‘The Shadow Prince’ and ‘Villon’) has applied this question to the founding fathers of the nation of Israel. In this new trilogy (also available as separate volumes), Morgan tells the story of the beginnings of the nation of Israel through the eyes of three men who were in their different ways the ‘losers’ of history – Goliath, whom David slew, Saul, his predecessor as king and Joab, his army general. How would these men have seen the rise of David? ‘The Book of David’ is the bible’s missing volume, a story of love and hate, political chicanery and religious rivalry, the beginnings of nationhood and the men and women whose lives were caught up in its strife.
Terence Morgan is renowned for his ‘retakes’ of history, looking at events from a different perspective. ‘The Book of David’ is a worthy addition to the canon.