The kind folks at Kregel recently sent me a copy of The Story of the Holy Land: A Visual History by Peter Walker. This is an attractive book. The selection of pictures and printing are outstanding. As a visual history, this work is divided into seven chapters.
1. Canaanites and Israelites (1950–1050 BC)
2. Tribes and Kings (1050–587 BC)
3. Refugees and Greeks (587–40 BC)
4. The Crucial Century (40 BC–AD 70)
5. Romans and Byzantines (AD 70–630)
6. Muslims and Crusaders (AD 630–1291)
7. Ottomans and Westerners (AD 1291–1948)
Not everyone will agree with some of the dates presented in the book (e.g., the late date of the Exodus) but this nice resource.
You can access an excerpt here.
Bethlemian Rhapsody
I have used this one before.
Passover Rhapsody
This was new to me.
HT: Ben Blackwell for the Passover rhapsody
Andreas Köstenberger has posted a best books of 2013 list here. I have summarized his list below but you really should read his full discussion.
1. William Baird, History of New Testament Research, vol. 3
2. Joel B. Green, gen. ed., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 2nd edition
3. N. T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God and Pauline Perspectives: Essays on Paul, 1978–2013
4. Thomas Schreiner, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments
5. Michael Bird, Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction
6. James Hoffmeier and Dennis Magary, eds., Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith?
7. Steven Cowan and Terry Wilder, eds., In Defense of the Bible
8. Jason DeRouchie, ed., What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About
9. Stanley Porter and Gregory Fewster, Paul and Pseudepigraphy
10. David Trobisch, A User’s Guide to the Nestle-Aland 28 Greek New Testament
I am happy to say that I have seven out of the eleven books listed (N. T. has two volumes under #3).
Haaretz has an interesting article entitled "Lifestyles of the rich and famous in ancient Israel" here. You will have to register to read the full article.
I found this piece on the value of self-editing as a means to better writing to be helpful.
The following infographic is interesting even if it totally ignores biblical poetry.
1. Canaanites and Israelites (1950–1050 BC) 
