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The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (Canongate Myths series Book 16) Kindle Edition
This is the story of two brothers.
One is impassioned and one reserved.
One is destined to go down in history and the other to be forgotten.
In Pullman's hands, this sacred tale is reborn as one of the most enchanting, thrilling and visionary stories of recent years.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherCanongate Books
- Publication dateDecember 4, 2009
- File size5448 KB
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
[Philip Pullman is] one of the finest British writers of his generation. . . . The attention-grabbing title aloneThe Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christhas been enough to rouse his enemies, and reinforce his image as a church-baiting atheist who’s beyond redemption. . . . Yet this isn’t the indiscriminate anger of a proselytizing atheist. Pullman is too fair-minded. . . . Love his answers or not, Pullman’s honesty is hard to hate.”Newsweek
The erudite fantasy author, Philip Pullman, makes explicit his complaint against Christian dogma with [this] challenging deconstruction of the Gospels.”
Entertainment Weekly
[With] His Dark Materials, his masterpiece trilogy . . . Pullman has written the most thrilling and imaginative novels in a generation. . . . The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a masterfully timed book, arriving just as the Catholic ChurchPullman’s enemy No. 1convulses over priestly child abuse and papal cover-ups. . . . Give Pullman high marks for moxie: How many writers would dare to try to rewriteno, to repairthe most famous, most sacred story ever written?”Slate
Imaginative and thought-provoking . . . A compelling portrait of Jesus . . . [Pullman] is asking readers to move beyond theology and religion. As a literary work, Pullman’s story examines perspective and how it influences storytelling. [He] provides a superb example of how history relies on narrative and narrative relies on point of view. . . . This is, at its core, a book about the power of storytelling and storytellers. . . . The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ asks us to read and then to thinkreally thinkabout what we have read, and that is precisely what we all should do.”Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Thought-provoking . . . Add to [Pullman’s] passion his considerable gifts as a storyteller, and you have the ingredients for a powerful treatment of a familiar story. . . . There is no lack of . . . inventiveness . . . but it is always framed by Pullman’s keen awareness of the gospel narratives. He knows just how much of a revered story needs to remain intact in order to make its metamorphosis compelling. . . . Pullman gives us an affecting portrait of faith in extremis, of a man continuing to pray even as he doubts there is any auditor to his prayers.”Garret Keizer, Barnes & Noble Reviews
Compelling and challenging . . . The writing is crisp-lyrical . . . precise . . . Successful in showing how all the contradictions of a life can become distorted, so that the most important lessons disappear into history.”Jacob Schraer, Portland Mercury
In The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, we have what is both a perfect and perverse pairing: Philip Pullman and the myth’ of Jesus Christ.”The Globe and Mail
Incendiary . . . A small gem or, given its explosive story and exquisite artistry, a hand grenade made by Faberge. Pullman is a craftsman of the highest order.”--Sunday Times
Provokingly bold . . . Pullman’s rebel scripture belongs in a strong tradition of its own.”The Independent
Pullman is a supreme storyteller who . . . has done the story [of the Gospels] a service by reminding us of its extraordinary power to provoke and disturb.”The Telegraph
A wonderfully fresh reworking of the Gospel stories [concerned with] extricating what is ethically beautiful and of permanent value in Jesus’s teachings from the religious institutions that fallibly mediate and self-servingly distort them.. . . . Pullman’s imaginative and highly thought-provoking innovation . . . is told with a self-effacing, yet incisive limpidity. . . . [The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is] a work of genuine discretiondeeply involved and involving, but with a great instinct for what to leave tacit.”The Independent
A simple, powerful, knowing little book . . . Like a small grenade, it will ricochet uncomfortably around the mind of any Christian believer for some time to come.”Financial Times
[The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is] Pullman at his very best, limpid and economical. . . . Pullman leaves the Christian reader with a genuine paradox to ponder.”The Guardian
Told in simple, unadorned prose that is nonetheless beautifully effective, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ traces the familiar journey toward the cross and makes it fresh. . . . Pullman’s retelling of the central story in western civilization provides a brilliant new interpretation that is also a thought-provoking reflection on the process of how stories come into existence and accrue their meanings.”Sunday Times
A fast-paced little parable that puts a common sense tweak to a number of the miracles, while reminding us how much of the Gospels is devoted to social justice and compassion.”Sacramento News & Review
Short but ambitious, exhilarating . . . [The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ] mixes Christian mythology with speculative fiction. . . . Pullman approaches his biblical source material with respect.”Winnipeg Free Press
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a compassionate meditation on the nature of faith.”CBC News (Canada)
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ
By Philip PullmanGrove Atlantic, Inc.
Copyright © 2010 Philip PullmanAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8021-2996-3
CHAPTER 1
Mary and Joseph
This is the story of Jesus and his brother Christ, of how they were born, of how they lived and of how one of them died. The death of the other is not part of the story.
As the world knows, their mother was called Mary. She was the daughter of Joachim and Anna, a rich, pious and elderly couple who had never had a child, much as they prayed for one. It was considered shameful that Joachim had never fathered any offspring, and he felt the shame keenly. Anna was just as unhappy. One day she saw a nest of sparrows in a laurel tree, and wept that even the birds and the beasts could produce young, when she could not.
Finally, however, possibly because of their fervent prayers, Anna conceived a child, and in due course she gave birth to a girl. Joachim and Anna vowed to dedicate her to the Lord God, so they took her to the temple and offered her to the high priest Zacharias, who kissed her and blessed her and took her into his care.
Zacharias nurtured the child like a dove, and she danced for the Lord, and everyone loved her for her grace and simplicity.
But she grew as every other girl did, and when she was twelve years old the priests of the temple realised that before long she would begin to bleed every month. That, of course, would pollute the holy place. What could they do? They had taken charge of her; they couldn't simply throw her out.
So Zacharias prayed, and an angel told him what to do. They should find a husband for Mary, but he should be a good deal older, a steady and experienced man. A widower would be ideal. The angel gave precise instructions, and promised a miracle to confirm the choice of the right man.
Accordingly, Zacharias called together as many widowers as he could find. Each one was to bring with him a wooden rod. A dozen or more men came in answer, some young, some middle-aged, some old. Among them was a carpenter called Joseph.
Consulting his instructions, Zacharias gathered all the rods together and prayed over them before giving them back. The last to receive his rod was Joseph, and as soon as it came into his hand it burst into flower.
'You're the one!' said Zacharias. 'The Lord has commanded that you should marry the girl Mary.'
'But I'm an old man!' said Joseph. 'And I have sons older than the girl. I shall be a laughing-stock.'
'Do as you are commanded,' said Zacharias, 'or face the anger of the Lord. Remember what happened to Korah.'
Korah was a Levite who had challenged the authority of Moses. As a punishment the earth opened under him and swallowed him up, together with all his household.
Joseph was afraid, and reluctantly agreed to take the girl in marriage. He took her back to his house.
'You must stay here while I go about my work,' he told her. 'I'll come back to you in good time. The Lord will watch over you.'
In Joseph's household Mary worked so hard and behaved so modestly that no one had a word of criticism for her. She spun wool, she made bread, she drew water from the well, and as she grew and became a young woman there were many who wondered at this strange marriage, and at Joseph's absence. There were others, too, young men in particular, who would try to speak to her and smile engagingly, but she said little in reply and kept her eyes on the ground. It was easy to see how simple and good she was.
And time went past.
CHAPTER 2The Birth of John
Now Zacharias the high priest was old like Joseph, and his wife Elizabeth was elderly too. Like Joachim and Anna, they had never had a child, much as they desired one.
One day Zacharias saw an angel, who told him 'Your wife will bear a child, and you must call him John.'
Zacharias was astounded, and said 'How can that possibly be? I am an old man, and my wife is barren.'
'It will happen,' said the angel. 'And until it does, you shall be mute, since you did not believe me.'
And so it was. Zacharias could no longer speak. But shortly after that Elizabeth conceived a child, and was overjoyed, because her barrenness had been a disgrace and hard to endure.
When the time came, she bore a son. As they were going to circumcise him they asked what he should be called, and Zacharias took a tablet and wrote 'John'.
His relatives were surprised, because none of the family had that name; but as soon as he had written it, Zacharias became able to speak again, and this miracle confirmed the choice. The boy was named John.
CHAPTER 3The Conception of Jesus
At that time, Mary was about sixteen years old, and Joseph had never touched her.
One night in her bedroom she heard a whisper through her window.
'Mary, do you know how beautiful you are? You are the most lovely of all women. The Lord must have favoured you especially, to be so sweet and so gracious, to have such eyes and such lips ...'
She was confused, and said 'Who are you?'
'I am an angel,' said the voice. 'Let me in and I shall tell you a secret that only you must know.'
She opened the window and let him in. In order not to frighten her, he had assumed the appearance of a young man, just like one of the young men who spoke to her by the well.
'What is the secret?' she said.
'You are going to conceive a child,' said the angel.
Mary was bewildered.
'But my husband is away,' she said.
'Ah, the Lord wants this to happen at once. I have come from him especially to bring it about. Mary, you are blessed among women, that this should come to you! You must give thanks to the Lord.'
And that very night she conceived a child, just as the angel foretold.
When Joseph came home from the work that had taken him away, he was dismayed beyond measure to find his wife expecting a child. He hid his head in his cloak, he threw himself to the ground, he wept bitterly, he covered himself with ashes.
'Lord,' he cried, 'forgive me! Forgive me! What sort of care is this? I took this child as a virgin from the temple, and look at her now! I should have kept her safe, but I left her alone just as Adam left Eve, and look, the serpent has come to her in the same way!'
He called her to him and said 'Mary, my poor child, what have you done? You that were so pure and good, to have betrayed your innocence! Who is the man that did this?'
She wept bitterly, and said 'I've done no wrong, I swear! I have never been touched by a man! It was an angel that came to me, because God wanted me to conceive a child!'
Joseph was troubled. If this was really God's will, it must be his duty to look after her and the child. But it would look bad all the same. Nevertheless, he said no more.
CHAPTER 4The Birth of Jesus, and the Coming of the Shepherds
Not long afterwards there came a decree from the Roman emperor, saying that everyone should go to their ancestral town in order to be counted in a great census. Joseph lived in Nazareth in Galilee, but his family had come from Bethlehem in Judea, some days' journey to the south. He thought to himself: How shall I have them record Mary's name? I can list my sons, but what shall I do with her? Shall I call her my wife? I'd be ashamed. Should I call her my daughter? But people know that she's not my daughter, and besides, it's obvious that she's expecting a child. What can I do?
In the end he set off, with Mary riding a donkey behind him. The child was due to be born any day, and still Joseph did not know what he was going to say about his wife. When they had nearly reached Bethlehem, he turned around to see how she was, and saw her looking sad. Perhaps she's in pain, he thought. A little later he turned around again, and this time saw her laughing.
'What is it?' he said. 'A moment ago you were looking sad, and now you're laughing.'
'I saw two men,' she said, 'and one of them was weeping and crying, and the other was laughing and rejoicing.'
There was no one in sight. He thought: How can this be?
But he said no more, and soon they came to the town. Every inn was full, and Mary was crying and trembling, for the child was about to be born.
'There's no room,' said the last innkeeper they asked. 'But you can sleep in the stable – the beasts will keep you warm.'
Joseph spread their bedding on the straw and made Mary comfortable, and ran to find a midwife. When he came back the child was already born, but the midwife said 'There's another to come. She is having twins.'
And sure enough, a second child was born soon afterwards. They were both boys, and the first was strong and healthy, but the second was small, weak, and sickly. Mary wrapped the strong boy in cloth and laid him in the feeding trough, and suckled the other first, because she felt sorry for him.
That night there were shepherds keeping watch over their flocks on the hills outside the town. An angel appeared to them glowing with light, and the shepherds were terrified until the angel said 'Don't be afraid. Tonight a child has been born in the town, and he will be the Messiah. You will know him by this sign: you will find him wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a feeding trough.'
The shepherds were pious Jews, and they knew what the Messiah meant. The prophets had foretold that the Messiah, the Anointed One, would come to rescue the Israelites from their oppression. The Jews had had many oppressors over the centuries; the latest were the Romans, who had occupied Palestine for some years now. Many people expected the Messiah to lead the Jewish people in battle and free them from the power of Rome.
So they set off to the town to find him. Hearing the sound of a baby's cry, they made their way to the stable beside the inn, where they found an elderly man watching over a young woman who was nursing a new-born baby. Beside them in the feeding trough lay another baby wrapped in bands of cloth, and this was the one that was crying. And it was the second child, the sickly one, because Mary had nursed him first and set him to lie down while she nursed the other.
'We have come to see the Messiah,' said the shepherds, and explained about the angel and how he had told them where to find the baby.
'This one?' said Joseph.
'That is what we were told. That is how we knew him. Who would have thought to look for a child in a feeding trough? It must be him. He must be the one sent from God.'
Mary heard this without surprise. Hadn't she been told something similar by the angel who came to her bedroom? However, she was proud and happy that her little helpless son was receiving such tribute and praise. The other didn't need it; he was strong and quiet and calm, like Joseph. One for Joseph, and one for me, thought Mary, and kept this idea in her heart, and said nothing of it.
CHAPTER 5The Astrologers
At the same time some astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem, looking, so they claimed, for the king of the Jews, who had just been born. They had worked this out from their observations of the planets, and calculated the child's horoscope with every detail of ascendant and transit and progression.
Naturally, they first went to the palace and asked to see the royal child. King Herod was suspicious, and called for them to come to him and explain.
'Our calculations show that a child has been born nearby who will be the king of the Jews. We assumed he had been brought to the palace, so we came here first. We have brought gifts —'
'How interesting,' said Herod. 'And where was he born, this royal child?'
'In Bethlehem.'
'Come a little closer,' said the king, lowering his voice. 'You understand – you are men of the world, you know these things – for reasons of state I have to be very careful what I say. There are powers abroad that you and I know little about, but they wouldn't hesitate to kill such a child if they found him, and the most important thing now is to protect him. You go to Bethlehem – make enquiries – and as soon as you have any information, come and tell me. I'll make sure that the dear child is looked after safely.'
So the astrologers went the few miles south to Bethlehem to find the child. They looked at their star charts, they consulted their books, they made lengthy calculations, and finally, after asking at nearly every house in Bethlehem, they found the family they were looking for.
'So this is the child who is to rule over the Jews!' they said. 'Or is it that one?'
Mary proudly held out her little weak son. The other was sleeping peacefully nearby. The astrologers paid homage to the child in his mother's arms, and opened their treasure chests and gave gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
'You've come from Herod, you say?' said Joseph.
'Oh, yes. He wants us to go back and tell him where to find you, so he can make sure the child is safe.'
'If I were you,' said Joseph, 'I'd go straight home. The king is unpredictable, you know. He might take it into his head to punish you. We'll take the child to him in good time, don't worry.'
The astrologers thought this was good advice, and went their way. Meanwhile, Joseph packed their goods hastily, and set off that very night with Mary and the children and went to Egypt, because he knew King Herod's volatile ways, and feared what he would do.
CHAPTER 6The Death of Zacharias
He was right to do so. When Herod realised that the astrologers were not going to come back, he flew into a rage and ordered that every child in Bethlehem and the neighbourhood under two years of age should be killed at once.
One of the children of the right age was John, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. As soon as they heard of Herod's plan, Elizabeth took him up into the mountains looking for somewhere to hide. But she was old and could not walk very far, and in her despair she cried out 'Oh mountain of God, shelter a mother and her child!'
At once the mountain opened and offered her a cave in which to shelter.
So she and the child were safe, but Zacharias was in trouble. Herod knew that he had recently fathered a child, and sent for him.
'Where is your child? Where have you hidden him?'
'I am a busy priest, Your Majesty! I spend all my time about the business of the temple! Looking after children is women's work. I don't know where my son can be.'
'I warn you – tell the truth! I can spill your blood if I want to.'
'If you shed my blood, I shall be a martyr to the Lord,' said Zacharias, and that came true, because he was killed there and then.
CHAPTER 7The Childhood of Jesus
Meanwhile, Joseph and Mary were deciding what to call their sons. The firstborn was to be named Jesus, but what to call the other, Mary's secret favourite? In the end they gave him a common name, but in view of what the shepherds had said, Mary always called him Christ, which is Greek for Messiah. Jesus was a strong and cheerful baby, but Christ was often ill, and Mary worried about him, and gave him the warmest blankets, and let him suck honey from her fingertip to stop him crying.
Not long after they had arrived in Egypt, Joseph heard that King Herod had died. It was safe to go back to Palestine, and so they set off back to Joseph's home in Nazareth in Galilee. There the children grew up.
And as time passed there came more children to join them, more brothers, and sisters too. Mary loved all her children, but not equally. The little Christ seemed to her to need special care. Where Jesus and the other children were boisterous and played loudly together, getting into mischief, stealing fruit, shouting out rude names and running away, picking fights, throwing stones, daubing mud on house walls, catching sparrows, Christ clung to his mother's skirts and spent hours in reading and prayer.
One day Mary went to the house of a neighbour who was a dyer. Jesus and Christ both came with her, and while she was talking to the dyer, with Christ close by her side, Jesus went into the workshop. He looked at all the vessels containing different coloured dyes, and dipped a finger in each one, and then wiped them on the pile of cloths waiting to be dyed. Then he thought that the dyer would notice and be angry with him, so he bundled up the entire pile and thrust it all into the vessel containing a black dye.
He went back to the room where his mother was talking to the dyer, and Christ saw him and said 'Mama, Jesus has done something wrong.'
Jesus had his hands behind him.
'Show me your hands,' said Mary.
He brought his hands around to show. They were coloured black, red, yellow, purple and blue.
'What have you been doing?' she said.
Alarmed, the dyer ran into his workshop. Bulging out of the top of the vessel with the black dye was an untidy heap of cloth, besmeared and stained with black, and with other colours as well.
'Oh no! Look what this brat has done!' he cried. 'All this cloth – it'll cost me a fortune!'
'Jesus, you bad boy!' said Mary. 'Look, you've destroyed all this man's work! We'll have to pay for it. How can we do that?'
'But I thought I was helping,' said Jesus.
'Mama,' said Christ, 'I can make it all better.'
(Continues...)Excerpted from The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman. Copyright © 2010 Philip Pullman. Excerpted by permission of Grove Atlantic, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- ASIN : B003AT11PQ
- Publisher : Canongate Books; Main - Canons edition (December 4, 2009)
- Publication date : December 4, 2009
- Language : English
- File size : 5448 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 257 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #727,403 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #661 in Christian Classics & Allegories (Books)
- #4,189 in Historical Literary Fiction
- #5,227 in Fairy Tale Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
PHILIP PULLMAN is one of the most acclaimed writers working today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), which has been named one of the top 100 novels of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly. He has also won many distinguished prizes, including the Carnegie Medal for The Golden Compass (and the reader-voted "Carnegie of Carnegies" for the best children's book of the past seventy years); the Whitbread (now Costa) Award for The Amber Spyglass; a Booker Prize long-list nomination (The Amber Spyglass); Parents' Choice Gold Awards (The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass); and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, in honor of his body of work. In 2004, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
It has recently been announced that The Book of Dust, the much anticipated new book from Mr. Pullman, also set in the world of His Dark Materials, will be published as a major work in three parts, with the first part to arrive in October 2017.
Philip Pullman is the author of many other much-lauded novels. Other volumes related to His Dark Materials: Lyra’s Oxford, Once Upon a Time in the North, and The Collectors. For younger readers: I Was a Rat!; Count Karlstein; Two Crafty Criminals; Spring-Heeled Jack, and The Scarecrow and His Servant. For older readers: the Sally Lockhart quartet: The Ruby in the Smoke, The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well, and The Tin Princess; The White Mercedes; and The Broken Bridge.
Philip Pullman lives in Oxford, England. To learn more, please visit philip-pullman.com and hisdarkmaterials.com. Or follow him on Twitter at @PhilipPullman.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They appreciate the respectful treatment of Jesus and Christian beliefs. The storytelling style is described as creative, provocative, and poignant. However, some readers feel the narrative quality is terse and not well-written. Opinions differ on the style - some find it hands-off and elegant, while others consider it dull.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book easy to read and fun. They find it interesting and thought-provoking, with a surprising ending. The narrative is simple and written in a small vocabulary, which some readers think resembles the Bible.
"...This scene alone is worth the read, mostly because it suggests a "Brave New World"-like glimpse into the sins of others to come...." Read more
"...It is written with a very small vocabulary and simple style, which might be to ape the Bible, but also can be considered for even younger readers..." Read more
"This is an amazing book...." Read more
"...God and religion it is a great story and can also be a great tool as an accomanying text to any "Contemporary view of Christ" college course." Read more
Customers find the book's storytelling style thought-provoking and interesting. They appreciate the premise and its surprising take on explaining the myth. The prose is described as winsome and compassionate. Overall, readers describe it as an easy, refreshing read with thoughtful content.
"...Pullman's incredible storytelling frames the conversation between Jesus and God very well, as Jesus expresses his anger at God for failing to answer..." Read more
"...Yet, for its brilliant ideas, winsome prose, and compassionate wisdom, "Good Man" overcomes chapter-by-chapter the yawning failures of the whole...." Read more
"...If you can have an open mind about God and religion it is a great story and can also be a great tool as an accomanying text to any "Contemporary..." Read more
"...It's a strange read but offers a fascinating, very different take on the Gospels. It's also a very quick read so I think it's worthwhile." Read more
Customers find the book respectful of Jesus as a man. They say it offers an interesting interpretation of the story, with a good spin on Judaeo-Christian beliefs. Readers appreciate the contrast between Jesus' emotional and brave character and Christ's calculating and fearful one. The book retains the spirit of Jesus' life and teachings while offering a different take on the Gospels.
"...Christ is the calm and thoughtful one,always careful to go unnoticed, while Jesus is often thought as short-sided, irrational, and too frank to be a..." Read more
"...Jesus is emotional and brave, Christ is calculating and fearful. The Christ character seems more weak than truly evil...." Read more
"...Yet, for its brilliant ideas, winsome prose, and compassionate wisdom, "Good Man" overcomes chapter-by-chapter the yawning failures of the whole...." Read more
"...There are so many retellings of the Gospels, beginning with the Officially Licensed® versions set down by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...." Read more
Customers enjoy the storytelling. They find it creative, provocative, and poignant. The presentation addresses many questions and retains the spirit of the life. Readers appreciate the vivid depictions of corruption and lust. The book distinguishes reality from myth, with brilliant ideas, winsome prose, and compassionate wisdom. It offers an equal dose of introspection.
"...The images of corruption and lust are extraordinarily vivid, and encompasses what I believe to be the best scene in the entire book...." Read more
"...Yet, for its brilliant ideas, winsome prose, and compassionate wisdom, "Good Man" overcomes chapter-by-chapter the yawning failures of the whole...." Read more
"...non-believer or an agnostic or atheist, Pullman’s excellent presentation addresses many questions and retains the spirit of the life and teachings..." Read more
"...I was disappointed. The book has flat characters and no new insights. The bulk of the book reiterates biblical stories practically verbatum...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's engaging writing style. They find it creative and poignant.
"...Fun thought exercise, however, it gets rather boring after you do it once...." Read more
"...An easy fun read and fun to discuss with friends." Read more
"It was a fun read. Read it in one sitting. But the telling of the story should have a little more spark and life to it...." Read more
"...- some inconsistencies (still some miracles) but thoughtful and entertaining. And very well read, as one would hope the author could do...." Read more
Customers have differing opinions about the book's style. Some find it hands-off and elegant, with a twist. Others find the style off-putting and dull, with an almost condescending tone towards the reader. Overall, opinions are mixed on whether the book is worth reading or not.
"...It is written with a very small vocabulary and simple style, which might be to ape the Bible, but also can be considered for even younger readers..." Read more
"...I found that too off-putting for my taste, and gave up on the story after reading 45 pages...." Read more
"...Pullman's style in the book is decidedly hands-off, and very rarely did I remember that I was reading what is technically a "novel," and not an..." Read more
"...That being said, the worth of the book is a beautiful grain of sand on a vast beach of mediocracy...." Read more
Customers find the narrative terse and poorly written. They dislike the tone, voice, and lack of flowery language. The dialogue is stiff and the characters are plain, with little action. Overall, readers feel the book lacks depth and is too thin.
"...The whole book itself is a rather thin volume. I read it in about three hours. You say, but it's over two hundred pages! Yes!..." Read more
"...However it sticks closely to the bible accounts, with dry, terse prose. Nothing flowery - stiff dialog, plain characters, very little action...." Read more
"...The narrative is clipped and bare, removing any story aside from the plot. The re-imagining neither adds anything nor surprises...." Read more
"I realize this was just a story but I thought it was not well written. It took an effort to finish this. I found it boring...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2010As many other reviewers have already said, Philip Pullman begins and ends this book attempting to make readers keep in mind that his interpretation is a "story." As someone who is very fond of a good story, I don't think this will disappoint those who are willing to open themselves up to the artistic interpretation of one of the world's most legendary tales.
The title of the book was so interesting to me, and I really love how Pullman systematically dissects the dual nature of Jesus and Christ. Christ is the calm and thoughtful one,always careful to go unnoticed, while Jesus is often thought as short-sided, irrational, and too frank to be a religious martyr. The Angel that swarms over the two of them like a vulture during the entire story never fails to persuade Christ to play the role he was "born" to assume, that of a diligent and attentive scribe that watches over Jesus and romanticizes his interactions with everyday people. What's really interesting about the Angel is that one never really knows for certain where his intentions lie, but Christ begins to feel like a vessel for the impending doom of the Kingdom on Earth (the church system). While Jesus never believed Christ that the church system (or a "joining of organizations") would come to pass, both eventually converge on this thought while at very different stages in their individual journeys - Jesus as he facing his death, and Christ as he deals with the guilt and self-loathing of turning his brother in to Roman officials. Both eventually come to the same conclusion about the concept of church - it would "make the Devil rub his hands together," as Jesus mentions towards the concluding chapter.
Pullman's incredible storytelling frames the conversation between Jesus and God very well, as Jesus expresses his anger at God for failing to answer or show him any signs that his work on Earth is being done for the right reasons. While discussing the concept of church, Jesus talks about how it will become a powerful vessel for the rich and influential to inflate their own divinity complexes, and how it will force the poor to be killed and condemned for "innocent deeds," such as wearing a certain type of clothing or not standing the proper way. Most interestingly, Pullman works in some commentary from Jesus about allowing regular people to become holy men, as is the case with priests. The images of corruption and lust are extraordinarily vivid, and encompasses what I believe to be the best scene in the entire book. This scene alone is worth the read, mostly because it suggests a "Brave New World"-like glimpse into the sins of others to come. Obviously, Pullman can insert this commentary given the state of societal progression, but what really struck me about it is that he empowered Jesus' character by challenging what others would be doing for the sake of religion. This is a theme that everyone, no matter their creed, can certainly identify with and relate to.
For those who are easily offended, Pullman calls this work a story for a reason - as the character of Christ was permitted to work his magic on what he saw and create a new vision, Pullman has done the same.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2010A few things struck me:
1. it is very short
2. it is a young adult novel, practically a children's book
3. it is very repectful of Jesus the man, which was a surprise to me.
It is written with a very small vocabulary and simple style, which might be to ape the Bible, but also can be considered for even younger readers than His Dark Materials was. When I started seeing it as more of a children's book I started liking it more, since some of the drawbacks were more understandable (how simple it is, how it seems to lack depth but really repeats the same few themes)
I expected it to be more angry such as the last book of His Dark Materials, but it was not. Even though Christ is called a "scoundrel" in the title, it is not that black and white in the book. Jesus is emotional and brave, Christ is calculating and fearful. The Christ character seems more weak than truly evil. While Pullman gives non miraculous explanations of some of the miracles, that is not the point so much as how people will rewrite history after the fact.
I recommend it, though it will only take a day or two to read.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2012Publication of this book caused a deal of controversy, with some offended readers labelling it as blasphemous. That such readers took offense is understandable. In Pullman's version, "Jesus" and "Christ" are brothers, and the former is manipulated into dying so that the latter can leave writings that can be used to establish a new religion. The plot stays close enough to the traditional biblical tales that it takes relatively small changes for the author to weave an entirely different (and secular) account.
In understanding the author's intent, it is worth noting that this book was published as #14 a series on ancient myths. While interpretations may vary, I take the author's account as a way of capturing the dual nature of the historical Jesus as viewed from today's perspective -- not the man vs. the god, but the itinerant faith- healer vs the unwitting founder of a new religion. I found the book neither offensive nor particularly interesting, but am glad if it opens some reader's eyes to possibilities more likely than the supernatural myths of 2000 years ago.
Top reviews from other countries
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BoiteltoifelReviewed in Germany on April 18, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfekte Osterlektüre
Eine Geschichte, wie die Kirche entstanden ist. Strenggläubige dürften toben, Gläubige und Ungläubige könnten zum Nachdenken animiert werden. Das Nachwort sollte auf jeden Fall gelesen werden.
Das Buch ist schnell gelesen. Wer im Religionsunterricht aufgepaßt hat, kennt die meisten Stellen. Absoulut lesenswert.
- lectorReviewed in Spain on June 6, 2020
4.0 out of 5 stars Good
It's a very good story, well written, very entertaining and witty. I enjoyed reading it.
- AbbeyReviewed in India on June 30, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Bible redefined!!
The book has certainly opened a whole different perspective to the life, teachings and death of Christ.
I loved it. It is nice to see religious figures shown in a much more humane light.
Their story would probably be more believable that ways, although this book will never make a believer out of me.
That's just my opinion though.
And it may probably hurt the feelings of some hardcore Christians to see Christ as a human and not how they've always been told.
But it means no harm.
Kudos to the writer, though!!
- Lyra TallisReviewed in Canada on January 15, 2012
4.0 out of 5 stars Simplicity is under-valued
I admit to being very surprised by the other reviews of this book. While I would never argue that this is Pullman's greatest work to date (far from it), it is a respectable part of his catalogue. I think that this book is best approached without carrying in your opinions about religion - be they Christian or atheist. The primary goal of this text is to explore the development of a narrative over time, and to think about the power of 'the story'. Pullman has taken one of the best known stories and used it as his canvas. Pullman's personal beliefs about God are irrelevant when discussing this book as he is critiquing the divinity of Christ, and not the existence of God.
In all of his work, Pullman is interested in the idea of the story and its uses. In "His Dark Materials", it is Mary's stories that initiate the climax of the trilogy. In the Sally Lockhart books, Sally works to unravel what stories are spread about her family in the style of the Victorian sensation novel. This is a simple parable investigating the use of narrative to influence people.
Yes, the book is short. And yes, it is simple. But the narrative on which he basis the book: the Bible, is similarly simple. And the power of a convincing story need not only be effective through complex prose. Hemingway certainly didn't think so.
Truly, this is a book worth reading. As a Pullman fan, you should read it. If you are a student of literature, you should read it. If you are interested in philosophy, theology and the development of religions, you should read it. It won't take you very long at all to read, but it provides much to consider after the book is closed.
- PeterReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2010
5.0 out of 5 stars A familiar story beautifully reinvented
Even for atheists (well, for me at any rate), the story of Jesus is a powerful one. It is important not just because of its inherent beauty, but because the story infuses our culture in so many ways. I have always felt a fascination for it, for the ambiguities, the inconsistencies, the "what-does-this-mean-ness". That the story can only be viewed through the distorting mirror of the telling and retelling, the revisions and improvements of later hands, all of whom surely had agendas of their own, makes it all the more fascinating.
Pullman's retelling of the story of Jesus is in part an imagining of what the truth of what such a story might be. It is also a beautiful and compelling story, one that is sadly all too short at less then 250 pages. It also gives some thought to organised religion, the church, and how it's founders might have felt that the historical truth needed to be amended and interpreted to make the greater eternal truth clear.
The presentation of the book is delightful, just like a Bible, with the page headings in red (not quite rubrics, but a nod to them), the blocks of text in large print and a woven place marker: a quality production from Canongate. The hard covers and the place marker match the colour of the dust jacket (either black or white). The back cover reminds us that this is a story, and thus a commentary on the life of Jesus and the surrounding events. Pullman separates Jesus the historical figure and Christ the founder of the church. The figure called Christ in the book may be in part Judas, and the unnamed orchestrator of his actions may be Paul. Jesus is a faithful and honest servant of his God, even as God fails to give any sign in response to Jesus' prayers at Gethsemane.
It will take you only a day to read this tale, both because of its brevity and because the story is both familiar and enticingly new. It's well worth it.
Note: Having read and enjoyed this book so much, I've been encouraged to read the gospels again. It must be nearly 20 years since I last read them through.