Taylor Caldwell (1900–1985)

"Great Lion of God" is a historical novel about the life of Saul ben Hillel of Tarsus, better known to most people as Paul the Apostle or Saint Paul. Using a vast amount of sources including the Holy Bible, history books, works of the Catholic Encyclopedia, St, Paul’s Gospel, writings by Plato and Aristotle, and information attained at the Vatican Libraries and Museums of Athens and Israel, Taylor Caldwell pieces together the life story of Paul from his teenage years to his final journey back to Rome where he was executed around the time of 64 to 68 AD.

Authors that have the ability to write Biblical historical novels with absolute authenticity and evoke powerful emotions from the reader are few and far between. Taylor Caldwell was truly a gifted writer. She is brilliant at recreating the cultural environment, political atmosphere, emotional scenes, and likely dialogue of all characters.

It is fascinating to read an explanation of how Christianity evolved, starting with Jewish people accepting Jesus as the Christ, and at the onset this new phenomena was considered to be just another sect of Judaism - all praying together at the Jewish Temple. It wasn’t until Gentiles started to accept Christ and partake in the ritual of Baptism that Christian Churches were built. And all the while Rome was seething because this new religion was causing disruptions in Jerusalem’s society (which was under Roman control). The Romans did not want to hear about this new “King of the Jews”. That was treason. Caesar was the one and only King.

I’d like to share an interesting quote by Titus Milo, A Roman Statesman, about the condition of Rome around the year 25 AD, “Each day that passes sees more onerous taxes inflicted on the industrious and reverent and productive men, for the enhancement of a lavish court, subsidies for farmers, the looting of politicians, the free housing built for the idle, slothful, stupid and degenerate mobs, the free entertainment provided for those self-same mobs, the erection of grand government buildings to shelter the ever-growing and lustful armies of the bureaucrats and other petty officials, the granaries which dispense free food to the rabble… and the ambitious dreams… to remake the streets, the alleys, the roads, the houses and villas and the countryside of Rome… the wars to nourish the manufactories which make war materials… drain the public purse - now almost empty.” and his grandfather Aulus replied, “No nation took that path without perishing. So Rome must perish.” And it did! History repeats itself - Is the United States on a similar path to destruction?

Juxtaposed with Rome’s days of glory and rise to the peak of their power was Paul’s spiritual struggle. Saul, the devout Jewish Pharisee, was not an easy convert. He was an Orthodox Jew and considered the whole idea of Jesus being the Savior a blasphemy against God. "Great Loin Of God" follows Saul’s spiritual journey from non-believer to becoming Paul the Apostle, one of Jesus’ most faithful followers. While all the other Apostles were busy converting Jews to Christianity, Paul was the first and only Apostle to focus solely on converting Gentiles (non-Jewish Idol worshipers). He sacrificed everything in life to spread the word of God and help others find salvation.

This is an incredible story told by an extraordinary author.

Rated 5 Stars September 2023… (more)

Reading Taylor Caldwell’s novels is like wading through a daisy field of land mines - the beauty of life destroyed by one explosive revelation after another. Perhaps it is all fiction, but so close to the truth it shatters one’s illusions and reveals the harsh realities of life. Nothing is simple about Caldwell’s writing, and "The Strong City" is no exception.

Published in 1942, this lengthy saga takes place in Pennsylvania in the late 1800s and spans almost two decades in an era where a typical lifespan was a mere 40 years. It is the story of the son of German immigrants, Franz Stoessel. Living in poverty in the slums of Nazareth PA, with his aging parents Franz gets a job at the local steel mill and is determined to become rich and powerful. He is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed - no morals, no scruples, no integrity. With that approach, how could he fail?

Taylor Caldwell is a gifted story teller. She paints a vivid picture and leaves nothing to the imagination. Her character development is extraordinary. As each character enters a scene their psyche is laid naked - the reader learns of their physical appearance, down to the simplest detail of facial expressions, and more importantly, their deepest personal thoughts. She analyzes human behavior - the character’s motivations, fears, self defense mechanisms, methods of envious retaliation, sly hypocrisy, brutal force, and the effects of love and faith. Each character has a complex personality - just like in real life. Every emotion of each character is explored in full depth.

The story does not touch on German history, but many of the characters are 1st and 2nd generation immigrants - a mix of French, English, and German. The turmoil taking place in Germany and adjoining countries which caused many people to leave Europe obviously left a bitter taste. They came to America for a better life, and with open contempt and prejudice they stereotyped others, many times in a cruel negative way, expressing animosity, mis-trust, and hatred for each other. Even within the German immigrant community - the Bavarian and Saxony Germans had little regard for the Prussian Germans. Taylor Caldwell puts all this emotion into the plot through dialogue, and revealing the character’s most harsh personal thoughts. No author would dare write this way today.

"The Strong City" might have been rated a 5 Star book, but I could not bring myself to believe the extent of evil portrayed in so many of the characters was a representation of real life. Taylor Caldwell certainly saw the worst in mankind and expressed that throughout the story. She viewed all her characters with cynicism, leading them, body and soul, through a treacherous labyrinth to a depressing and disturbing conclusion.

Rated 4 Stars August 2023… (more)