Book description
Boy Judas Iscariot struggles to understand his mother's god.
Despairing, he becomes a survivor in the streets of the first century
Roman empire. Later, determined to avenge the wrongs committed against
his mother and sister, he returns to join the rebels led by Barabbas,
only to be betrayed again. Broken, he is brought to the Zealots at
Qumran and eventually to the Rabbi Jesus. During this journey he
discovers God and is baptized into messianic anticipation. His
enthusiasm for revolution leads him to out-guess God. He proceeds down a
path that will result in a difficult and fateful choice Ramsay, an
Episcopalian priest, is not the first author to take on one of the New
Testament's most intriguing characters. (See the Read-alikes column on
Judas that appeared in the December 1, 2007, issue of Booklist.) But
this particularly readable attempt to tell Judas' story in the form of a
historical novel is notable for its imaginative use of biblical
incidents to give readers a different way to think about the Bible's
biggest villain. Here Judas is the illegitimate child of a Jewish woman
and a Roman soldier. His mother is eventually reduced to prostitution,
and Judas grows up among thieves and whores. His thirst for revenge
against those who abused his mother and young sister leads Judas to some
bad places but eventually to Jesus, where his apostolic role is not what
he supposes. If there's any complaint to be made about the book, it's
that it's too short, especially at the end, where readers will want to
hear more about the familiar cast of characters. Ramsay's observations
about the roles of women in biblical society make the novel a good
choice for book clubs. Dr. Frederick Ramsay was born in Baltimore,
Maryland. He received his doctorate from the University of
Illinois-Westside Medical Campus. After a stint in the Army, he joined
the faculty of the University of Maryland, School of Medicine, teaching
Anatomy, Embryology and Histology; engaged in research and also served
as an Associate Dean. During this time he also pursued studies in
theology and in 1971 was ordained an Episcopal priest. He is the author
of several scientific and general articles, tracts, theses, and
co-author of The Baltimore Declaration. He is an accomplished public
speaker and once hosted a television spot, Prognosis, on the evening
news for WMAR-TV, Baltimore. He is also an iconographer with works
displayed around the world. He lives in Surprise, Arizona with his wife
and partner, Susan.
