Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

I like the book because it is as thrilling a page turner as a fictional Dan brown novel, while at the same time, it has a factual basis making it much more interesting. The logic used to understand the events that happened 2000 years ago keeping in mind the socio-politico-religious situation in 1st century Palestine is fascinating to read about. It changed my perception about history as just stating the facts that had happened. Its not about how many clay artifacts Mohenjo-daro has or the bronze bust of a man found in excavations. Its about looking at events in context. A contextual reference is always needed to understand the things that happened and why they happened. It is incomprehensible to someone who thinks that world has always been like the one he lives in at present. I guess it might come as a shock for someone who had a certain understanding of origins of their religion but the book is not meant to hurt anyone's sentiments. Reza Aslan Handsomely praises and awes Jesus's greatness, His ideals, His courage, His charisma, His acts, His passion and His mission. He never looks down upon any aspect of the Great being. Its just that he gives a reasonable argument about what might have happened during his time and afterwards.

I am neither a biblical scholar nor a zealot. I thus write this review as simply someone with an interest in many things (and a writer into the bargain), one of the 'things' being Jesus of Nazareth. As such I say: a more in-depth study of the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth you will not find. In 'Zealot - The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth' - I discovered a Jesus very removed from the one I had come to know as a child in the compulsory Sunday-before-Church-Service classes I had attended from the age of 5 to my confirmation into the Calvinist Dutch Reformed Church. The man I discovered in Reza Aslan's book is much more 'human' than the one of those classes. He is a 'flesh-and-blood' human being, not a celestial entity, which, according to the interpretation of the bible of those classes, was going to send me to hell if I did not, for example, say my prayers every night before I went to bed. He is a man with compassion for his fellow men. I practice no religion today. Instead I believe in mankind and in science. Stalin once said: 'Who needs a god, when you have science?' I will not go that far.However, science we do have. This is the first book of Reza Aslan I have read. How to tell you that no matter what religion you practice, and even if you do not practice any, this book is a must-absolutely-read. I will now read Reza Aslan's other books too. Mr Aslan, you have my respect and admiration.

Una opera solida, di un accademico solido. Ben scritto, di sicuro interesse per gli amanti del genere storico, filosofico e religioso. L'argomento non necessita di presentazioni e l'autore procede con metodo serio e cauto, ma deciso, verso tesi e concetti che presenta con la dovuta preparazione. L'articolato delle tesi, delle alternative interpretative proposte, non è monoliticamente accettabile: ognuno dei lettori potrebbe o meno essere d'accordo con alcuni differenti segmenti interpretativi della linea seguita dall'autore. Tuttavia, e questo è anche il bello dell'opera, essa non necessita nemmeno di essere monoliticamente accettata. Molto consigliato. Perché non 5 stelle? Ve ne accorgerete, dopo un interessantissimo e piacevole viaggio accanto alla figura di Gesù di Nazareth. Alla fine di quel viaggio c'era un ultimo passo da fare, nella mia modesta opinione, l'autore però non ha avuto il coraggio di imprimere nella strada della sua vita, prima che nel libro, quell'ultimo, inevitabile, passo.

Me gustó mucho la forma en la que esta escrito el libro. Esta orientado como para alguien que no sepa nada del tema. Es historico sin ser agobiante. Ademas, es una historia con la que ya estamos familiarizados todos en occidente, pero el mero relato de Aslan le da a la vida de Jesus una persperctiva nueva y una dimension mas profunda. En ningun momento sentí un cuestionamiemto a la fe cristiana cosa que me agradó y en todo momento deja un espacio rellenable solo por la fe en la naturaleza mistica de Jesucristo. No soy religioso, pero mw gustó que dejasen un espacio, donde todo aquello enseñado por la Iglesia sigue siendo posible Muy buen libro!

わかりやすく説明されていて、とても読みやすい本だと思います。 おすすめです