Joshua in the Holy Land by Joseph F. Girzone, 0684813440, Lowest Book Price Finder

Customer Reviews:

A story written for our present time and world condition.

I read this book by Joseph Girzone immediately after returning from my first trip to Israel. I was reading his first book "Joshua" on the way. And began "Joshua and the Holy Land" on the 12 hour flight back to the USA. What I really enjoyed about the story was the reality that was presented in the characters that encountered Joshua. I also appreciated greatly the accurate portrayal of the places that were involved in the story, especially the reference to the first place Joshua met offically with his group of followers: "Seven Arches Hotel". While on tour in Israel, our first hotel was Seven Arches. The story made the trip stay all the more alive in my mind.

I also appreciated the hopeful message that Joseph Girzone leaves with his readers. It is a contageous message that hopefully can spread in real ways to the leaders of our world today.

The third novel presents some practicalities

In this publication in the Joshua series, author Joseph Girzone places Joshua in the heart of the conflict in Israel. Again Girzone uses gospel parallels and evocations such as miracles with a twist. The feeding of the multitude reflects contemporary scholarship on that story. Yet Girzone does not present a sacharine story without some real tragedy. In this novel he tells an old man that his son's death is the will of his Father because of the peace that will result from it. This is in stark contrast to Joshua and Joshua and the Children.

The beginning of the novel presents Joshua travelling in the desert, becoming involved with a sheik's family and saving a little girl's life. When Joshua heals in to Jerusalem, the plot becomes more complicated and realistic.

One is compelled by Girzone's portrait of Joshua at prayer. The author is able to touch that serenity of Jesus in the gospels. He is able to convey the comfort and peace Jesus could give.

The end of the novel moves a bit slowly as it involves a business deal that could represent a way in which Arabs, Jews and Christians could live in peace in the Middle East. Sometimes the author has to skim details in what is obviously a complicated project. But Girzone is not negotiating the peace of Israel. In this novel he is trying to place a contemporary Jesus in the middle of the conflict and configure the gospel to the situation. This he accomplishes well.

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