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

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
By Christopher Moore
Harper Paperbacks, 2003

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. It is intended as a work of fiction. Furthermore, despite the historical setting, it is intended, first and foremost, as a COMEDY. The potential reader has been warned!

That said, Lamb is easily one of the funniest books I've read in a long time.

It's the 21st century, and the angel Raziel has been commanded to resurrect Levi a.k.a. Biff, an ancient Israelite, in order to write a new gospel. From that starting point, the book alternates between the past, where Biff describes his friendship and journeys with his childhood friend Joshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus), and the present, where Raziel and Biff do their best to drive each other insane.

Yes, the subject matter and presentation are borderline sacrilegious. Yes, this book is bound to make most devout Christians upset. Yes, it contains ribald humor which I hear is author Moore's trademark (this is the first book of his I've read). But it is still a funny and oftentimes unexpectedly heartwarming book. And in the end heartwrenching, as Biff's best friend is ultimately betrayed and slain. (Hey, we all know how the story ends, so it's not like I'm spoiling anything here.)

Besides, how can you not like a book in which two Jewish boys sneak off in the middle of the night to circumcise a Greek statue, an angel admits that God sounds like James Earl Jones, and Christ declares that whenever something bad happens to him "there shall be bunnies?"

I understand that religion is a touchy subject, and some might not appreciate such a light-hearted approach to Christ's life. But for those who choose to read, I hope you laugh as hard as I did.