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Title: Crucified Under Pontius Pilate by George D. LeMaitre ISBN: 0-7414-1615-8 Publisher: Infinity Publishing.com Pub. Date: August, 2003 Format: Paperback List Price(USD): $19.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 (10 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Memo for Record
Comment: Crucified Under Pontius Pilate by George D. LeMaitre, MD
The question isn't 'who?' killed the Christ but 'why?'. Dr. LeMaitre's novel tells the familiar tale of the crucifixion and examines the life & times of Jesus' disciples through the eyes of Pilate's wife, Claudia. The story unfolds on many levels. What I found so astonishing was just how much Claudia's improbable memoirs reflect our current state of affairs. Pontius, born a plebian, earned military acclaim and became Prefect of Judea through marriage into Claudia's patrician family. Never comfortable at the circus maximus, he wondered about Ralph's role during Al's grandstanding. Likewise, he questioned the motivations of his former hero, Ross, whenever the Bill & Hillary swept in and sucked all the oxygen out of the amphitheater. The clash between good & evil is a dominant theme. Rome's media is complicit ' reporting what travels well irrespective of proven fact. The moral collapse of the republic leads to a collapse of law & order; and dooms civilization for centuries. Within this historic context, Pilate's search for 'meaning' reminds us of the quest pursued by everyman who steps off life's merry-go-round.
The book's timing is prophetic thanks to cinema's 'The Passion of the Christ' and the swirl of controversy surrounding Pilate's role. Reading LeMaitre's novel may not make you a better person ' but you may become more curious about your religion and the meaning of life; and you most certainly will be entertained. Like Gibson's film on the Passion, I view LeMaitre's work as a powerful omen that can either act as a catalyst to rekindle an appreciation of our spiritual heritage or be mocked by cynics as a read catering to 21st century 'whackos'. Other thoughts develop - if the rule of law is wholly dependent on our moral system, how then should America respond to its demons? We know morality cannot be legislated, so to what extent should immoral demands be tolerated? As we continue to wrestle with issues beyond Wall Street, Hollywood, sex, and same-sex, the stakes grow and become as grave as the contest between pro-choice and pro-life. Are we obliged to take sides in this conflict? Should a majority position prevail or be surrendered to the minority as concessions to free speech, free love, and civil disobedience? Nothing & everything has stayed the same. When good intention flexes its muscles - is it as peacemaker or invader ' and who's to judge - our enemies, our allies, or ourselves?
PS - The quick answer is 'redemption'; but what else lies behind all the hoopla?
Rating: 5
Summary: Told from the perspective of Pontius Pilate's wife Claudia
Comment: Crucified Under Pontius Pilate: The Partially Recovered Memoirs Of His Beloved Wife Claudia is a unique historical novel by George D. LeMaitre, and addresses within a fictional context such actual historic issues as the question of who was truly responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Told from the perspective of Pontius Pilate's wife Claudia, Crucified Under Pontius Pilate is a stark, gripping, well crafted drama of ruthless times, difficult choices, and overwhelming forces.
Rating: 5
Summary: Fascinating Ensemble Of Fact
Comment: Crucified Under Pontius Pilate, an historical novel by George LeMaitre, is a fascinating ensemble of fact, fiction and fancy, all packaged in a 413 page memoir of Pilate's wife Claudia, as she tries to unravel the many personalities of a man who ruled Judea for the Romans 2000 years ago, and a man responsible for the most heinous crime in history, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
There is an almost superabundance of great history here. At first it swirled in my head, causing confusion and anxiety, as I tried to keep all these facts of the Roman occupation of Judea clear in my mind. They were tough rulers, demanding heavy taxes and a conformity to their pagan culture, something totally unacceptable to the monotheistic Jews. The Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate, himself a secularist, ruled over a kingdom of people who held. to the presence of a one, true God. The clashes are evident throughout the novel.
Claudia seeks to understand her husband as he, later in his middle years, tries desperately to understand what this Christianity is all about, who this Jesus was and what role, if any, he played in the crucifixion. I was struck by the bi polar nature of this man Pilate as characterized by his wife throughout the novel. When facing any physical or military confrontation, Pilate was as strong as Tarzan and unbeatable by any enemy. This contrasted with his political and social weaknesses and failures, a man unable to face another with any degree of self assurance.
The novel has many themes: it is the fifty year marriage of two people who remained faithful to each other but not in their beliefs and visions; a geo political clash of cultures, a stand off cold war between Empires, and a study of the complex issues of guilt and responsibility for the death of Christ.
Approach this great piece of work, as I did, with caution and patience. Your effort is worth the price. It is filled with surprises, intrigues and conundrums, not to mention some damn good history of ancient Rome and Palestine. You will probably love Claudia, as I did. You may have very ambivalent feelings towards Pontius Pilate. I surely did.
Things truly do not change, not even after 20 centuries!
Reviewed by Kathleen Daly
Weston, Massachusetts
03/16/004
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Title: Pontius Pilate by Paul L. Maier ISBN: 0825432960 Publisher: Kregel Publications Pub. Date: March, 1996 List Price(USD): $13.99 |
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Title: Memoirs of Pontius Pilate : A Novel by James R. Mills ISBN: 0345443500 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 27 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $10.00 |
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Title: The Passion: Photography from the Movie the Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson, Ken Duncan ISBN: 0842373624 Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers Pub. Date: February, 2004 List Price(USD): $24.99 |
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Title: The Woman With the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalen and the Holy Grail by Margaret Starbird, Mary Magdalen, Holy Grail ISBN: 1879181037 Publisher: Bear & Co Pub. Date: June, 1993 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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