As conflicts over religious extremism dominate our front pages, the bestselling author of The Harlot by the Side of the Road presents a work of history that could not be more timely: a surprising look back at the origins of religious intolerance during the tumultuous fourth century.

This is the epic story of how classical paganism, with its tolerance for many deities and beliefs, lost a centuries-long struggle with monotheism and its chauvinistic insistence on belief in one God. With his trademark blend of wit and scholarship, Kirsch traces the war of God against the gods from its roots in Ancient Egypt to its climax during the last stand of paganism the tumultuous fourth century, when two passionate, charismatic, and revolutionary Roman emperors, the Christian Constantine and the pagan Julian, changed the course of history and shaped the world we live in today.

Accessible and engaging... Tells us a great deal about the religious imagination. (Karen Armstrong) Livelypoints out that the conflict between the worship of many gods and the worship of one true god never disappeared. (Publishers Weekly) Jonathan Kirsch has written another blockbuster about the Bible and its world. (David Noel Freedman, Editor-in-Chief of the Anchor Bible Project) Kirsch tackles the central issue bedeviling the world today - religious intoleranceA timely book, well-written and researched. (Leonard Shlain, author of The Alphabet and the Goddess and Sex, Time and Power) An intriguing read. (The Jerusalem Report) A timely tale about the importance of religious tolerance in today's world. (San Francisco Chronicle) Kirsch is a fine storyteller with a flair for rendering ancient tales relevant and appealing. (The Washington Post)

The highly regarded author of "King David" and "Moses" explores the roots of religious extremism. "God Against the Gods" is a dramatic and eye-opening epic of the struggle between monotheism and polytheism in the ancient world.

Jonathan Kirsch is a book columnist for the Los Angeles Times and the author of several acclaimed bestsellers, including The Harlot by the Side of the Road.