Traditionally, John the Baptist is seen as little more than an opening act, the voice crying in the wilderness in the great Christian drama. In presenting the epic of John's life, novelist Brooks Hansen draws on an extraordinary array of inspirations, from the works of Caravaggio, Bach, and Oscar Wilde to the histories of Josephus, the canonical gospels, the Gnostic gospels, and the sacred texts of those followers of John who never accepted Jesus...
....just finished reading John the Baptizer and feel as if I am coming back from a fascinating trip. A very well researched and beautifully written and detailed account of life in Palestine just before the Christian era. I always thought I knew all about John, I was wrong. I used to be a bit curious about him, now I know him. And all the characters around him. Thank you Mr. Hansen, a great work, well done.
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I didn't feel like I was reading, but seeing and feeling and experiencing this beautiful, profound and surprising story. I felt like I was reading a classic - A truly important work. If you haven't read any of Mr. Hansen's work before, then read John the Baptizer. I'm not the first to say this, but he really is "the most imaginative and talented novelist of his generation." Read it!
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How does that saying go, "Walk a mile in another man's moccasin before you criticize him." ? After reading John the Baptizer, I felt like I had walked a mile in his sand covered sandals. I used to view John as the comic relief figure in the New Testament. Just another PK that went a little crazy due to all the pressure on him. But, now I view him a great man of faith, vision, and courage. Hansen wrote a completely engrossing...
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