We are also a people that focuses on its past, with or without learning from it. Our earliest source of Jewish history is no doubt the Bible. Many scholars, including leading Rabbis throughout the centuries, claim that the Bible is selective - emphasizing the message rather than reflecting true history. There are a number of noteworthy ancient Jewish historians ranging from pre-Roman times through the Golden Age of Spain. However, true Jewish historiography did not really begin until the 19th century.
Today there is a plethora of books exploring every aspect of Jewish history.
Most historians use geographical areas as their guides. Others, like Paul Johnson analyze ideas layered in time. I would sit for hours looking over tables in the back of Margolis and Marx's History of the Jewish People trying to examine the intermeshing of world dates and Jewish historical dates. For these reasons, I have decided that after having published my history book once, to allow it to be placed on the Internet for all to use and peruse. Most historians begin with the journey of Abraham as the first Jew.