Customer Reviews: Read 191 more reviews...
 excellent book December 22, 2008
Kathleen E. Emmons
I had read this book when it was first released, and really enjoyed the parable.
I am eager to share it with my son.
Joshua October 28, 2008
Harold J. Schmeling (Maryville, IL)
Father Girzone has written what it would be like if Jesus Christ returned to earth in today's world.
I beleive much of what he says about what it would be like.
He captures it very well.
 dangerous ground to tread? September 16, 2008
N. J. Harmon (Columbus, OH USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I think I would be skeptical of any book that writes from the perspective of Jesus as the book Joshua does. Why? Well how confident can a person be that they know Jesus enough to put words into his mouth? Those are exactly the issues the author of Joshua explores through the mouth of a humble, simple carpenter set in the modern day period. And how Joshua or Jesus feels about Christianity is that the authorities have perverted the church with rigidity and the message of freedom has been lost. This 'freedom' is brought up a lot in the book but never defined.
Joshua has evidently come again to tell off religious leaders - that they have done a bad job and are a bunch of hypocrites. The message of redemption and salvation are not explored at all in the book which I find to be disettling. Of course, many of Joshua's messages throughout are good and should be minded, but the bigger picture of Christ's incarnation should be there too - and it is not to be found.
Aside from the message of Joshua, the writing is not phenomenal and the storyline is unimpressive.
Instead of the anti-authority preachiness of the book, I think we would be better served to see a simpler WWJD story over everyday issues. Additionally, we have the role models of the saints as instructors so to insert Jesus into a character seems uncalled for.
Joshua: A Truly Beautiful Human Person July 9, 2008
Peter McGuire Wolf (Pinecroft, PA USA)
Joshua is a truly beautiful human person. To succeed in his portrayal, Joseph Girzone has accomplished what many great writers, including Dostoevsky have aspired to do. The Idiot is the great Russian novelist's attempt "to portray a completely beautiful human being." Prince Myshkin is like Joshua in some respects but suffers from epilepsy and is for this reason deemed "out of touch". Joshua is also deemed "out of touch" by certain religious functionaries, do gooders and know-it-alls, and yet he is not ill at all!
Joshua confirms my feeling that if Jesus were to return today he would be grossly misunderstood and only accepted by the afflicted, certain children and very few adults. My friend Pastor Paul placed this book in my hands enthusiastically encouraging me to read all about Joshua. I found the book to be well written and the author succeeds in phrasing some very profound thoughts in language that almost anyone can grasp. This is an amazing feat! As I said it took a master writer like Dostoevsky to attempt this feat.
Yes, there is something so beautiful in Jesus that like a small wildflower that is often overlooked, the important thing is how we come to see and hear and know him. Each individual comes to know this beautiful person in their own unique way. And this is what religion often militates against as it strives to depict a uniform 'hero' in monolithic terms. It attempts to coerce or seduce people into "loving God" but even if this misguided approach were to "win" in certain cases, the victory would be shortlived. No, true love does not flourish but where the soil of freedom nourishes and protects its seed. Isn't this after all what we mean when we say 'personal relationship'---the entire universe is aimed at one individual--- namely you! I am paraphrasing Walt Whitman who was paraphrasing Saint Augustine---yes, no one can see that little wildflower just as I do. And it is not going to work if I create a workshop called "the wildflower experience" aimed at getting others to see what I see and hear what I hear.
Pete Townshend's 'Pinball Wizard' expresses the dangers of forcing compliance from a religious audience even if the hero is beautiful and wise. It takes so much courage to let other people blossom and be themselves. All of our efforts to control their experiences may end in a shortlived "success" but ultimately the religion engineered around such an achievement is a mighty failure since the essential point is love freely given and the free receipt of God's love, not uniform creedal statements!
Writers like Girzone are like fresh breezes that blow inspiring us to remember the freedom of God's love and encouraging us to seriously question our denominational allegiances. Instead of division we are inspired to discover God as an inward experience that can be confirmed in any number of religious rituals or ceremonies; in chapels, cathedrals, mosques and synagogues---in madmen and in beautiful saints like Joshua.
See the movie March 24, 2008
Maro (Central CA)
I read the online reviews of the book and would like to encourage readers to view the movie version. I think that it was a great adaptation. In fact, the movie was so good, I purchased 4 copies as gifts for friends. I love the ecumenical message that is so lacking in our culture. The message of hope stirred me to tears.
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