Overview

In the summer of 1883, Moses Wilhelm Shapira--archaeological treasure hunter and denizen of Jerusalem's bustling marketplace--arrived unannounced in London claiming to have discovered the world's oldest Bible scroll. When news of the discovery leaked to the excited English press, Shapira became a household name. But before the British Museum could acquire them, Shapira's nemesis, French archaeologist Charles Clermont-Ganneau, denounced his find as a fraud. Humiliated, Shapira fled the country. Six months later he was dead. With the discovery of the eerily similar Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, investigators reopened the case, wondering whether the ill-fated merchant had, in fact, discovered the first Dead Sea Scroll, decades before the rest. But by then Shapira's scrolls had vanished. Award-winning journalist Chanan Tigay set out to find the scrolls and determine Shapira's guilt or innocence for himself. The globetrotting hunt that follows vibrates with the suspense of a classic detective tale. Weaving meticulous research into fast-paced storytelling, Tigay spins a remarkable tale of history and theology; intrigue and scandal; greed, ambition, and the struggle for authenticity.

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9781799990086

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"A work of broad appeal, for the history buff and mystery lover alike.-- ""Kirkus Starred Review"""

A work of broad appeal, for the history buff and mystery lover alike.-- Kirkus Starred Review

Author Information

Chanan Tigay is an award-winning journalist who has covered the Middle East, 9/11, and the United Nations for numerous magazines, newspapers, and wires. Born in Jerusalem, Chanan holds degrees from Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania and was an Investigative Reporting Fellow at U.C. Berkeley. He is a professor of creative writing at San Francisco State University. Chanan Tigay is an award-winning journalist who has covered the Middle East, 9/11, and the United Nations for numerous magazines, newspapers, and wires. Born in Jerusalem, Chanan holds degrees from Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania and was an Investigative Reporting Fellow at U.C. Berkeley. He is a professor of creative writing at San Francisco State University.

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