A Life of Jesus

by Shūsaku Endō

Book Overview

Shusaku Endo is considered one of Japan's greatest modern writers. His novel Silence is acknowledged as a masterpiece and has been translated into many languages. The Final Martyrs, published in English just before his death in 1996, reinforced his reputation as a major literary figure. Endo was born in 1923 and converted to Christianity as a boy. His stories and novels attempt to integrate his religious faith with Japanese culture.

Endorsements

"This...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0809123193
• ISBN13: 9780809123193
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Paulist Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Jesus and His life

A good book, especially towards the end when Endo helps us understand what the life of Jesus means for him. Throughout his book Endo comments on various scholarly interpretations of the life of Jesus.

A Bible Major's Perspective

As a Bible Major, I often find myself challenged to find good material that is both personable and yet scholarly when dealing with the life of Jesus. Endo Shusako San's portrayal is one which approaches Jesus in a manner worthy of several reads. In "Life" Endo discusses Jesus on a level which both biblical scholars and the lay person or even non-Christian can appreciate and on each level there is great integrity as well as success: a near impossible task! Also, having lived in Japan for half a year, finding love with a Japanese woman, and having plans of living there in one year, this book helps us step out of the otherwise American/Westernized picture of Jesus which the community of biblical scholars - who are mainly white and upper-middle class men - has developed.If you are ready for a vividly real, honest, and (most likely) accurate examination of Jesus' life, pick up a copy today!

Outstanding alternative point of view

This book is the life of Jesus, told in a way that will help today's individuals understand the political and religious climate back then. Using a writing style very similar to "The Perfect Storm", Endo write a beautiful story, interuppting it often to explain the history of a certain people, or explain the politics of the day, so that the reader can better understand what is occuring.Endo is very careful to point out the difference from what is fact and what is his personal belief, and often provides multiple points of view when his personal beliefs are concerned.All in all this is an outstanding book that allows people to better understand what the life of Jesus was really like. Whether or not you believe that he was the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth really did exist, and he did live an extrodinary life.I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in the subject.

Read this book if you want to understand Catholicism.

This is a life of Jesus as told through the eyes of a Japenese man. It is without doubt the most sensitive account of the life of Jesus. The influence of Japanese culture and their concepts of God being understanding goes a long way to help the reader see Jesus in all His humanity and divinity at the same time. By reading this book you learn what being Catholic is all supposed to be about. This reader wants to read other works by Shusaku Endo