Some of the 25 chapters represent research that served as the raw material for parts of his 1994 Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls, explains Schiffman (Hebrew and Judaic studies, New York U.), while others are extensions and elaborations of chapters there, and yet others are expanded and substantially revised articles that have been published previously. All of them are pieces in his overall investigation into what the Dead Sea Scrolls and related texts reveal about Judaism in late antiquity. He covers the scholarly controversy; history, politics, and the formation of the sect at Qumran; Jewish law at Qumran; the religious outlook of the Qumran sectarians; Qumran sectarians and others; and language and literature. The series presents recent scholarship on the Dead Sea Scrolls for scholars, students, and the thinking public. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)