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felinity 's review for:
The Book of God: The Bible as a Novel
by Walter Wangerin Jr.
I first picked this up because my pastor had mentioned it a few times over the past couple of years, and I found that, unlike many such books, this really does put the central text of the Bible into novel form, lifting the Biblical text and surrounding it with descriptions and characterizations to ignite your imagination.
Mostly written with the traditional third-person omniscient narrator, there are some sections that change to the first person, enabling us to really understand their point of view. Historical and geographical details are added to give context to the narrative, enriching the text and helping the reader really understand what's going on. Some pieces are fictionalized, but I found it fairly clear what was historical or biblical and what was not. (Those unfamiliar with the history of the time might find Herod's actions even worse than previously imagined.)
Seeing the parables in a more timely context was also enlightening, offering insight into the disciples' words and actions as well as Jesus'. Even Judas became more three-dimensional, with a possible aspect/interpretation that I had not previously considered.
I found myself devouring it... right up until I got into the New Testament. At that point I slowed down, often putting it down for a few days. I realized I was postponing the inevitable: the end was approaching, and I didn't want to stop.
Obviously it can't cover *everything* in just 633 pages, and has pruned the "storyline" (for want of a better word) down to the central characters and stories. It starts with Abraham, and readers familiar with the Bible will notice the lack of furnaces, lions, large fish, characters such as Dinah and Mephibosheth, and certain miracles; some are pruned back to the main branch, while others were only reported in one Gospel.
Through these pages, I learned to see Jesus the man, to see his changing perspective as the time grew near for his death, and even to see the disciples as individual personalities rather than a collective. I've learned to pay more attention to the details of time and location for Jesus' parables and sermons, and to appreciate the whole time frame even more. This is one I'll read again, because it draws me back to the Bible itself as I reread passages and surprise myself by discovering parts I'd previously missed.
Mostly written with the traditional third-person omniscient narrator, there are some sections that change to the first person, enabling us to really understand their point of view.
Spoiler
Leah, Simon Peter, Andrew and Mary Magdalene were among them.Seeing the parables in a more timely context was also enlightening, offering insight into the disciples' words and actions as well as Jesus'. Even Judas became more three-dimensional, with a possible aspect/interpretation that I had not previously considered.
I found myself devouring it... right up until I got into the New Testament. At that point I slowed down, often putting it down for a few days. I realized I was postponing the inevitable: the end was approaching, and I didn't want to stop.
Obviously it can't cover *everything* in just 633 pages, and has pruned the "storyline" (for want of a better word) down to the central characters and stories. It starts with Abraham, and readers familiar with the Bible will notice the lack of furnaces, lions, large fish, characters such as Dinah and Mephibosheth, and certain miracles; some are pruned back to the main branch, while others were only reported in one Gospel.
Spoiler
(I was a little surprised that Jesus' first miracle was excluded though.)Through these pages, I learned to see Jesus the man, to see his changing perspective as the time grew near for his death, and even to see the disciples as individual personalities rather than a collective. I've learned to pay more attention to the details of time and location for Jesus' parables and sermons, and to appreciate the whole time frame even more. This is one I'll read again, because it draws me back to the Bible itself as I reread passages and surprise myself by discovering parts I'd previously missed.