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Gospel
Gospel concerns the search for a lost first-century gospel of the Bible, a document that could shake the foundations of Christianity. Wilton Barnhardt's narrative races through three continents, nine countries, and dozens of colorful locales, as two charactershy theological student Lucy Dantan and hard-drinking, disillusioned ex-Jesuit Patrick O'Hanrahanpursue rumors and
...moreHardcover, 788 pages
Published
April 29th 1993
by St. Martin's Press
(first published April 1993)
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This is one of my all-time favorite novels. Imagine a burned-out, cynical theology professor teaming up with a naive, idealistic grad student to follow the path of a lost First Century gospel from England and Italy to the Sudan and Jerusalem. Barnhardt skillfully incorporates the varied settings into the novel without allowing it to degenerate into a travelogue, and his character development is second to none in my opinion.
The narrative alternates between the present story and the text of the "g...more
The narrative alternates between the present story and the text of the "g...more
The story follows two main characters, Lucy, a theological student at the University of Chicago, and the ex-Jesuit, hard-drinking professor she is sent to find in Oxford. He is on the hunt for a rumoured lost gospel, which could completely shake the foundation of Christianity. They travel in pursuit of clues for the whereabouts of the 1st century gospel, through three continents and nine countries. In between the sections of the coutries travelled, there are snippits of this gospel.
I was lent t...more
I was lent t...more
Although this is a huge book (over 700 pages), it is worth the effort! It features a hard-living old professor and a young, naive grad student searching for a lost Gospel written by one of the Apostles. Their search takes them and the reader all over the world. This book makes the Davinci Code looks like a kids' book.
I would have given it 5 stars except I was mildly disappointed with the ending. But all in all I loved it!
I would have given it 5 stars except I was mildly disappointed with the ending. But all in all I loved it!
Professor O'Hanrahan ist auf dem Weg eine umwerfende Entdeckung zu entschlüsseln. Es gibt ein weiteres Evangelium, das den Verlauf der Ereignisse rund um den Nazaräer möglicherweise vollkommen anders schildert als die bisher bekannten vier kanonischen Evangelien. Anders als andere apokryphe Schriften ist dieses Evangelium jedoch hundertprozentig glaubhaft. Bereits einmal hielt der Professor das Werk in Händen, doch es wurde ihm wieder gestohlen. Jetzt macht er sich mit einem Rabbiner und einigen...more
Professor O'Hanrahan ist auf dem Weg eine umwerfende Entdeckung zu entschlüsseln. Es gibt ein weiteres Evangelium, das den Verlauf der Ereignisse rund um den Nazaräer möglicherweise vollkommen anders schildert als die bisher bekannten vier kanonischen Evangelien. Anders als andere apokryphe Schriften ist dieses Evangelium jedoch hundertprozentig glaubhaft. Bereits einmal hielt der Professor das Werk in Händen, doch es wurde ihm wieder gestohlen. Jetzt macht er sich mit einem Rabbiner und einigen...more
I did not realize that 1.) this novel is out of print and 2.) it was 770 pages with several additional pages as an index with 100+ footnotes throughout the book. Loaded with nonfiction trivial facts about Christianity and Catholicism. Fascinating information. Makes Dan Brown's DaVinci's Code seem like a comic book. With a better editor and publishing guidance, this had all the potential to be the bestseller 15 years before Dan Brown's name was known. There is so much information in this novel, t...more
Wow, what an incredible ride! I love a good story. I love a romp through history and I love theological mysteries. This author is incredible. I can't imagine where he started. It's a story within a story both based in fiction, but... all the footnotes (and there are plenty!) are true and accurate. Gospel is exciting, intelligent, profound, and incredibly funny. I really have to read it again someday.
A naive Catholic grad student, an aging Theology professor, and a Brooklyn rabbi go on a wild chase across three continents in search of a lost Christian gospel. This is the novel that The Da Vinci Code only dreamed of being, and it's a crime that the author is not better known.
Strangely, given my tastes, this is my favorite book. One part coming of age story, one part James Bond, this is just a good book. Throw in footnotes that differentiate the facts from the fiction and you have a novel that would teach Dan Brown how to be an effective author.
This book took a while to get into and some of the schtick gets a little bit tiresome, but most of its quirkiness is actually charming rather than precious, and there's a seriousness underneath the considerable superstructure of the novel that is carried off quite well.
Why folks read "The Da Vinci Code" and ignored this I will never understand. This is a real novel and well written. DVC is absolute
rubbish written by a hack. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
rubbish written by a hack. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
At just under a thousand pages, Barnhardt's Gospel might seem a bit long - until you start reading it. If the DaVinci Code had been written by a brilliant author instead of a very good story teller it might resemble Gospel.
Fantastic, funny, entertaining and educational. Religious scholarship and a race to recover a lost gospel, at times respectful, at others irreverent. What's not to love?
A very fun book, faturing a lecherous elderly Religion professor who is an expert on martyrs and their odd deaths...and a search for the lost Gospel of the 13th Apostle.
Thanks to Kim for this great recommendation! Gospel came up when we were discussing the genre of "academic mysteries." It fits the bill perfectly as it follows a cranky professor and a naive grad student on a quest for a lost Gospel that may reveal a secret about the early Church. In addition to adventure and antics, Gospel offers a host of fascinating and bizarre histories about saints, popes, and other religious figures. It also does a nice job depicting the role of religion in the lives of it...more
More of a comparative history of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, the historical doumentation of this book is dumbfounding. It provides an introduciotn to the real history of these 'major' religiongs, without casting aspersions on them at all. Built from an Indiana Jones type adventure around the world with some admittedly two-dimensional characters, it is, nevertheless, an intriguing read. The best asides in the book come from an omnipresent narrator who may or may not be God. One note: Protes...more
The pseudo-"gospel" parts interrupted the storytelling a little too much for my taste, but the novel parts were fun to read!
Almost as good an adventure as The Secret Magdalene, but without Ki Longfellow's (or Anne Dillard's) deft spiritual touch.
I read this years ago and remember loving the book and hating the ending. Maybe I should give it another try....
I've been currently reading this book for years! A terrific story; exhausting for non-Catholics?
thumbs up - great story
Oct 04, 2010
Kaethe
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
strong-smart-female-protagonist,
beloved
1998 Mar 28
What kind of boring person am I? The kind who takes a big, fat novel with her on her honeymoon. The Spouse watched baseball and played golf, I read books and swam, and if you're curious, then yes, I recommend a week of sheer rest for the bride and groom after the stress of the wedding.
It was a wonderful read to really sink into.
What kind of boring person am I? The kind who takes a big, fat novel with her on her honeymoon. The Spouse watched baseball and played golf, I read books and swam, and if you're curious, then yes, I recommend a week of sheer rest for the bride and groom after the stress of the wedding.
It was a wonderful read to really sink into.
Before the Da Vinci Code, there was Barnhardt's Gospel. The story line is similar in that an alcoholic Catholic priest and an aspiring theologian are searching for a long lost gospel book of the Bible. Lo and behold, what they learn could change the face of Christianity forever. An enjoyably long and chewy novel, definitely not meant for a beach read.
A great mystery about a lost book of the Bible - one questioning the truth of Jesus. Alternating chapters are the modern mystery vs. the lost book itself written in biblical style: chapter, verse and footnotes. I found it fascinating as it dissected every religion. It's an oldie, but a goodie.
Everybody knows the Da Vinci Code, but this books, despite a similar storyline, is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy better. Better characters, better plotline, far more interesting history, and the description of every place visited makes me long to explore the world. I can't recommend this highly enough
It's been a long time since I read this, and I have little memory of the specifics--except it's a quest--but i have fond memories of reading it. I may just have to revisit it.
A must read-- an unmatched predecessor to "The daVinci Code." Very well-written and literate, it's easily the quickest 700+ page read I've ever experienced.
Sep 03, 2007
Tristan Durst
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone and everyone
Shelves:
completesme
this is a book about faith and religion and, ultimately, finding both. it's hilarious and made me cry and i cannot explain how much i love it. my favorite book ever.
indiana jones' got nothing on this guy. bobbing and weaving through history, you will find yourself wishing you could go along the 'great and worthy' search.
Fantastic mystery book. Better than Dan Brown's books for sure but similar theme. G-d talks in the footnotes, need I say more
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Wilton Barnhardt (born 1960) is a former reporter for Sports Illustrated and is the author of Emma Who Saved My Life (1989), Gospel (1993), and Show World (1999).
Barnhardt took his B.A. at Michigan State University, and was a graduate student at Brasenose College, University of Oxford, where he read for an M.Phil. in English.
He currently teaches fiction-writing to undergraduate and graduate stude...more
More about Wilton Barnhardt...
Barnhardt took his B.A. at Michigan State University, and was a graduate student at Brasenose College, University of Oxford, where he read for an M.Phil. in English.
He currently teaches fiction-writing to undergraduate and graduate stude...more
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Sep 09, 2012 01:19pm