Rating: 
Summary: Wangerin captures Biblical times again
Review: Walter Wangerin's novel THE BOOK OF GOD was an excellent work of art, a filling-in of Biblical narrative that was at the same time daring and faithful to its roots. With PAUL: A NOVEL Wangerin tries his hand at a more in-depth look at one of the most influential people of Western Civilization, Paul/Saul of Tarsus. Wangerin shows exacting scholarship and discipline in this novel. Paul's speech is sprinkled liberally with words pulled directly from his letters to the churches throughout the Mediterranean during the first century AD. Wangerin provides 'fictional' settings for these words, but as in THE BOOK OF GOD, one gets the feeling that Wangerin could have been there himself. A truly effective and wonderful part of this novel is the description and illumination of minor characters from Paul's letters. Wangerin tells Paul's story through the eyes of Paul's contemporaries - Prisca, James, Peter, Timothy, Barnabas, and others all weave narratives throughout the book. They knew Paul, and their stories illustrate the complex person we believe Paul to be. Two minor blemishes keep this from 5 stars, in my opinion. There are several letters from Seneca which, although they illustrate the political setting, seem unconnected the the rest of the story. The other problem is that of the ending. With Wangerin taking so many risks to novelize the story of Paul, one wishes he had been more definitive, more clear at the close of the book. These are minor problems, however, and the bulk of the novel is a wonderful novelization of Paul's time as a missionary in the first century. Wangerin is one of the few contemporary authors who combines a solid Christian faith and desire to tell the Christian story with an ability to actually write stories. With so much dreck in the market being bought simply because it carries the label "Christian," it's good to see that Walter Wangerin can write books that are just good, period.
Rating: 
Summary: Pastor P in WI
Review: Wangerin is a favorite author of mine, especially in his non-fiction essays. I have found some of his previous fiction too dense and unwieldy to enjoy, so was a little apprehensive about reading this book, but found it to be completely engrossing and enlightening. Mr. Wangerin has done extensive research in compiling this story, told from the perspectives of Paul's contemporaries and companions. The result is amazing. On almost every page, I found myself saying, "Oh, that's why Paul wrote that!" or "Yes, that would make sense." The scene of Paul's reconciliation with Barnabas brought me to tears. My only disagreement with the author would be in the ending. I give James more credit than the author does, and see no inherent contradiction between his letter and Paul's writings. Wangerin seems to picture James as the prototype of leadership in what would become the Catholic church and Paul as the seed of the Protestant Reformation, and he imagines the division already implicit in the first century church. Aside from that complaint, which only emerges in the last few chapters, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, especially the subset of that number who also enjoy the Bible.
Rating:
Summary: A Riveting Tale
Review: Wangerin is a favorite author of mine, especially in his non-fiction essays. I have found some of his previous fiction too dense and unwieldy to enjoy, so was a little apprehensive about reading this book, but found it to be completely engrossing and enlightening. Mr. Wangerin has done extensive research in compiling this story, told from the perspectives of Paul's contemporaries and companions. The result is amazing. On almost every page, I found myself saying, "Oh, that's why Paul wrote that!" or "Yes, that would make sense." The scene of Paul's reconciliation with Barnabas brought me to tears. My only disagreement with the author would be in the ending. I give James more credit than the author does, and see no inherent contradiction between his letter and Paul's writings. Wangerin seems to picture James as the prototype of leadership in what would become the Catholic church and Paul as the seed of the Protestant Reformation, and he imagines the division already implicit in the first century church. Aside from that complaint, which only emerges in the last few chapters, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, especially the subset of that number who also enjoy the Bible.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating and inspirational tale
Review: What an incredible book! Walter Wangerin brings his readers a fine story of the Apostle Paul, from his time as a pharisee and persecutor of those following "The Way" to a crusader for the Gentiles. Although the story itself is fiction, it is grounded in passages of Acts and Paul's letters, as well as in the larger Truth of Christ's love and sacrifice freeing us from the constrictive Laws of Moses to the freedom of living under love for God and for others. Indeed, I'd recommend this book simply because it describes so vividly both sides of an argument that nearly tore the First Century believers apart -- whether Gentile converts must follow Jewish laws, most notably that of undergoing circumcism. As a Christian living nearly 2000 years after the birth of the Church, I barely understood why there was an argument argument, let alone both sides of it. It may also serve as a reminder for Christians today who bicker and argue over Biblical interpretation that the Church has survived many a disagreement before, and it will again. The book also humanizes Paul, showing him as someone who could find joy -- I mean heart-felt, giggling joy -- in the salvation of Christ, as well as someone who felt immense sorrow and anger. Wangerin also gives us a plausible explanation for the "thorn" Paul obliquely describes in his writings. Of course, all those whippings and the stoning were bound to leave him a physically broken man, so while we can't take that explanation as gospel (no pun intended), we can at least take it as a reasonable explantion. Finally, the book is well written, and each voice that tells its part of the story is unique. You will not, for example, confuse Prisca's narrative with Titus's! All in all, a wonderful book, well worth the time it takes to read such a long and involved narrative.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating and inspirational tale
Review: What an incredible book! Walter Wangerin brings his readers a fine story of the Apostle Paul, from his time as a pharisee and persecutor of those following "The Way" to a crusader for the Gentiles. Although the story itself is fiction, it is grounded in passages of Acts and Paul's letters, as well as in the larger Truth of Christ's love and sacrifice freeing us from the constrictive Laws of Moses to the freedom of living under love for God and for others. Indeed, I'd recommend this book simply because it describes so vividly both sides of an argument that nearly tore the First Century believers apart -- whether Gentile converts must follow Jewish laws, most notably that of undergoing circumcism. As a Christian living nearly 2000 years after the birth of the Church, I barely understood why there was an argument argument, let alone both sides of it. It may also serve as a reminder for Christians today who bicker and argue over Biblical interpretation that the Church has survived many a disagreement before, and it will again. The book also humanizes Paul, showing him as someone who could find joy -- I mean heart-felt, giggling joy -- in the salvation of Christ, as well as someone who felt immense sorrow and anger. Wangerin also gives us a plausible explanation for the "thorn" Paul obliquely describes in his writings. Of course, all those whippings and the stoning were bound to leave him a physically broken man, so while we can't take that explanation as gospel (no pun intended), we can at least take it as a reasonable explantion. Finally, the book is well written, and each voice that tells its part of the story is unique. You will not, for example, confuse Prisca's narrative with Titus's! All in all, a wonderful book, well worth the time it takes to read such a long and involved narrative.
Rating:
Summary: awesome book about Paul
Review: Wow - when I finished reading this book, I felt like I had been right there with the Apostle Paul through all of his missionary journeys, trials, and triumphs! I felt like Paul was my close and personal friend! The author takes the basic historical facts and truths about Paul and weaves a story around it. It made me want to get out my Bible and read Acts and other Pauline epistles. (Which I did...) Although this book is long, please don't let that intimidate you. It is worth the read!
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