Lamb : The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

by Christopher Moore | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0380813815 Global Overview for this book
Registered by ds3233 of Sun City, Arizona USA on 3/11/2005
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8 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by ds3233 from Sun City, Arizona USA on Friday, March 11, 2005
I'm not sure what to say about this book. I really did enjoy it, but it wasn't what I expected. It's funny and touching. I always wondered what Jesus was like as a kid. This is probably a good stab at the idea. At first I was put off by the cussing, but that's the way little boys (and big boys) have always been. So I would recommend the book to anyone who wasn't upset by novel ideas.

Journal Entry 2 by zugenia from Hamilton, Ontario Canada on Thursday, March 17, 2005
This arrived today -- thank you, ds3233, for saving Abbynormal92243's bookray! I will read it soon and pass it on...

Here's the order of the ray after me:
kubchen
myopicmeringue
CandyDarling
Concertina8
brujula
AsianWaterfall
weebaby

Journal Entry 3 by Abbynormal92243 from El Centro, California USA on Thursday, March 17, 2005
thank you to DS3233 and Zugenia for rescuing my bookray!

here's the link for the original ray: http://bookcrossing.com/journal/2042835

and here is the amended Ray:

kubchen (Ireland)
myopicmeringue (UK)
CandyDarling (Finland)
Concertina8 (Austria)
brujula (France)
AsianWaterfall (Japan)
weebaby (US)
zugenia (US)
sally906 (Australia)

Journal Entry 4 by zugenia from Hamilton, Ontario Canada on Thursday, March 24, 2005
Well, now that the book is safely in my hands, it figures that I wouldn't have time to read it. I'm having a kind of crisis at work and have to put book rays and such on the back burner for a while. So I'm going to send this book on to kubchen, and put my name at the bottom of the list, and see if it comes back around when I have more time. (I did read the first 20 pages or so, and they were very entertaining!)

The ray:
kubchen
myopicmeringue
CandyDarling
Concertina8
brujula
AsianWaterfall
weebaby
zugenia

Journal Entry 5 by kubchen from Cork, Co. Cork Ireland on Monday, May 9, 2005
Thanks zugenia, just received the book.
I suppose my James Ellroy has to wait now, until I finished with 'Lamb' - I will start reading straight away .

Journal Entry 6 by kubchen from Cork, Co. Cork Ireland on Monday, June 13, 2005
Brillant . It's long time ago that I laughed so hard reading a book. Very entertaining, if you don't take it serious.
Will sent on to MyopicMeringue, as soon as i get the addy.

Journal Entry 7 by kubchen at By mail in A BookCrosser, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (6/14/2005 UTC) at By mail in A BookCrosser, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent via snailmail to MyopicMeringue.
Enjoy the book - what a laugh ;o)

Journal Entry 8 by MyopicMeringue on Thursday, July 14, 2005
Oops - I thought I'd already journalled this book - I received it a couple of weeks ago. Sorry about that! Thanks for sending it, kubchen - I haven't read it yet but will soon. It's a book I've been looking forward to reading for ages.

Journal Entry 9 by MyopicMeringue on Saturday, February 4, 2006
Sorry for having had this book so long. I didn't read it, but I'm sending it to CandyDarling this morning. Apologies for holding up the bookring.

Journal Entry 10 by CandyDarling from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, February 8, 2006
I received the book this morning, and it was truly a surprise! Just yesterday I was thinking about how much I want to read this book. :)

Journal Entry 11 by CandyDarling from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, March 15, 2006
I finished Lamb this evening. It took a lot longer to read than I expected, but on the other hand the book didn't look on the outside like it was over 400 pages long...

I've read one book by Christopher Moore before, Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story, and based on that experience, I expected Lamb to be much funnier. Don't get me wrong, it was funny, but it had a more serious undertone, and the funny moments were at times few and far between. Sometimes those moments took you by surprise, as they were smacked in the middle of a much more serious passage.

Warning: Minor plot spoilers below!

I didn't like the first part of the book that much, it was a bit boring. But when Josh (=Jesus) and Biff left home, the story got really interesting. I enjoyed the philosophical aspects of the book tremendously, and I respect Christopher Moore for noticing and pointing out similarities between eastern thinking and Christianity.

What bothered me was also was the constant referring to sex as sin. I guess it was supposed to be funny, but apparently I have issues. ;) On the other hand I understand it too, because the boys grew up in an environment where the Torah was the law. I think the book had felt more realistic, if Jesus had also known a woman. Not necessary Mary Magdalene, but anyone. Maybe the author just didn't want to go there, because it would probably have stirred up a lot of controversy among some readers.

I didn't like the character Biff at first, but as the book progressed, I grew to love him. The funniest moments were definitely between Biff and the angel Raziel in the present day. I also liked the dialogue between Josh and Biff, which made Jesus seem very human, despite of his celibacy.

I now want to read other fictional accounts of Jesus' life, the Bible, and the rest of Christopher Moore's books. That's a pretty good accomplishment for a book. ;)

Journal Entry 12 by CandyDarling from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Thursday, March 16, 2006
I sent the book today to brujula in France, because Concertina8 had acquired her own copy, and asked to be skipped.

Journal Entry 13 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Friday, March 24, 2006
The book arrived safely in Belfort.
Thank you CandyDarling for mailing it all the way from Finland!

Journal Entry 14 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Tuesday, April 18, 2006
I read this during Easter, started it on Thursday, finished it Sunday.
I really enjoyed this book, I found it very funny, but also touching somehow.

Thank you so much for sharing this book!

I'll be sending it to the next in line when I have his or her adress!

Journal Entry 15 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Monday, May 15, 2006
Mailed to AsianWaterfall today.

Sorry about the delay, I can't believe the time it took me to get to a post-office! :-((

Journal Entry 16 by AsianWaterfall from Plant City, Florida USA on Tuesday, May 23, 2006
arrived yesterday. thank you!

Journal Entry 17 by AsianWaterfall from Plant City, Florida USA on Sunday, July 23, 2006
I think I lost the book. I was reading it Thursday morning, and couldn't find it in my bookbag or car when I wanted to read some more between classes that afternoon. I backtracked my day... no book. I feel awful. :(

I'm ordering a replacement book from half.com .

Journal Entry 18 by AsianWaterfall from Plant City, Florida USA on Sunday, July 30, 2006
The replacement book arrived, and I've registered it.

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4160178

Weebaby had asked to be skipped - too much life going on. Who gets it now?

Journal Entry 19 by zugenia from Hamilton, Ontario Canada on Thursday, August 17, 2006
This copy of the book is officially lost, but I thought I'd link to the replacement copy's journal:

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4160178/

I love how this ray was saved not once but twice!

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