In this history, renowned anthropologist Melvin Konner takes all of Western civilization as his canvas and onto it places the Jewish people and faith. Drawing on archaeological findings, census data, religious texts, diaries, poetry, oral histories, and more, Konner shows how the Jews shaped the world around them, taking their place among the writers, philosophers, traders, and warriors in antiquity, and how they have continued to make their mark throughout history. In turn, Konner charts the ways a largely hostile but at times accepting world has affected Jewish practice, culture, and success. Unsettled reveals how the facts of oppression and ongoing diaspora actually led to the rise of Jewish trade, learning, and influence.