Roland

In his wonderful book "It Ain't Necessarily So," Matthew Sturges argues that "a well-ordered, centralized kingdom, such as Solomon's is depicted as being in the Bible, would have required a well-organised and literate civil service to administer it, yet almost no trace of writing has been found in the lands of Israel and Judah from this period."

This seems like a very logical position for someone to hold, and it's just one of the many informational nuggets to be found in his work. Sturges makes a very compelling case throughout his book that very little of what is recorded as history in the Old Testament can be corroborated by archaeological evidence. It's a very easy book to read and is a perfect starting place, along with "The Bible Unearthed," for anyone interested in this subject.

CX

Let's add to that very short list William Dever's "Who Were the Ancient Israelites and Where Did They Come From."