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Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
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Lamb Special Gift Ed: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

by Christopher Moore

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations
4,814186426 (4.32)81
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William Morrow (2007), Edition: Spl Gft, Imitation Leather, 432 pages

Member:ocgreg34
Collections:Your libraryRating:*****
Tags:fiction, humor, religion
(19) Bible(43) biblical(18) Christ(34) Christianity(110) Christopher Moore(34) comedy(89) fantasy(79) favorite(22) favorites(19) fiction(743) friendship(21) funny(41) historical(31) historical fiction(69) humor(575) humour(66) Jesus(138) Jesus Christ(32) Moore(19) novel(55) own(28) paperback(22) read(100) religion(305) religious(22) satire(124) signed(20) TBR(34) unread(39)

Member recommendations

  1. Dr.Science recommends Who's Afraid of Beowulf? by Tom Holt, "The English author Tom Holt is relatively unknown in America, but very popular in England. If you enjoy Jasper Fforde or Christopher Moore you will most (see more) certainly enjoy Tom Holt's wry sense of English humor and the absurd. He has written a number of excellent books including Expecting Someone Taller, and Flying Dutch, but they may be difficult to find at your library or bookstore."
  2. yokai recommends Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman
  3. meggyweg recommends The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore
  4. the_awesome_opossum recommends Only Begotten Daughter by James Morrow, "Only Begotten Daughter is darker and less whimsical than Lamb, but the protagonist - the daughter of God - also struggles with her divinity and purpose (see more) on Earth. It is funny in spots, but in a more wry and satirical way. So if you liked the more serious parts of Lamb, try this book"
  5. Ti99er recommends The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
  6. Ti99er recommends You Don't Have to Be Evil to Work Here, But it Helps by Tom Holt
  7. Ti99er recommends Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore
  8. Ti99er recommends A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
  9. Ti99er recommends Nothing But Blue Skies by Tom Holt
  10. Ti99er recommends Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore

(see all 10 recommendations)

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English (180)  German (3)  French (2)  Italian (1)  All languages (186)
Showing 1-5 of 180 (next | show all)
"The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" pretty much tells you everything you need to know about this very funny, very human and, at times, very thoughtful "alternative history" to the stories told in more conventional New Testament gospels. Not recommended for readers who cannot appreciate a different point of view. ( )
  NBLibGirl | Dec 15, 2009 |
Sounds blasphemous, but really very sweet. ( )
  catalogthis | Nov 24, 2009 |
Kreiiiiiiisch!: Selten habe ich so gelacht! Der Inhalt ist ja schon des öfteren beschrieben worden und wird daher nicht von mir wiederholt. Ich fand das Buch saukomisch und habe mich Stellenweise rumgekugelt. Auch wenn es tatsächlich ein paar Längen hat, bleibt es für mich immer noch eines der lustigsten Bücher, die ich in den letzten Jahren gelesen habe. Biff ist mein Held!

Ich finde, dass man auch als gläubiger Mensch nicht alles so ernst sehen sollte. Auch nicht seine eigene Religion.
  r1hard | Nov 22, 2009 |
I read this when it first came out years ago and felt the need to reread. My first thought three chapter in is that Chris Moore is going to hell. No purgatory for you; it's a direct flight. however, through the irreverent jokes and profanity lies some interesting questions regarding faith and belief especially the question of those who have seen and heard and yet still don't believe.
The book is about Biff, Jesus' best bud who follows Jesus everywhere. Granted it's a complete work of fantasy, but there are moments Moore nails the essence of Christ's teaching.
Be warned if you do decide to read - if the Life of Brian or The Last Temptation offended you then your head will explode with this one so avoice it. however, if you a sense of humorr and can look for the Holy in just about anything take the plunge. ( )
  revslick | Nov 17, 2009 |
Just read this book. Insanely funny and brilliantly written. ( )
  jwcooper3 | Nov 15, 2009 |
Showing 1-5 of 180 (next | show all)
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Epigraph
God is a comedian playing to an audience that is afraid to laugh. - Voltaire
Author's blessing

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 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 revel 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.
Dedication
First words
The angel was cleaning out his closets when the call came.
Quotations
You think you know how this story is going to end, but you don't.
I learned how to boil down goat urine to make explosives today.
Hi, I'm the Messiah, God wanted you to have this bacon.
I know that even now, having watched enough television, you probably won't even refer to them as lepers so as to spare their feelings. You probably call them 'parts-dropping-off challenged' or something.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Book description
In this work the author seeks to fill in the "lost" years of Jesus through the point of view of Jesus' childhood pal, "Levi bar Alphaeus who is called Biff". Biff has been resurrected in the present day, to complete missing parts of the Bible. Supposedly under the watchful eye of the angel Raziel, who turns out to be more interested in the soap operas on the television in their hotel, Biff is made to write down his account of the decades missing from Jesus' life. During these years he and Joshua (which, as Biff points out, "Jesus" is the Greek version of, and thus in Galilee Jesus was called Joshua Bar Joseph) travel to the East to seek the Three Wise Men who attended Joshua's birth, so that he may learn how to become the Messiah.

Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0380813815, Paperback)

While the Bible may be the word of God, transcribed by divinely inspired men, it does not provide a full (or even partial) account of the life of Jesus Christ. Lucky for us that Christopher Moore presents a funny, lighthearted satire of the life of Christ--from his childhood days up to his crucifixion--in Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. This clever novel is surely blasphemy to some, but to others it's a coming-of-age story of the highest order.

Joshua (a.k.a. Jesus) knows he is unique and quite alone in his calling, but what exactly does his Father want of him? Taking liberties with ancient history, Moore works up an adventure tale as Biff and Joshua seek out the three wise men so that Joshua can better understand what he is supposed to do as Messiah. Biff, a capable sinner, tags along and gives Joshua ample opportunities to know the failings and weaknesses of being truly human. With a wit similar to Douglas Adams, Moore pulls no punches: a young Biff has the hots for Joshua's mom, Mary, which doesn't amuse Josh much: "Don't let anyone ever tell you that the Prince of Peace never struck anyone." And the origin of the Easter Bunny is explained as a drunken Jesus gushes his affection for bunnies, declaring, "Henceforth and from now on, I decree that whenever something bad happens to me, there shall be bunnies around."

One small problem with the narrative is that Biff and Joshua often do not have distinct voices. A larger difficulty is that as the tone becomes more somber with Joshua's life drawing to its inevitable close, the one-liners, though not as numerous, seem forced. True to form, Lamb keeps the story of Joshua light, even after its darkest moments. --Michael Ferch

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:52 -0400)

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