It says ''Judaism'' on the front of this book, so perhaps you are expecting a book that explains the Jewish religion. But that would be selling you short.

This is a book about the Jewish people - and the Jewish people with their long history and diversity, are bigger than the sum total of Jews'' beliefs and rituals. Not all Jews share a common belief system and not all are religiously practicing. So this book will discuss the Jewish religion but it will also do more, covering aspects of Jewish life that do not easily fit under the category of ''religion'', such as Jewish history, politics, identity and culture.

For a group of people so limited in number, the Jewish community has had a huge impact on both global events and local politics. In this vibrant book, sociologist and cultural critic Keith Kahn-Harris provides a remarkably sharp insight into this history, and particularly the diverse Jewish communities (and diverse ideas of Jewishness) that exist today.