Buy this book. It is an absolute gem. Step by step Craveri takes us through the life of Jesus and provides a plethora of explanations for what appears in the original Gospels, how it was changed, and how it was interpreted. His fluency in Latin and Greek is extremely helpful. Unlike so many other books of this type, Craveri does not appear to have an agenda. He goes where the evidence leads him, sometimes landing on traditional interpretations and sometimes supporting non-traditional views.

The writing style is conversational and easy to read. Documentation is extensive, but most of the references are to works in non English languages. Having been written in 1967, the book is a bit dated, and doesn't reflect the wealth of data on the Essenes that has appeared since then. However, a subject 2000 years old isn't handicapped by ignoring the past 50 years and it is surprising how scholarly this book is and how well it would compare with the very best books that are published today.

In addition to the direct topic, Craveri takes us on several excursions which are interesting and informative. For example, he shows us how people actually lived in the small villages, or the value of the sheckel, or the history of the place of Mary in the catechism of the Catholic church from the 4th Century right up until the 20th. Good stuff, and rarely dealt with by other authors.

Very informative and scholarly approach to the life of Jesus.

great read

I was afraid of buying through the intwrnet but I`m really happy with my stuff

pleased with purchase