This volume is part of a series which brings together the best articles on major fields of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible studies from the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. The aim of the series is to provide for scholars and students a convenient and up-to-date briefing on developments in the field. The so-called historical books embrace a vast amount of diverse biblical material, from Joshuah to Nehemiah, and this selection of 20 essays covers a breadth of biblical material using a wide range of methodological approaches. The breadth of its scope combined with the depth of scholarship makes this Reader a useful and comprehensive resource for both undergraduate and graduate courses.