Status
Available
Collection
Description
Humor (Fiction.) HTML: The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing yearsâ??except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in this divinely hilarious, yet heartfelt work "reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams" (Philadelphia Inquirer). Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Savior's pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there's no one who loves Josh moreâ??except maybe "Maggie," Mary of Magdalaâ??and Biff isn't about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fi… (more)
Publication
William Morrow (2002), Edition: 1st, 416 pages
Awards
Indies Choice Book Award (Honor Book — 2004)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2003)
Media reviews
"Lamb" is an incredibly compelling work even for readers who don't agree with Moore's conclusions. The book is also laugh out loud funny at times, which really helps during some of more irreverent parts of the story.
Interesting, original, not for every taste.
User reviews
LibraryThing member PhoenixTerran
It's a tough job being the best friend of the Messiah, but it sure does make life a little more interesting. Lamb is a rather humorous account of the life of Joshua ben Joseph (a.k.a. Jesus), as told by his best friend Biff. When they first meet, Josh is resurrecting dead lizards for his younger
Experiments in Reading
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brother to play with, which promptly end up dead again. What follows is a lifetime of adventures, of a sort. Biff follows Josh all over the continent as the young Messiah learns from magicians, Buddhist monks, a yoga master, and Hindu untouchables what exactly being the Messiah means. Biff, on the other hand, investigates the pleasures of women and wine, all for the sake of Josh of course, so that the Son of God may learn of sin without being tainted by it.Experiments in Reading
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LibraryThing member Jenners26
I'm trying to be more creative in how I review books. This time, I'm writing a love letter to the author because I have a super huge crush on his writing style, ideas and sense of humor.
Dear Christopher Moore:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1. You make me laugh. Out loud. A lot.
2. You
3. You are irreverent but in a respectful way—not an easy one to pull off but you manage to do it.
4. Despite all the joking, you manage to inject true moments of emotional truth and human kindness into your books.
5. You are playful and imaginative.
6. You are kind of cute from what I've seen of your author photos.
Well, let's not get carried away here or Mr. Jenners will begin to wonder.
Why am I writing this love note to you? Well, I read what must be your magnum opus, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. What audacity to write a Fifth Gospel—and to have it narrated by Biff, the inventor of sarcasm and a sex fiend! It must have been a tricky balancing act to be that irreverent yet respectful at the same time. Yet you did it! I bet you sometimes wondered if you were going to be able to pull it off and if the type of people who protest movies like The Last Temptation of Christ would protest your book without reading it.
It is a shame if people choose not to read this book because of your reputation as a prankster, a wit, and a satirist. Because this book is not only well-researched, conceived and executed, but it make someone who has turned away from organized religion (me) rethink one of the central figures of her childhood—Jesus Christ. (I'm glad you chose to call Him Josh in the book because that name—Jesus—is so loaded, you know?) I loved how you managed to retell the story of Jesus in a way that got His central messages across yet made him very very human. It made Him come alive for me in a way that was relatable and real. (But I still can't put His name in lower case letters. Old habits and years of Catholic school are to blame for that.)
Your idea to write a Fourth Gospel to fill in the gaps that exist in the New Testament—the time between His birth and when His ministry begins—was inspired and brilliant. I love that you chose to have Josh/Jesus track down the three wise men who visited him in the manger. That journey and His subsequent exposure to the religions of the Eastern world made a lot of sense. I loved seeing Him practice yoga, learn the art of meditation and seek enlightenment like the Buddha. By tying His young adulthood to an exploration of other religions like Buddhism and Hinduism made a lot of sense. Much like my grandmother began to believe that The DaVinci Code was a non-fiction book, I began to buy into your theory that Jesus spent his early years exploring other great spiritual teachers and practices. It just makes sense! And when He reaches the end of his journey and distills what he has learned into a radical new way of thinking, I felt a renewed respect for His teachings.
Biff would have hated how things surrounding Him have gotten muddled. In my opinion, too many people seem to have forgotten what His central message was about: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The fact the virtually every religion in the world has some form of this Golden Rule just adds credence to your concept of having Him learn and incorporate aspects of the Eastern religions into His teachings.
I also love that you made Mary Magdalene (Maggie) such an important character in the book. I think she's gotten a bad rap over the years so it was good to see her presented in a more reasonable and human fashion.
But let's talk about Biff. It was a stroke of genius to have His sidekick/best friend/companion be this amazingly fun, sarcastic, bawdy character—the perfect foil for Him. I love how Biff brings Him down to earth. Biff's good-natured ribbing about the whole mustard seed analogy and fishers of men was priceless. I love how you used Biff to let your imagination go wild. The section about the Kama Sutra was hilarious. When Biff and Kashmir try the positions of "Rhinoceros Balancing A Jelly Donut" or "Distracted Tiger Hacking Up a Fur Ball," I was giggling like a fool.
You really outdid yourself with this book, and I sincerely wish everyone with an open mind and a sense of humor would give it a try. Books like this don't come along often in life and should not be missed. I think you summed it up perfectly in your Author's Blessing at the start of the book:
If you have come to these pages for laughter, may you find it.
If you are here to be offended, may your ire rise and your blood boil.
If you seek an adventure, may this story sing you away to blissful escape.
If you need to test or confirm your beliefs, may you reach comfortable conclusions.
All books reveal perfection, by what they are or what they are not.
May you find that which you seek, in these pages or outside them.
May you find perfection, and know it by name.
To me, you achieved perfection with this book. Five stars, Mr. Moore, and a permanent spot on my list of favorite authors.
Love,
Jenners
Dear Christopher Moore:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1. You make me laugh. Out loud. A lot.
2. You
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make me think.3. You are irreverent but in a respectful way—not an easy one to pull off but you manage to do it.
4. Despite all the joking, you manage to inject true moments of emotional truth and human kindness into your books.
5. You are playful and imaginative.
6. You are kind of cute from what I've seen of your author photos.
Well, let's not get carried away here or Mr. Jenners will begin to wonder.
Why am I writing this love note to you? Well, I read what must be your magnum opus, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. What audacity to write a Fifth Gospel—and to have it narrated by Biff, the inventor of sarcasm and a sex fiend! It must have been a tricky balancing act to be that irreverent yet respectful at the same time. Yet you did it! I bet you sometimes wondered if you were going to be able to pull it off and if the type of people who protest movies like The Last Temptation of Christ would protest your book without reading it.
It is a shame if people choose not to read this book because of your reputation as a prankster, a wit, and a satirist. Because this book is not only well-researched, conceived and executed, but it make someone who has turned away from organized religion (me) rethink one of the central figures of her childhood—Jesus Christ. (I'm glad you chose to call Him Josh in the book because that name—Jesus—is so loaded, you know?) I loved how you managed to retell the story of Jesus in a way that got His central messages across yet made him very very human. It made Him come alive for me in a way that was relatable and real. (But I still can't put His name in lower case letters. Old habits and years of Catholic school are to blame for that.)
Your idea to write a Fourth Gospel to fill in the gaps that exist in the New Testament—the time between His birth and when His ministry begins—was inspired and brilliant. I love that you chose to have Josh/Jesus track down the three wise men who visited him in the manger. That journey and His subsequent exposure to the religions of the Eastern world made a lot of sense. I loved seeing Him practice yoga, learn the art of meditation and seek enlightenment like the Buddha. By tying His young adulthood to an exploration of other religions like Buddhism and Hinduism made a lot of sense. Much like my grandmother began to believe that The DaVinci Code was a non-fiction book, I began to buy into your theory that Jesus spent his early years exploring other great spiritual teachers and practices. It just makes sense! And when He reaches the end of his journey and distills what he has learned into a radical new way of thinking, I felt a renewed respect for His teachings.
Biff would have hated how things surrounding Him have gotten muddled. In my opinion, too many people seem to have forgotten what His central message was about: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The fact the virtually every religion in the world has some form of this Golden Rule just adds credence to your concept of having Him learn and incorporate aspects of the Eastern religions into His teachings.
I also love that you made Mary Magdalene (Maggie) such an important character in the book. I think she's gotten a bad rap over the years so it was good to see her presented in a more reasonable and human fashion.
But let's talk about Biff. It was a stroke of genius to have His sidekick/best friend/companion be this amazingly fun, sarcastic, bawdy character—the perfect foil for Him. I love how Biff brings Him down to earth. Biff's good-natured ribbing about the whole mustard seed analogy and fishers of men was priceless. I love how you used Biff to let your imagination go wild. The section about the Kama Sutra was hilarious. When Biff and Kashmir try the positions of "Rhinoceros Balancing A Jelly Donut" or "Distracted Tiger Hacking Up a Fur Ball," I was giggling like a fool.
You really outdid yourself with this book, and I sincerely wish everyone with an open mind and a sense of humor would give it a try. Books like this don't come along often in life and should not be missed. I think you summed it up perfectly in your Author's Blessing at the start of the book:
If you have come to these pages for laughter, may you find it.
If you are here to be offended, may your ire rise and your blood boil.
If you seek an adventure, may this story sing you away to blissful escape.
If you need to test or confirm your beliefs, may you reach comfortable conclusions.
All books reveal perfection, by what they are or what they are not.
May you find that which you seek, in these pages or outside them.
May you find perfection, and know it by name.
To me, you achieved perfection with this book. Five stars, Mr. Moore, and a permanent spot on my list of favorite authors.
Love,
Jenners
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LibraryThing member mrstreme
Disclaimer: Lamb is a piece of fiction. The author is not proposing or even theorizing about Christ’s youth. He is merely writing a story. If you don’t like fictional tales about Christ, if you want to smite Dan Brown, if you believe that He could not have cussed, procreated or gotten drunk,
Okay, on with the review.
What was Christ like as a child, teenager or a young man? The Bible documents much about his birth, his ministry and his death, but there’s a sizeable gap about his younger years. It’s that gap that Christopher Moore decides to fill with a very humorous story about Jesus’s younger years, told by his fictional best pal, Biff.
Biff befriends Jesus (who goes by his Jewish nickname, Josh, in this story) when they were six years old. At the age of 13, Josh decides to journey out to learn more about his place as the Messiah. Biff joins him, and together, they travel to meet the three wise men who came to the manger when Josh was born.
First, they meet Balthasar, who instructs the boys about the teachings of Tao and Confucius. After spending several years with him, they journey to China to meet Gaspar, who lives in a Buddhist monastery where the young men learn martial arts and meditation. Finally, they go to India to meet with Melchior, who teaches them the intricacies of Hinduism and yoga. With all of this knowledge, Josh returns to Israel to take his place as the Messiah. The story continues with Josh’s ministry, his adoption of disciples and apostles, and finally his crucifixion.
Biff is fiercely loyal, incredibly funny and very human in this story. As my disclaimer above states, this book will not be for everyone. If you can separate your religious beliefs from the fiction of this story, I think you will find Lamb to be a very enjoyable book.
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then skip this novel. It is not for you.Okay, on with the review.
What was Christ like as a child, teenager or a young man? The Bible documents much about his birth, his ministry and his death, but there’s a sizeable gap about his younger years. It’s that gap that Christopher Moore decides to fill with a very humorous story about Jesus’s younger years, told by his fictional best pal, Biff.
Biff befriends Jesus (who goes by his Jewish nickname, Josh, in this story) when they were six years old. At the age of 13, Josh decides to journey out to learn more about his place as the Messiah. Biff joins him, and together, they travel to meet the three wise men who came to the manger when Josh was born.
First, they meet Balthasar, who instructs the boys about the teachings of Tao and Confucius. After spending several years with him, they journey to China to meet Gaspar, who lives in a Buddhist monastery where the young men learn martial arts and meditation. Finally, they go to India to meet with Melchior, who teaches them the intricacies of Hinduism and yoga. With all of this knowledge, Josh returns to Israel to take his place as the Messiah. The story continues with Josh’s ministry, his adoption of disciples and apostles, and finally his crucifixion.
Biff is fiercely loyal, incredibly funny and very human in this story. As my disclaimer above states, this book will not be for everyone. If you can separate your religious beliefs from the fiction of this story, I think you will find Lamb to be a very enjoyable book.
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LibraryThing member SheilaDeeth
Lamb is subtitled The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. It's probably not the book for you if you're easily offended by sex, swearing, violence, or favorable portrayals of connections between Christian, Buddhist and Hindu beliefs. Being English, I'm more easily offended by intent
As I neared the end of the book, I found myself insisting "I can't stop now; I've just got to the exciting bit." Yes, the exciting bit. In a "gospel," that has to be the approach of crucifixion and death, not exactly a new topic to me. I've read it in four different versions more times than I'd care to remember. I've researched it in scholarly-looking historical tomes. I've seen it interpreted, argued away, argued back, verified, vilified and multiply portrayed, till it's a vital part of my life. So I suppose it might be reasonable to ask how Christopher Moore had me glued to the pages and filled with excitement again, but he did. And he left me delighted, devoted - yes, and laughing out loud.
Then, of course, I had to read the author's notes before going to sleep. Okay, so we really don't know much about Jesus' early years, and nothing at all about "Biff." But then, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, the familiar three wise men, are themselves a product of 6th century imagining. So why shouldn't Moore imagine some other childhood pal? And while there's no reason to believe Jesus really wandered Hindu and Buddhist worlds seeking enlightenment, there's equally no reason to say that the Gospels are false just because we can find similar ideas elsewhere.
So, Jesus was once a teenaged boy, and I've watched three such beings as they grew. Christopher Moore's depiction contradicts nothing I've seen or read, but he certainly adds plenty of detail and character. There's a Maggie who might be Mary Magdalene, a dead guy called Lazarus who smells - yes, the Bible says that too - food that gets heavy to carry when multiplied, disciples that don't understand. Jesus the child grows to teenager to man, and you get to the exciting bit.
I like books that make me think. And I really like books that entertain and amuse me while they make me think.
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than content. And living in a houseful of men (apart from the dog) I'm happy to read swear words as long as I don't have to hear them used in anger. I loved the book.As I neared the end of the book, I found myself insisting "I can't stop now; I've just got to the exciting bit." Yes, the exciting bit. In a "gospel," that has to be the approach of crucifixion and death, not exactly a new topic to me. I've read it in four different versions more times than I'd care to remember. I've researched it in scholarly-looking historical tomes. I've seen it interpreted, argued away, argued back, verified, vilified and multiply portrayed, till it's a vital part of my life. So I suppose it might be reasonable to ask how Christopher Moore had me glued to the pages and filled with excitement again, but he did. And he left me delighted, devoted - yes, and laughing out loud.
Then, of course, I had to read the author's notes before going to sleep. Okay, so we really don't know much about Jesus' early years, and nothing at all about "Biff." But then, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, the familiar three wise men, are themselves a product of 6th century imagining. So why shouldn't Moore imagine some other childhood pal? And while there's no reason to believe Jesus really wandered Hindu and Buddhist worlds seeking enlightenment, there's equally no reason to say that the Gospels are false just because we can find similar ideas elsewhere.
So, Jesus was once a teenaged boy, and I've watched three such beings as they grew. Christopher Moore's depiction contradicts nothing I've seen or read, but he certainly adds plenty of detail and character. There's a Maggie who might be Mary Magdalene, a dead guy called Lazarus who smells - yes, the Bible says that too - food that gets heavy to carry when multiplied, disciples that don't understand. Jesus the child grows to teenager to man, and you get to the exciting bit.
I like books that make me think. And I really like books that entertain and amuse me while they make me think.
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LibraryThing member crimson-tide
A very clever, lighthearted and mostly humourous look at what might have happened during all those blank years that none of the four gospels talk about; the years between Christ's birth and the beginning of his ministry. And who better to tell the story than his closest friend and constant
This is the second Christopher Moore book I've read, and it is pretty subdued and "straight" compared to the other one (The Stupidest Angel) - much less 'over the top'. The beginning was interesting in terms of the lives lead by the Jews under Roman rule. I didn't enjoy the centre section all that much though; ie the parts where Biff and Joshua are in China and India (especially India), and is the reason I couldn't rate the book higher.
However the last section with Joshua, Biff, Maggie and the others roaming about the country preaching etc is really fascinating. A very human and compassionate alternative to the somewhat dry versions found in the New Testament. The warmth and depth of the friendship and love between the three is very touchingly portrayed. And the end . . . well, that's the best bit. Not just the end end, but also the bit before that.
Moore says in his Afterword while discussing one method of being able to distinguish between the real and made-up biblical references: "The problem arises, however, that if the reader knows the Bible well enough to recognize the real references, there's a good chance that he or she has decided not to read this book." I'm not so sure about that, and if what he says is true then it's a shame. There are many very funny subtle and not so subtle references that my Biblical education from decades ago recognised, and it would be a shame for them to go wafting over other readers' heads.
Yes, some of the humour is a bit too slapstick and schoolboyish, but then that's just Christopher Moore. Mostly the book is an intelligent attempt to add more "story" to the one that is so well known. He doesn't pretend any of it is true, and it's certainly not meant to be blasphemous. It fills in a few gaps, it's satirical and it's fun. It is also a moving and sympathetic view of the incidents and the people involved. The major characters are drawn very tenderly in my opinion; and overall the word compassionate keeps popping into my head.
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companion since the age of six; supervised by one very stupid and amusing angel. So why wasn't Biff's story included amongst the original gospels? You'll need to read it to find the answer to that one I'm afraid!This is the second Christopher Moore book I've read, and it is pretty subdued and "straight" compared to the other one (The Stupidest Angel) - much less 'over the top'. The beginning was interesting in terms of the lives lead by the Jews under Roman rule. I didn't enjoy the centre section all that much though; ie the parts where Biff and Joshua are in China and India (especially India), and is the reason I couldn't rate the book higher.
However the last section with Joshua, Biff, Maggie and the others roaming about the country preaching etc is really fascinating. A very human and compassionate alternative to the somewhat dry versions found in the New Testament. The warmth and depth of the friendship and love between the three is very touchingly portrayed. And the end . . . well, that's the best bit. Not just the end end, but also the bit before that.
Moore says in his Afterword while discussing one method of being able to distinguish between the real and made-up biblical references: "The problem arises, however, that if the reader knows the Bible well enough to recognize the real references, there's a good chance that he or she has decided not to read this book." I'm not so sure about that, and if what he says is true then it's a shame. There are many very funny subtle and not so subtle references that my Biblical education from decades ago recognised, and it would be a shame for them to go wafting over other readers' heads.
Yes, some of the humour is a bit too slapstick and schoolboyish, but then that's just Christopher Moore. Mostly the book is an intelligent attempt to add more "story" to the one that is so well known. He doesn't pretend any of it is true, and it's certainly not meant to be blasphemous. It fills in a few gaps, it's satirical and it's fun. It is also a moving and sympathetic view of the incidents and the people involved. The major characters are drawn very tenderly in my opinion; and overall the word compassionate keeps popping into my head.
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LibraryThing member trinityofone
I like a lot of Moore's other work--"Bloodsucking Fiends" is a fave--but I think I may be in the minority in that this book didn't do much for me. It was kind of amusing, but to me it felt like it had very little to say. When your topic is Jesus, you should have *something* to say, even in a comic
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novel. *Especially* in a comic novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member Meggo
Who knew Jesus liked bacon? I thoroughly enjoyed this completely irreverent look at the challenges faced by Christ's best buddy. Moore's books tend to have a certain sense of humour to them, but this one is very accessible so far as that goes. My enjoyment of this book probably means that I'm going
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straight to hell, just as soon as I'm struck by lightning. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who likes Moore, anyone who likes fiction, and anyone who likes bacon. Show Less
LibraryThing member jayble
I've put off reading "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" for a long time now. I love Christopher Moore, own at least one copy of all of his books, more often than not multiple copies so I can loan them out, but I have never read what is often considered his best book.
The
This book was so f*ck*ng good I can't even tell you. First of all, it has Moore's sense of humor throughout the novel, which is always a good thing. But it is also so profound in some places you end up awed while reading. I find it no surprise that this book is taught in seminary schools, even with the use of "f*ck" throughout the novel.
I've been to the point of almost finishing the book for over a week and a half, but haven't done it. Mainly, for the same reason I rarely listen to Jesus Christ Superstar all the way. How does the story of Christ end? Reading about his best friend dealing with it was something I felt I should put off. Well, I finally finished it.
And I cried. Like a f*ck*ng baby. The big, heaving, sobbing type of crying. And I'm not even Christian. That is how good this book is.
I once read an article/interview with Christopher Moore and the person writing about his work said something that I keep coming back to – Christopher Moore isn't mean spirited in his writing. He writes predominantly horror, people die in his books, the books are hysterically funny, but he does all of this without being mean spirited even a little bit. Sardonic, cynical, sarcastic, and a bunch of other things, but not mean spirited. He doesn't feel a need to be mean to his audience, unlike some other authors I've read (Chuck Palahnuik, I'm looking at you!).
"Lamb" is not mean spirited. It is really a great book, one that I should have read sooner. But you know what? No matter how many times I read/see/hear the story of Christ, he always dies, so you can see my hesitation.
Now I'm off to reread everything he has written! If you haven't done so, start of with "Blood Sucking Fiends: A Love Story" because it is hilarious. And about vampires. A story with vampires sounds ok, right? ;-)
The
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book tells the story of Jesus, although he is known as Joshua in the book, from his childhood to his death, filling in the missing thirty years not really talked about in the Bible.This book was so f*ck*ng good I can't even tell you. First of all, it has Moore's sense of humor throughout the novel, which is always a good thing. But it is also so profound in some places you end up awed while reading. I find it no surprise that this book is taught in seminary schools, even with the use of "f*ck" throughout the novel.
I've been to the point of almost finishing the book for over a week and a half, but haven't done it. Mainly, for the same reason I rarely listen to Jesus Christ Superstar all the way. How does the story of Christ end? Reading about his best friend dealing with it was something I felt I should put off. Well, I finally finished it.
And I cried. Like a f*ck*ng baby. The big, heaving, sobbing type of crying. And I'm not even Christian. That is how good this book is.
I once read an article/interview with Christopher Moore and the person writing about his work said something that I keep coming back to – Christopher Moore isn't mean spirited in his writing. He writes predominantly horror, people die in his books, the books are hysterically funny, but he does all of this without being mean spirited even a little bit. Sardonic, cynical, sarcastic, and a bunch of other things, but not mean spirited. He doesn't feel a need to be mean to his audience, unlike some other authors I've read (Chuck Palahnuik, I'm looking at you!).
"Lamb" is not mean spirited. It is really a great book, one that I should have read sooner. But you know what? No matter how many times I read/see/hear the story of Christ, he always dies, so you can see my hesitation.
Now I'm off to reread everything he has written! If you haven't done so, start of with "Blood Sucking Fiends: A Love Story" because it is hilarious. And about vampires. A story with vampires sounds ok, right? ;-)
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LibraryThing member miketroll
Many find this book hilarious. I found it tedious. The premise (the Gospel according to Jesus' brother, Biff) is that irreverence towards religion is titillating. For me such irreverence is a default mode, so the story failed to take wing.
LibraryThing member surreality
Plot: The years of Jesus' life that aren't covered by the Bible. Lots of little quests, some growing up, metaphors and allegories. The book gets a little lost in it at times, with the plots working against the central message.
Characters: The expected set, taken on in a very casual and relatively
Style: It gets too surreal far too quickly. The jokes that really work are the small, down-to-earth ones that take a little detail of the gospels and put a twist on it. The larger scenes simply fall flat because there's no reason why this is something special for these particular characters to do. Writing is solid, though nothing to get excited about.
Plus: Some great little scenes and jokes.
Minus: It goes far beyond caricature and to a point where the jokes are very, very blunt, and from there on it drags.
Summary: It's one of those books that try to deliver a good idea, but don't quite manage because the author doesn't know where to stop. You may need to be religious to find it really funny - being a non-practicing Roman Catholic with solid religious knowledge doesn't guarantee enjoyment.
Characters: The expected set, taken on in a very casual and relatively
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non-religious way. The narrator is not the most interesting of characters, since he's fictional - the Bible set is more intriguing, especially the cameos.Style: It gets too surreal far too quickly. The jokes that really work are the small, down-to-earth ones that take a little detail of the gospels and put a twist on it. The larger scenes simply fall flat because there's no reason why this is something special for these particular characters to do. Writing is solid, though nothing to get excited about.
Plus: Some great little scenes and jokes.
Minus: It goes far beyond caricature and to a point where the jokes are very, very blunt, and from there on it drags.
Summary: It's one of those books that try to deliver a good idea, but don't quite manage because the author doesn't know where to stop. You may need to be religious to find it really funny - being a non-practicing Roman Catholic with solid religious knowledge doesn't guarantee enjoyment.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
The author says this book started with one idea – what if Jesus knew Kung Fu?
The story of those missing years is pretty hilarious and I can understand if Quentin Tarantino picks up the movie rights.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t as “sacrilegious” as I thought it might be. Mostly the subject
Ostensibly they set out to find the three wise men. They stay a while with each of them and have to pass tests etc. in order to remain with him. Much of what they learn is used later on to facilitate certain miracles and other events in the traditional Gospels. It reminds me of The Princess Bride in the sense that it has fighting, monks, monsters, a Yeti, swords, true love, Kung Fu, betrayal, rescues, long journeys, cheating, lies, laughter and feats of strength.
The traditional Gospels of Mark, Luke, Matthew & John drive Biff crazy, mostly because he is not mentioned in any of them. He has to sneak the Bible out of the hotel desk and hide it in the bathroom in order to read them. The angel keeping him prisoner until he writes his Gospel won’t let him hear any information about Jesus and because Biff killed himself just after his death, he doesn’t know how anything ends. When he eventually does read the Gospels, he’s seriously pissed off and that’s pretty funny.
There was a serious mood/tone shift towards the end of the story and it didn’t quite fit with what came before. Of course that couldn’t be helped, but maybe Moore could have toned down the rest of it to fit better with the more somber tone at the end. The shift really broke the novel for me and I left it a couple of weeks before finishing it.
The story of those missing years is pretty hilarious and I can understand if Quentin Tarantino picks up the movie rights.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t as “sacrilegious” as I thought it might be. Mostly the subject
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matter was treated with respect; never once was Joshua’s divinity questioned. Not even by him. The story is told with the idea that he knew all along that he was the Son of God and that he had some sort of huge task and destiny. At an early age he displayed the ability to heal – illustrated by his brothers repeatedly smashing lizards with rocks and Joshua bringing them back to life by putting them in his mouth. Just a few years later he and Biff set out on a journey to find the tools that Joshua will need to fulfill his mysterious destiny. Mostly the story takes place on that journey.Ostensibly they set out to find the three wise men. They stay a while with each of them and have to pass tests etc. in order to remain with him. Much of what they learn is used later on to facilitate certain miracles and other events in the traditional Gospels. It reminds me of The Princess Bride in the sense that it has fighting, monks, monsters, a Yeti, swords, true love, Kung Fu, betrayal, rescues, long journeys, cheating, lies, laughter and feats of strength.
The traditional Gospels of Mark, Luke, Matthew & John drive Biff crazy, mostly because he is not mentioned in any of them. He has to sneak the Bible out of the hotel desk and hide it in the bathroom in order to read them. The angel keeping him prisoner until he writes his Gospel won’t let him hear any information about Jesus and because Biff killed himself just after his death, he doesn’t know how anything ends. When he eventually does read the Gospels, he’s seriously pissed off and that’s pretty funny.
There was a serious mood/tone shift towards the end of the story and it didn’t quite fit with what came before. Of course that couldn’t be helped, but maybe Moore could have toned down the rest of it to fit better with the more somber tone at the end. The shift really broke the novel for me and I left it a couple of weeks before finishing it.
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LibraryThing member 9days
I think most people are familiar with the story of Jesus' birth and his death. The bible lays this out pretty well. But what exactly happened in the almost thirty years in between?
Lamb, The Gospel According To Biff, sets out to tell us just that.
Levi who is known as Biff (as he tells us, Biff is
The majority of this book tracks Biff and Joshua (Jesus) on a quest to get answers from the three Wise Men. Unable to get answers from his father, Joshua is uncertain about what being the messiah means. Along the way we meet sorcerers, pirates, murderers, Buddhist monks, bumbling angels, and no shortage of prostitutes. We're also reintroduced to familiar characters (crazy ol' John the Baptist, dumb as rocks Peter the apostle, and normal girl Mary of Magdala. And that's not even mentioning poor, poor Lazarus). The book also answers the age old question "What martial art did Jesus practice?" (Jewdo, of course).
What's outstanding about this book is the humor. Mr. Moore has created one of the funniest books I've ever read while somehow managing to keep the story un-blasphemous (for those who might be concerned about that).
My only gripe is the ending (don't worry, no spoilers). While we all know the fate of Jesus, the story ended rather abruptly, especially considering the painstaking way in which is was being set up. It almost seemed as if the author suddenly realized he'd reached his page limit and decided to quit right then. But that's only a small complaint, and the trip more than made up for it.
If you're in the mood for fun, adventure, and a humorous take on a familiar story, you couldn't do better than Lamb.
Lamb, The Gospel According To Biff, sets out to tell us just that.
Levi who is known as Biff (as he tells us, Biff is
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the word for a smack upside the head) is the messiah's best friend, and a very unlikely friend. A good guy at heart, Biff isn't exactly what you'd expect in a companion of the son of God. He lies, he gambles, he doesn't know his bible from a hole in the ground (ever heard of the book of Amphibians?), and he's more than willing to "know" one prostitute after another in order to help his friend recognize sin (to better avoid it, naturally). The majority of this book tracks Biff and Joshua (Jesus) on a quest to get answers from the three Wise Men. Unable to get answers from his father, Joshua is uncertain about what being the messiah means. Along the way we meet sorcerers, pirates, murderers, Buddhist monks, bumbling angels, and no shortage of prostitutes. We're also reintroduced to familiar characters (crazy ol' John the Baptist, dumb as rocks Peter the apostle, and normal girl Mary of Magdala. And that's not even mentioning poor, poor Lazarus). The book also answers the age old question "What martial art did Jesus practice?" (Jewdo, of course).
What's outstanding about this book is the humor. Mr. Moore has created one of the funniest books I've ever read while somehow managing to keep the story un-blasphemous (for those who might be concerned about that).
My only gripe is the ending (don't worry, no spoilers). While we all know the fate of Jesus, the story ended rather abruptly, especially considering the painstaking way in which is was being set up. It almost seemed as if the author suddenly realized he'd reached his page limit and decided to quit right then. But that's only a small complaint, and the trip more than made up for it.
If you're in the mood for fun, adventure, and a humorous take on a familiar story, you couldn't do better than Lamb.
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LibraryThing member mydomino1978
This book was so irreverent and so hilarious. I had to stop and read parts out loud to my sig other. Basically, the story of Christ during the years that are unmentioned in the Bible, at least as imagined by the author. It is narrated by his best friend Levi known as Biff. I already have another
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book by this author on my TBR list and it will move up. Show Less
LibraryThing member CarlosMcRey
In The Last Temptation of Christ, Judas finds himself in a terrible situation. Jesus has told him that it will be necessary for Judas to betray him in order for mankind to be saved. As Christ acknowledges, God gave Judas the really hard task, that of betraying someone who he holds very dear. By
Though it's never acknowledged, the narrator of this book finds himself in a similar bind. As the lifelong friend of Joshua (aka Yeshua aka Jesus) and under the dictum that 'dying is easy; comedy is hard,' he has been left the harder path. All Joshua has to do is die. Biff has to make it funny.
Biff has been brought back to life by God so that he can write the definitive gospel since he was there from nearly the beginning. In order to ensure his cooperation, God has an angel chaperon Biff. Though it makes up very little of the story, the scenes of Biff and the angel in the hotel room are some of the funniest of the novel, especially in the angel's befuddlement at modern life.
Biff first met Joshua when they were both kids, and Joshua was bringing lizards back to life for the benefit of his younger, lizard-killing brother. From there they strike a lifelong friendship not impeded by the fact that Joshua knows he will one day be the Messiah. Biff is your quintessential underachiever, and his philosophical outlook, which has been derived from the teachings of Cynic, makes for a nice foil for Joshua's earnest desire to fulfill the task that has been set before him. When Joshua decides he will never learn how to be the Messiah if he does not seek out his origins, it is Biff who accompanies him on his travels.
They go in search of the Three Wise Men in order to learn the truth of Joshua's birthright. In their travels, this Hebraic Hope and Crosby encounter bandits, Taoist magicians, herbalist concubines, a hungry demon, a Buddhist monastery, the Tibetan Man of the Mountains, martial artists, a Kali ceremony, Tantra, untouchables and the Kama Sutra. After their travels, Joshua comes to learn what he has to do to become the Messiah, so they return to Palestine for the more familiar part of the story.
Christopher Moore here has a fine line to tread in attempting to make the story of Christ funny and believable yet keeping Joshua as the earnest Messiah figure we can all look up to. (No Last Temptation-style dream sequences of Christ experiencing the temptation of giving it all up here.) Having the story told by the underachieving and very sardonic Biff is a great way to thread that needle.
Moore makes the most of the sections where the gospels are silent, which give him a lot to work with. It yields great comic touches, like the time Joshua, Biff and Maggie decide to 'circumcise' a well-endowed Greek statue, or the origins of the Jewish custom of Chinese food on Christmas. Though not every joke works, the passages overall maintain a high level of humor without robbing Joshua's quest of meaning.
The humor does begin to lost its impact near the end. Once Joshua and Biff return to Nazareth and Christ begins his ministry, Moore has less leeway with which to play. Once the ministry and the inevitable path to Golgotha have begun, the humor becomes more forced. As Joshua himself once said (though not in this book), a man cannot serve to masters, for he will honor one and neglect the other. The book has to choose between the earnestness of Joshua and the cynicism of Biff. It opts for the latter, for which one cannot entirely blame Moore. To have gone with the latter would have been to write a different, much edgier book. That Moore manages to make both elements work for as long as he does is testament to his talent and his great sense of humor.
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comparison, all Christ has to do is die.Though it's never acknowledged, the narrator of this book finds himself in a similar bind. As the lifelong friend of Joshua (aka Yeshua aka Jesus) and under the dictum that 'dying is easy; comedy is hard,' he has been left the harder path. All Joshua has to do is die. Biff has to make it funny.
Biff has been brought back to life by God so that he can write the definitive gospel since he was there from nearly the beginning. In order to ensure his cooperation, God has an angel chaperon Biff. Though it makes up very little of the story, the scenes of Biff and the angel in the hotel room are some of the funniest of the novel, especially in the angel's befuddlement at modern life.
Biff first met Joshua when they were both kids, and Joshua was bringing lizards back to life for the benefit of his younger, lizard-killing brother. From there they strike a lifelong friendship not impeded by the fact that Joshua knows he will one day be the Messiah. Biff is your quintessential underachiever, and his philosophical outlook, which has been derived from the teachings of Cynic, makes for a nice foil for Joshua's earnest desire to fulfill the task that has been set before him. When Joshua decides he will never learn how to be the Messiah if he does not seek out his origins, it is Biff who accompanies him on his travels.
They go in search of the Three Wise Men in order to learn the truth of Joshua's birthright. In their travels, this Hebraic Hope and Crosby encounter bandits, Taoist magicians, herbalist concubines, a hungry demon, a Buddhist monastery, the Tibetan Man of the Mountains, martial artists, a Kali ceremony, Tantra, untouchables and the Kama Sutra. After their travels, Joshua comes to learn what he has to do to become the Messiah, so they return to Palestine for the more familiar part of the story.
Christopher Moore here has a fine line to tread in attempting to make the story of Christ funny and believable yet keeping Joshua as the earnest Messiah figure we can all look up to. (No Last Temptation-style dream sequences of Christ experiencing the temptation of giving it all up here.) Having the story told by the underachieving and very sardonic Biff is a great way to thread that needle.
Moore makes the most of the sections where the gospels are silent, which give him a lot to work with. It yields great comic touches, like the time Joshua, Biff and Maggie decide to 'circumcise' a well-endowed Greek statue, or the origins of the Jewish custom of Chinese food on Christmas. Though not every joke works, the passages overall maintain a high level of humor without robbing Joshua's quest of meaning.
The humor does begin to lost its impact near the end. Once Joshua and Biff return to Nazareth and Christ begins his ministry, Moore has less leeway with which to play. Once the ministry and the inevitable path to Golgotha have begun, the humor becomes more forced. As Joshua himself once said (though not in this book), a man cannot serve to masters, for he will honor one and neglect the other. The book has to choose between the earnestness of Joshua and the cynicism of Biff. It opts for the latter, for which one cannot entirely blame Moore. To have gone with the latter would have been to write a different, much edgier book. That Moore manages to make both elements work for as long as he does is testament to his talent and his great sense of humor.
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LibraryThing member lauawill
I am a Unitarian Universalist, raised as a Christian. I find Jesus's story far more compelling when I think of him as a man, a flawed human being, rather than some distant Godhead.
That said, I had a really hard time reading the end of this book, even though I knew exactly what was going to happen.
That said, I had a really hard time reading the end of this book, even though I knew exactly what was going to happen.
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Moore does such a great job of portraying Jesus/Joshua as a human with human frailties and carrying a terrible burden that his death broke my heart. Moore has managed to craft something that's by turns irreverent, funny, scatological and very, very moving -- even to a non-believer like me. Beautifully done. Show Less
LibraryThing member satyridae
I wanted to like this better than I liked the other Moore I read. I tried because people whose literary tastes I admire told me that this was much better than The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. But no. There were the odd amusing turns of phrase. The plotting was solid. The premise was good. I'm
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always up for poking fun at organized religion. I kept comparing this to Twain's blisteringly funny swipes at Christianity and found Lamb wanting. Show Less
LibraryThing member ahappybooker
This is a satirical story of Jesus' life from a child of 6 resurrecting lizards and throughout his lifetime told by his goofy and sarcastic sidekick Levi known as Biff. Some of the highlights for me was the resurrected Biff's reactions to todays world, for example, trying to decipher rap lyrics as
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he sat in a hotel room in St. Louis writing this "gospel" Some die-hard Christians with no sense of humor may find some things offensive, but personally I laughed out loud (literally, not just the lol kind) many many times. I didn't finish the entire book. The humor, to me, was 5 star. The problem was that I tired of it fairly quickly. I may go back and read a few more chapters in between books or long series, but there's no way I can sit and read this in its entirety in one sitting. It was like a hilarious stand-up routine that went on for 10 hours, eventually, it just all sounds the same. Show Less
LibraryThing member donkeytiara
ok, this one was surprising. I thought it was going to be hilarity at religion a la christopher moore. Au contraire....I think i learned more about religion from this book than I have any other book that I've read...hinduism, buddism, jewism (?)....they're all in here in a palatable way, as Joshua
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(the son of god) goes through the adventures of the first 30 years of his life. One big complaint though.....Moore goes on for waaaaaaaaay too long about sex in this book. Not that I'm adverse to sex that's relevant to the story in which it's placed....but it was a little too much. But in general, this was a surprisingly enlightening book that causes many questions to be raised in your mind ~ which I always think is a good thing. Show Less
LibraryThing member ktptcruisin
This book has quickly moved to the top of my "Best Books of all Time" list. Regardless of your religious affiliation this book thru its humor and sometimes crash nature is an interesting look at faith and friendship.
LibraryThing member mbergman
The premise of this amusing book is that an angel returns to earth & restores to life a hapless childhood pal of Joshua to record his own account of Jesus' life, particularly the years between Jesus' birth & his ministry at about the age of 30. As teenagers Joshua & Biff set off in search of the
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Magi who attended Joshua's birth. They find one in a castle in Kabul, one in a monastery in China, & the last on a ledge on a cliff in India. They learn hard but valuable lessons from each before returning home. (For instance, in China they develop a nonviolent form of defense named for them: "Jew-do.") The narrative of Joshua's passion is relatively orthodox & less interesting. Overall, though, it's an imaginative, amusing read, sort of in the vein of Tom Robbins but not as smart, funny, or virtuosic. Show Less
LibraryThing member iHalo
Being bereft of a sense of humour and entirely too serious a person, this book was incredibly tedious for me to read. It was entirely too funny, not to mention incredibly irreverent. I read it purely for research purposes, hoping to steer others clear of this humourous tale chronicling the journey
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In the Old Testament, we meet Jesus (Josh in this book) as a babe in swaddling clothes and next when we meet again, boom! he's the Messiah and around the age of thirty. Have you ever wondered what happened in between? If so, this is the book for you (provided you don't mind a bit of irreverence- understatement- adult situations, and profanity). Our narrator is Biff, Josh's (aka Jesus Christ aka the Messiah aka The Son of God), the two are childhood friends. Lamb is the tale of the two boys as they go off to help Josh learn how to become the Messiah- Josh knows he is destined to be the Messiah, he is the Son of God, afterall.
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After 2000 years Biff is resurrected by the Angel Raziel and held hostage in a modern hotel room in order to write the 'untold story of Christ's early years'. I should mention that Raziel is a neurotic angel that becomes obsessed with modern television, particularly 'talk shows featuring the screaming ignorant, wrestling, soap operas, and Spiderman'. Biff, essentially acts as Josh's bodyguard and more 'earthy' and street-savvy companion- obviously the Son of God is so innocent and pure it would be difficult to navigate the pitfalls that befall them on their journey without someone like Biff to guide him. The two boys go off in search of the three wise men, and each in turn, will teach Josh what he needs to know to be the Messiah. Although hilarious and seriously irreverent- this story is actually a quite touching tale of friendship and our duty to our own B.F.F.'s.
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If you've ever wondered where the Shroud of Turin originated, what the H stands for in Jesus H. Christ, where the term 'nimrod' comes from, or how many of the miracles in the Old Testament took place- this is the book for you. If you have a sense of humour, don't mind a significant amount of irreverence, are not devout or pious- this is absolutely the book for you! If you are pious or devout like myself- you'll definitely want to steer clear. An absolutely hilarious read!!
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of Christ and his B.F.F. Biff (aka Levi bar Alpheus of Nazareth) throughout their childhood to Christ's taking up his mantle as Messiah some twenty-five years later. If you are religious, pious, devout, easily offended- please don't read any further. Fair warning. --
In the Old Testament, we meet Jesus (Josh in this book) as a babe in swaddling clothes and next when we meet again, boom! he's the Messiah and around the age of thirty. Have you ever wondered what happened in between? If so, this is the book for you (provided you don't mind a bit of irreverence- understatement- adult situations, and profanity). Our narrator is Biff, Josh's (aka Jesus Christ aka the Messiah aka The Son of God), the two are childhood friends. Lamb is the tale of the two boys as they go off to help Josh learn how to become the Messiah- Josh knows he is destined to be the Messiah, he is the Son of God, afterall.
--
After 2000 years Biff is resurrected by the Angel Raziel and held hostage in a modern hotel room in order to write the 'untold story of Christ's early years'. I should mention that Raziel is a neurotic angel that becomes obsessed with modern television, particularly 'talk shows featuring the screaming ignorant, wrestling, soap operas, and Spiderman'. Biff, essentially acts as Josh's bodyguard and more 'earthy' and street-savvy companion- obviously the Son of God is so innocent and pure it would be difficult to navigate the pitfalls that befall them on their journey without someone like Biff to guide him. The two boys go off in search of the three wise men, and each in turn, will teach Josh what he needs to know to be the Messiah. Although hilarious and seriously irreverent- this story is actually a quite touching tale of friendship and our duty to our own B.F.F.'s.
--
If you've ever wondered where the Shroud of Turin originated, what the H stands for in Jesus H. Christ, where the term 'nimrod' comes from, or how many of the miracles in the Old Testament took place- this is the book for you. If you have a sense of humour, don't mind a significant amount of irreverence, are not devout or pious- this is absolutely the book for you! If you are pious or devout like myself- you'll definitely want to steer clear. An absolutely hilarious read!!
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LibraryThing member virtualdummy27
This book definitely made me appreciate different religions, not just Christianity. I would give it four stars out of five but there were numerous jokes that I just couldn't understand; it's somewhat of an inside-joke kind of novel.
LibraryThing member workgman
i picked this up as a little jab for my husband. he was raised as a good catholic boy. little did i know that this was to become the best book that either of us ever read (two or three times each). heed the author's blessing. yeah, i put a humor tag on here, but there are places where you can feel
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this one sting you too. Show Less
LibraryThing member CheriePie69
This was a funny book. I'm not sure that I liked it as much as Moore's other works, but I guess that's to be expected since I didn't resonate with the Christianity aspect as much as others who follow the religion and know it's history would. However, that being said, I did recognize a few things
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from what I recall of the story of Jesus, for instance, it was funny the way he worked the walking on water thing into the story at one point, as if it was something Joshua (his real name) did every day. And the way they'd talk, even the Buddhist monks, saying things like, "Just f*ck*ng with you..." That was a hoot! A sarcastic and ironic tale, in the manner I've come to expect from Moore. I only hope that Christian fundies didn't get all over his ass for writing this, and took it with the grace and humour with which I'm sure was the author's intent. Show Less
LibraryThing member twobitme
With the end of the television season upon us I've decided to start working through the book pile that's slowly been growing on my shelves. Up first was Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore.
The story fills in the 30 year gap between Joshua's birth and
We get to see Joshua and Biff travel to learn from the three magi. As Biff learns the more earthly powers (Kama Sutra), Joshua learns how to turn one grain of rice into many, leave his body, and finally realize his place in life.
As pretty much everyone knows, I'm an atheist so I don't buy into Jesus as the embodiment of God, or even God himself, but Christopher Moore was able to turn his divine powers into something more realistic, like Buddhist training and humanism as opposed to otherworldy magic.
And it works. I loved the idea of Jesus wanting to write "blessed are the dumbfucks and wankers" into his Sermon on the Mount. And he would have, too, if it weren't for Biff talking him out of it. Of course, Biff wanted to add "The well-to-do shall inherit the earth" so he had his less than bright ideas as well.
Mary Magdala is written a strong, beautiful, cinnamon smelling girl. People fell in love with her easily, and Biff and Joshua were no exception. If it weren't for the angel Raziel coming down and confusing Joshua with "he shall not know a woman" that the history of the church may have been much different.
It's a fun book, full of recognizable bits of actual history, and still shares the "be good to each other" mentality that Jesus tried to preach. And even though I'm an atheist, I'm ultimately a humanist (even if I can't stand dealing with people), and it's a pretty good message to follow.
The story fills in the 30 year gap between Joshua's birth and
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ultimate death. The best part of the book is the way it humanizes Jesus as a kid who used his gifts to freak people out, having snakes following him, having his face appear on tortillas, raising the dead. As he grew into his powers he began using them for good, smacking people upside the head as he healed them. He both hated and loved his place in life.We get to see Joshua and Biff travel to learn from the three magi. As Biff learns the more earthly powers (Kama Sutra), Joshua learns how to turn one grain of rice into many, leave his body, and finally realize his place in life.
As pretty much everyone knows, I'm an atheist so I don't buy into Jesus as the embodiment of God, or even God himself, but Christopher Moore was able to turn his divine powers into something more realistic, like Buddhist training and humanism as opposed to otherworldy magic.
And it works. I loved the idea of Jesus wanting to write "blessed are the dumbfucks and wankers" into his Sermon on the Mount. And he would have, too, if it weren't for Biff talking him out of it. Of course, Biff wanted to add "The well-to-do shall inherit the earth" so he had his less than bright ideas as well.
Mary Magdala is written a strong, beautiful, cinnamon smelling girl. People fell in love with her easily, and Biff and Joshua were no exception. If it weren't for the angel Raziel coming down and confusing Joshua with "he shall not know a woman" that the history of the church may have been much different.
It's a fun book, full of recognizable bits of actual history, and still shares the "be good to each other" mentality that Jesus tried to preach. And even though I'm an atheist, I'm ultimately a humanist (even if I can't stand dealing with people), and it's a pretty good message to follow.
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