Call number
232.96 O'RE
Status
Available
Call number
Pages
294
Description
"Millions of readers have thrilled to bestselling authors Bill O'Reilly and historian Martin Dugard's Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, page-turning works of nonfiction that have changed the way we read history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor details the events leading up to the murder of the most influential man in history: Jesus of Nazareth. Nearly two thousand years after this beloved and controversial young revolutionary was brutally killed by Roman soldiers, more than 2.2 billion human beings attempt to follow his teachings and believe he is God. Killing Jesus will take readers inside Jesus's life, recounting the seismic political and historical events that made his death inevitable - and changed the world forever"--
Publication
Henry Holt and Co. (2013), Edition: 1st, 294 pages
Original publication date
2013
ISBN
0805098542 / 9780805098549
Series
Collection
User reviews
LibraryThing member Willie3
Another excellent history lesson by Mr. O'Reilly and Mr. Dugard. Highly recommended reading no matter your beliefs, this is the story of the most famous man in the world, past and present.
LibraryThing member JGolomb
Just so I'm laying my cards on the table: I'm Jewish. I'm not deeply religious, but I was certainly brought up to believe that I was of the "chosen people", and all Christians, no matter the "flavor" were "them", while I was an "us".
And then I married one of "them". And all three of my kids are
I received this book as a Christmas gift this year. The problem with popular narrative fiction is distinguishing between the history and the narrative needed to fill in the gaps of the historical record. I don't feel that this was done successfully nor frictionlessly here. It's hard to strike a balance between interesting and in-depth, and "Killing Jesus" takes a definitive lean towards 'interesting'.
O'Reilly and Dugard have written three very popular histories. O'Reilly’s more known for his tv-based bombast, but Dugard has some serious writing cred. The authors are not out to create a definitive history, nor are they looking to add their voices to the plethora of theological treatise on Jesus.
Context is really what this book is about. Many pages are spent outlining the world Jesus was born into. Julius Caesar had been assassinated, and the Roman Empire was split by back-to-back civil wars. Judaea sat in the middle of that empire, and while was firmly under the thumb of a Roman Emperors; it also enjoyed religious freedom...as well as high taxes.
Like many (all) revolutionary leaders, Jesus appeals to the poor, the downtrodden and he is reviled by the rich and powerful like Herod Antipas, who was installed as a puppet ruler by the Romans in Judea. His growing popularity rubs at the established order: Roman leadership, but also Jewish religious leadership. The characters, as portrayed by O'Reilly and Dugard, are very one-dimensional - they're good, they're bad and there's little nuance in between. The Jewish religious leaders are thinly painted as notorious Roman sycophants focused on maintaining the status quo, including their station and comfort.
"Killing Jesus" is an historical overview. None of the historical elements of the narrative are dealt with deeply. While this is a work of history, any serious reader of history won't last past the first couple of pages. There are a few notations on references at the end of the book, but there are neither references nor annotations.
If you're looking for conversational pocket change, then this book fits the bill. It's straightforward, engaging and an easy historical read. If you're looking for philosophy, detailed history, and theology, you're best off looking elsewhere. And, by the way, I believe the authors of "Killing Jesus" would agree.
And then I married one of "them". And all three of my kids are
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raised to be "them"...Catholic no less. I'm still Jewish, but I've reconciled the them and us. I even loved visiting The Vatican...TWICE!I received this book as a Christmas gift this year. The problem with popular narrative fiction is distinguishing between the history and the narrative needed to fill in the gaps of the historical record. I don't feel that this was done successfully nor frictionlessly here. It's hard to strike a balance between interesting and in-depth, and "Killing Jesus" takes a definitive lean towards 'interesting'.
O'Reilly and Dugard have written three very popular histories. O'Reilly’s more known for his tv-based bombast, but Dugard has some serious writing cred. The authors are not out to create a definitive history, nor are they looking to add their voices to the plethora of theological treatise on Jesus.
Context is really what this book is about. Many pages are spent outlining the world Jesus was born into. Julius Caesar had been assassinated, and the Roman Empire was split by back-to-back civil wars. Judaea sat in the middle of that empire, and while was firmly under the thumb of a Roman Emperors; it also enjoyed religious freedom...as well as high taxes.
Like many (all) revolutionary leaders, Jesus appeals to the poor, the downtrodden and he is reviled by the rich and powerful like Herod Antipas, who was installed as a puppet ruler by the Romans in Judea. His growing popularity rubs at the established order: Roman leadership, but also Jewish religious leadership. The characters, as portrayed by O'Reilly and Dugard, are very one-dimensional - they're good, they're bad and there's little nuance in between. The Jewish religious leaders are thinly painted as notorious Roman sycophants focused on maintaining the status quo, including their station and comfort.
"Killing Jesus" is an historical overview. None of the historical elements of the narrative are dealt with deeply. While this is a work of history, any serious reader of history won't last past the first couple of pages. There are a few notations on references at the end of the book, but there are neither references nor annotations.
If you're looking for conversational pocket change, then this book fits the bill. It's straightforward, engaging and an easy historical read. If you're looking for philosophy, detailed history, and theology, you're best off looking elsewhere. And, by the way, I believe the authors of "Killing Jesus" would agree.
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LibraryThing member tajohnson
An excellent historical novel depicting the life and times of Jesus. The authors do not sugar coat the brutality and culture of Roman leaders and the times they lived nor the power hungry leaders. I may be quite familiar with the story of Jesus however, this story paints the realistic picture of
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what life was like and a possible answer to why. Show Less
LibraryThing member SigmundFraud
I never expected to read this book, not to like it but it has been at the top of the bestsellers list for so long that I decided I ought to look into the book. I did and I loved. Lots of Roman history and Jewish history. There are no Christians in the book which ends with the death of Christ, a
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Jew, on the cross. It makes clearer who bears responsibility for His death and it is as I always thought. It was both the Jews and the Romans but the truth seems to be that Pontius Pilate wanted nothing to do with this case. It saw it as only trouble and his job was to keep calm the population. I recommend the book to all. I am so glad that I picked it up or I should say downloaded it from the library. Show Less
LibraryThing member edspicer
This is an interesting book because it is a historical and theoretical book in a non-bias way. 4/5 SV (10th grade) I chose this look because Bill O'Reilly is a New York Times best seller. AG
LibraryThing member khiemstra631
This book offers some insights into the death of Jesus Christ, but the fact is that almost everything that could be said has already been said at one point or another in time. Still, O'Reilly and Duggard offer a good synopsis. I listened to the audio version and, as usual, found O'Reilly
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mispronunciation of some words annoying although not as frequent in this production. The print version would have offered illustrations that would probably have added to the reading experience. So, not as good as its two predecessors but certainly not bad either. Show Less
LibraryThing member beckyhaase
Much more a history lesson than an “execution” story, KILLING JESUS relates in great detail the backstory of Israel, Rome, politics in AD 34, Judaism and Christianity. Sprinkled with numerous footnotes and maps, O’Reilly and Dugard have written a detailed account of the events leading to the
4 of 5 stars
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death of Jesus of Nazareth. Sometimes gruesome, often too detailed, but nonetheless infinitely interesting, this book will be enlightening for any person of faith (Christian or not) or student of history. 4 of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
Interesting enough read about the life and times of Jesus Christ. Nothing outstanding; the most interesting information pertained to what was happening in and around Rome in the 40 years before Christ's birth and during his lifetime.
LibraryThing member brianinbuffalo
At the risk of sounding sacrilegious, I found most of this book quite boring. While I'm far from a Bible scholar, I found that I already knew most of the material that I would deem important. As for the new historical nuggets that were served up, I just didn't find them remotely compelling. I'm a
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bit surprised, because I really liked O'Reilly's earlier explorations involving the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. Still, the author clearly did his research and made an effort to put Jesus' life into a coherent context. Show Less
LibraryThing member starkravingmad
Informative read about the historical events leading to and including the death of Jesus. Not a religious piece. Instead leans heavily on historical written record. Very thought provoking, sad, and inspiring all in one.
LibraryThing member RTS1942
A very quick read. Painful, stark, and enlightening. Brings the political and religious background of the time and place into focus.
LibraryThing member techeditor
Because I read only half of this book, I do not rate it.I don't know what I expected except that it would be better than I could have written myself. I don't think it was. It sounded a lot like one of the many papers I wrote in college. Lots of research, well written, but not an engaging read.
The
I like Bill O'Reilly and I wanted to like this. But he is a journalist. He doesn't write to engage
The
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first half of the book emphasizes the horrid and disgusting leadership in what is now called the Middle East and Europe. I hadn't realized how awful all of them were for many, many years. So I did learn that, and maybe I'll finish this book one of these days. I doubt it, though. The writing makes no effort to make me want to.I like Bill O'Reilly and I wanted to like this. But he is a journalist. He doesn't write to engage
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LibraryThing member bunniehopp
O'Reilly's writing brings the reader into the events with its newsy, crisp tone. Events of 2000 years ago become as real as the video clips of "breaking news". With Jesus presented as a news event, as a man aware of the recent history of other prophets and radical upstarts, his decisions to teach
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in Jerusalem, to argue with politically connected leaders, to attack monied practices of powerful religious rulers, the reader sees Jesus as a man who walked to his horrible death with his eyes wide open. It becomes obvious that he chose his death. As the authors pointed out, it is amazing how much we can know today about a poor man who lived more than 2000 years ago, who died like a criminal. Killing Jesus is positively worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member Y2Ash
I was actually quite surprised on how fast paced and how quickly I was able to get through Bill O'Reilly's and Martin Dugard's Killing Jesus: A History. Although I was raised as a Roman Catholic, the amount of religious information I truly know is scarce. It's so scarce, it's nonexistent. Ergo,
Killing Jesus: A History was great for me because it was a very rudimentary introduction into the history and the world of Jesus. Because of the subject matter, I was expecting a heavier tome and I'm glad I didn't. O'Reilly and Dugard did a good job of streamlining the facts and navigating between historical truth and legend. In that regard, I can see why they were many dissenters to this book.
I enjoy learning about world history and religion and Killing Jesus: A History never bored me. I was enraptured. It sucked me into this world. I loved all of the political games and intrigue and betrayals that were involved.
I had forgotten how brutal those Roman punishments were and how much glee that got from them. The act of crucifixion is horrible. Not only does it break a person physically but mentally as well.
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I've always wanted to learn more about my religion and about Jesus Christ.Killing Jesus: A History was great for me because it was a very rudimentary introduction into the history and the world of Jesus. Because of the subject matter, I was expecting a heavier tome and I'm glad I didn't. O'Reilly and Dugard did a good job of streamlining the facts and navigating between historical truth and legend. In that regard, I can see why they were many dissenters to this book.
I enjoy learning about world history and religion and Killing Jesus: A History never bored me. I was enraptured. It sucked me into this world. I loved all of the political games and intrigue and betrayals that were involved.
I had forgotten how brutal those Roman punishments were and how much glee that got from them. The act of crucifixion is horrible. Not only does it break a person physically but mentally as well.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Y2Ash
I was actually quite surprised on how fast paced and how quickly I was able to get through Bill O'Reilly's and Martin Dugard's Killing Jesus: A History. Although I was raised as a Roman Catholic, the amount of religious information I truly know is scarce. It's so scarce, it's nonexistent. Ergo,
Killing Jesus: A History was great for me because it was a very rudimentary introduction into the history and the world of Jesus. Because of the subject matter, I was expecting a heavier tome and I'm glad I didn't. O'Reilly and Dugard did a good job of streamlining the facts and navigating between historical truth and legend. In that regard, I can see why they were many dissenters to this book.
I enjoy learning about world history and religion and Killing Jesus: A History never bored me. I was enraptured. It sucked me into this world. I loved all of the political games and intrigue and betrayals that were involved.
I had forgotten how brutal those Roman punishments were and how much glee that got from them. The act of crucifixion is horrible. Not only does it break a person physically but mentally as well.
Show More
I've always wanted to learn more about my religion and about Jesus Christ.Killing Jesus: A History was great for me because it was a very rudimentary introduction into the history and the world of Jesus. Because of the subject matter, I was expecting a heavier tome and I'm glad I didn't. O'Reilly and Dugard did a good job of streamlining the facts and navigating between historical truth and legend. In that regard, I can see why they were many dissenters to this book.
I enjoy learning about world history and religion and Killing Jesus: A History never bored me. I was enraptured. It sucked me into this world. I loved all of the political games and intrigue and betrayals that were involved.
I had forgotten how brutal those Roman punishments were and how much glee that got from them. The act of crucifixion is horrible. Not only does it break a person physically but mentally as well.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Y2Ash
I was actually quite surprised on how fast paced and how quickly I was able to get through Bill O'Reilly's and Martin Dugard's Killing Jesus: A History. Although I was raised as a Roman Catholic, the amount of religious information I truly know is scarce. It's so scarce, it's nonexistent. Ergo,
Killing Jesus: A History was great for me because it was a very rudimentary introduction into the history and the world of Jesus. Because of the subject matter, I was expecting a heavier tome and I'm glad I didn't. O'Reilly and Dugard did a good job of streamlining the facts and navigating between historical truth and legend. In that regard, I can see why they were many dissenters to this book.
I enjoy learning about world history and religion and Killing Jesus: A History never bored me. I was enraptured. It sucked me into this world. I loved all of the political games and intrigue and betrayals that were involved.
I had forgotten how brutal those Roman punishments were and how much glee that got from them. The act of crucifixion is horrible. Not only does it break a person physically but mentally as well.
Show More
I've always wanted to learn more about my religion and about Jesus Christ.Killing Jesus: A History was great for me because it was a very rudimentary introduction into the history and the world of Jesus. Because of the subject matter, I was expecting a heavier tome and I'm glad I didn't. O'Reilly and Dugard did a good job of streamlining the facts and navigating between historical truth and legend. In that regard, I can see why they were many dissenters to this book.
I enjoy learning about world history and religion and Killing Jesus: A History never bored me. I was enraptured. It sucked me into this world. I loved all of the political games and intrigue and betrayals that were involved.
I had forgotten how brutal those Roman punishments were and how much glee that got from them. The act of crucifixion is horrible. Not only does it break a person physically but mentally as well.
Show Less
LibraryThing member berthashaver
A historical, rather than religious look at Jesus' life and the events that lead up to the crucifixion I found this book really intriguing as how the Roman government controlled the Jewish people at the time and the plot that lead to Christ's death. Very well written.
LibraryThing member litc
Being a Roman Catholic, and a practicing one at that, I am familiar with the details of Christ's life and death from the Gospels, but what I appreciated about this book is that it provided background and color and insight into what went on behind the scenes depicted in the Gospels. The authors do a
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good job of presenting the relationship existing between the conquered Jews and their powerful Roman overlords and how the leaders of both the Romans and the Jews came to play significant roles in the historical drama of killing the main character. The book is an easy read and for those interested in gaining insight into the world from which Christianity emerged it will prove rewarding. Show Less
LibraryThing member SLeeD
I am a Christian but reading this put a new perspective on the life of Jesus for me. Instead of categorizing Bible stories into these magical tales, I now see it in the context of history, which makes it much more realistic and sad.
LibraryThing member foof2you
Ok book, I like some of the history about what was going on politically and how the powers to be were at each other. How Rome allowed the Jewish leaders to continue their ways as long a they paid Rome the taxs due them. Interesting to read the interaction between the Roman and Jewish leaders, and
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how the Jews worked to please the Romans in order to worship and have some control over their lives. The problem that I have with this book is I wish the notation and sources were better. Show Less
LibraryThing member abwahl1998
Loved this! So much historical information, and I loved how he really portrayed what society was really like. I wish this had been around when I took Western Civilizations in college! This really made celebrating Christmas even more special. I really can't wait for Lent and Easter!
LibraryThing member jimocracy
This book was truly pathetic (although I amaze myself that I had expected something better). O'Reilly's only sources seem to come from Shakespeare, the Bible, and the writings of Josephus. I was genuinely surprised that the author claimed the authors of the gospels were known and not in dispute.
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Again, this was a waste of time and I should have known better but I couldn't resist and had to force myself not to stop listening. Show Less
LibraryThing member la2bkk
A well written and entertaining account of the life and times of Jesus Christ. For the most part, the authors' style is simple and straightforward, capturing the reader's attention particularly as regards the later half of the book which focuses on Jesus' life as an adult.
However, to be fair, this
In addition, the Gospels are cited continually in selected fashion to portray a seemingly consistent factual history of Jesus. In truth, the historicity of Jesus is questioned on many levels and subject to serious scholarly debate.
However, to be fair, this
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is hardly a balanced scholarly work. Various comments as regards the Roman history of the book are simply wrong. E.g., the book states Caesar utters the famous phrase "Veni, Vidi, Vici" following the Battle of Munda (located in Spain). Actually, the phrase followed Caesar's earlier victory in modern day Turkey at the Battle of Zela. As another example, the authors state it is inexplicable why Caesar did not name his son by Cleopatra (Caesarion) in his will. The reason is obvious to anyone with knowledge of the Roman Republic- a child born out of wedlock to a non-Roman citizen cannot inherit in a will. Such errors make it clear the authors know little of Rome. In addition, the Gospels are cited continually in selected fashion to portray a seemingly consistent factual history of Jesus. In truth, the historicity of Jesus is questioned on many levels and subject to serious scholarly debate.
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LibraryThing member 4bonasa
Gripping, chilling, moving. Not for the faint at heart.
LibraryThing member jwood652
Now I have a much better understanding of the times that Jesus lived. This book chronicles not only the crucifixion of Christ but the events leading up to it and even how the apostles died. This book is written in historic perspective and does not discuss religious beliefs. I believe the authors
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did a good job of comparing various sources to separate the myth from the history. The depravity and cruelty of the Roman emperors and their total disregard for the value of human life is depicted very well. Two examples are the brutal murders of babies and crucifixion of thousands of Jews at one time. So if you are historically inclined, read this book. It is, of course, difficult to find information on this subject from a purely historic perspective. Show Less