'It is a strange fact that we have never known with certainty who produced the book that has played such a central role in our civilization,' writes Friedman, a foremost Bible scholar. From this point he begins an investigation and analysis that reads as compellingly as a good detective story. Focusing on the central books of the Old Testament-Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy -- he draws upon biblical and archaeological evidence to make a convincing argument for the identities of their authors. In the process he paints a vivid picture of the world of the Bible -- its politics, history, and personalities. The result is a marvel of scholarship that sheds a new and enriching light on our understanding of the Bible as literature, history, and sacred text. Brilliantly presented: There is no other book like this one. It may well be unique.-- Los Angeles Times Remarkable. Friedman has written that most rare of books: a legitimate intellectual contribution that is also a good read. The field of biblical studies will be enriched by this book. -Dallas Times Herald It is an event to have a book as readable and exciting as Who Wrote the Bible? It has about it the resounding smack of solid truth. -Harvard Magazine RICHARD ELLIOTT FRIEDMAN is a professor of Hebrew and comparative literature and holds the Katzin Chair at the University of California, San Diego. He earned his doctorate at Harvard and was a visiting scholar at Oxford and Cambridge. He is the author of The Hidden Face of God.