Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Book Review: The Last Days of Jesus by Bill O'Reilly


I recently read The Last Days of Jesus: His Life and Times by Bill O'Reilly. If I were to rate the book using a five-star system, I would give it 3.5 stars. 

What I liked: The easy to read format enriched with informative illustrations, maps, and historical timelines. The author described the culture, regional lifestyles, religious beliefs, and political issues of the time period very well. 


What I didn't like: Though a Catholic, the author didn't use a Catholic translation of the Bible for reference. He said that Jesus died in 36 AD, which is not correct. Mary Magdalene is referred to as a prostitute, which is often alleged but no proof exists that it was indeed the case. The title of the book is not a good choice, as the author covers the entire life of Christ. Much of the story told by the author is shared with a great deal of poetic license, filling in the blanks left by historical texts and Scriptures with a likely story line.


This is a good book for adolescents and up, but should be accompanied by Sacred Scripture and good catechesis.








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