Jesus

This book is superbly written. In his typical style, Wangerin uses fairly florid language and extensive physical descriptions to retell the life of Christ, which lends the account the distinct figurative feel of a fable. Despite the fictional tone, his creativity stays within rather strict boundaries. His purpose in the book is clearly to remain faithful to the scriptural accounts, so he mostly adds descriptions of the surroundings or of disciples' emotions to events already documented in the Bible. His only considerable departure from the gospels is his understanding of Judas' motivations for his betrayal. The beauty of this work is in its constant balance between creative vitality and spiritual reverence. Wangerin's mastery of allegorical language gives the story all the respect it deserves, but it also adds color, life and the unexpected to powerfully retell a tremendous story.

No stories are better known or fiercely treasured than those in the Bible. And the influence of the King James version of the Bible is so pervasive in the English-speaking world that not only can we be said to all know those stories in identical wording but the word choices and phrases therein, to a considerable extent, shaped the very language we all speak today. The writer then who undertakes a reverent novelization of the Gospels, or any Bible story really, must respond to a series of unique challenges. Among them, he must achieve a voice distinctive enough to stand comparison with his source. He must both remain true to that source and, at the same time, depart enough to justify our not just reading the original. And, perhaps hardest of all, he must write a few moments into his text that will move a reader as profoundly as the Gospels do, and manage this despite the fact that we obviously know what's coming. Given the immensity of these tasks it will be the rare author indeed who succeeds, but Walter Wangerin does so brilliantly in Jesus: a Novel. It probably helps here that Mr. Wangerin's past novels include distinctive fantasies, like The Book of the Dun Cow. That great novel is told almost in the form of a Bible tale and in a rich language that is freighted with significance yet totally accessible. In a sense then, where Dun Cow is a fantasy influenced by the Bible, Jesus can almost be said to reverse the process, with fantasy influencing the Bible story. This makes the familiar stories seem fresh and the author's mastery of language and tone give his storytelling the mythic quality the undertaking requires. Where he really reached greatness in my eyes though was in the scene where he depicts the Last Supper. The narrator at one point says that the bread was so dry as to suck all moisture from the mouth and that His words left them breathless. Easy enough for an author to say, but as I reached the end of the episode I found my own mouth had dried out and I'd not been breathing. Such communion with an author's purposes is so rare that it was downright spooky, or, rather, a moment of transcendence. I obviously can't guarantee you the same, but for me, at least, reading this was itself a religious experience and a beautiful one.

Walter Wangerin's book, Jesus, is incredible. Given that its topic is one of the most dissected, speculated-about, and, ultimately, complex and compelling stories ever known to mankind, I was at first skeptical as to what exactly this book would recount. That skepticism dissolved quickly. Wangerin does an incredible job of showing Jesus, not only as the divine, but as the humane, as well. Often, Christians forget what made Jesus so appealing to his followers: that he was the divine, alive in a form that they, as mortals, could relate to. This book shows much of Jesus' human side: his laughter and happiness at the wedding at Cana, his terse reproachment of his mother's desire to spare him from the pains that God had placed before him, etc. Often, it is easy to get lost in the events of the New Testament. Fortunately, we, as Christians, have Wangerin's book to give a clear view on the events of Jesus' life, and of the time period that would forever change the world.

If you've grown up in the church, you may have heard the story of Jesus so many times you don't really "hear" it anymore. But in the capable hands of storyteller and National Book Award winner Walter Wangerin Jr., this classic captures our attention in a new way. Wangerin switches back and forth between the viewpoint of Mary, Jesus' mother ("Mim"), and the disciple John (called "beloved") to tell the story, which opens at the Feast of Passover in Jerusalem when Jesus is 12. A long narrative from Mary to Jesus in italics serves to fill in the details of her unexpected pregnancy, marriage, and the nativity of Christ. Readers will enjoy Wangerin's imagining what Jesus might have looked like (heavily freckled with a tight cap of curly reddish brown hair!) and his mannerisms (ticklish, accessible but unknowable). In Wangerin's narrative, Jesus is an only child who works as a carpenter with his father until Joseph meets an untimely, accidental death. But what really sings in this narrative is the relationship between Jesus and his mother, as seen from her perspective. When Jesus returns to Nazareth to begin his ministry by reading in the temple, he's first warmly welcomed, then driven away by his small hometown. We feel Mary's pride in her son, and then her pain at his rejection. Later, when Jesus goes away alone, she follows him to give him some tragic news. In beautifully crafted prose, Wangerin describes the scene as Mary tells Jesus that his beloved cousin John the Baptist is dead. "Heaven is sandy with stars, the myriad marks of God's promises, the heavenly host all holding their breath --- so Mary imagines --- preparing to weep with Jesus." Later, Jesus whispers to her, "Oh Mother, Mother --- how I loved my cousin." And Mary, who calls Jesus "My baby," (as well as "Yeshi"), comforts him as he falls asleep on her lap. Wangerin excels at offering specific details about the culture of the time period in which Jesus lived. The wedding at Cana is embellished with a bridal procession where lusty lyrics are sung: "How sweet is your love, O sister, my bride! And sweeter your loving than spices and wine." Wangerin spends several pages explaining interesting details about the wedding ceremony and the honor involved in providing enough food for seven days of celebration. Jesus' miracle, he shows, saved the bridegroom's family from shame and dishonor. Nice details for contemporary readers. In another retelling of the biblical narrative, he opens a chapter with the terse observation: "Magdala stinks." Wangerin goes on to explain that fish were dried and pickled there, and includes plenty of details about the fishing life. The stage also is set for an encounter with Mary ("Maryam"), whom he will deliver from seven demons. Wangerin fleshes out some of the more practical aspects as well. When Jesus and his disciples are on the road, Wangerin describes how Mary wanders the hillsides and ravines, finding the right herbs to cure the ills and injuries incurred

"Jesus" is the third in Walter Wangerin's trilogy of novels on the Bible, following "The Book of God" (a fictionalized, edited account of the entire scope of the Bible) and "Paul" (a fictionalized, account of the life of Saint Paul). As in his earlier volumes, Wangerin puts to work his renowned story-telling ability toward the task of dramatizing the life of Christ, retelling the biblical gospel narrative for a contemporary audence. Ever the raconteur, Wangerin evokes the deep and powerful emotions that motivate all human behavior. In some ways, "Jesus" has the feel of "Wangerin Meets Peterson," that is, "Jesus" is something of a narrative in genre and a Eugene Peterson ("The Message") paraphrase. Such a comparison is not faint praise. Rather, it communicates how beautifully and poetically Wangerin's descriptive prose evokes the very real life of Christ. For Christians wanting a fresh read on the "old, old story," and for the seeker wanting a post-modern narrative telling of the story of Christ, "Jesus" will provide hours of delightful reading. Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," and "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."