The symbolic axis of the world, the birthplace of great religious traditions, the ancient site and contemporary centre of mighty contention, Jerusalem evokes fascination, devotion, and deep pain. Clare Amos's lifelong engagement with the city, its people, and its history yields this loving yet insightful view of the city's dynamic identity. Its biblical and historical roots, its complex symbolic and literary meaning for Jews and Christians and Muslims, and its present-day tensions are composed by her into a complex mosaic that may yet, in some lights, yield a vision of the heavenly city.