This book has a lot to recommend it. It is packed with useful and interesting information drawn from archaeological research of Canaan and Israel from the Chalcolithic Period through the Iron Age. The information on various aspects of Canaanite and Israelite civilization are broken down into distinct chapters, with each chapter further broken down into distinct time periods. Finally, the book ends with a discussion of ongoing developments and controversies in the archaeology of the region, including discussions of the relationship between the archaeological evidence and the historicity of Biblical accounts of the Iron Age.
Unfortunately, the book's presentation of this information is largely dry and academic. Yes, the book is primarily intended to be an introductory text for students of history, archaeology, and religious studies. But the fact that a book's primary audience may be people who are required to read it is no reason for the author not to make them want to read it.