Zealot

The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

By: Reza Aslan

Narrated by: Reza Aslan

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A lucid, intelligent page-turner” (Los Angeles Times) that challenges long-held assumptions about Jesus

Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the “Kingdom of God.” The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was executed as a state criminal. Within decades after his death, his followers would call him God.

Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history’s most enigmatic figures by examining Jesus through the lens of the tumultuous era in which he lived. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against the historical sources, Aslan describes a man full of conviction and passion, yet rife with contradiction. He explores the reasons the early Christian church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary. And he grapples with the riddle of how Jesus understood himself, the mystery that is at the heart of all subsequent claims about his divinity.

Zealot yields a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told even as it affirms the radical and transformative nature of Jesus’ life and mission.

Praise for Zealot

“Riveting . . . Aslan synthesizes Scripture and scholarship to create an original account.”—The New Yorker

“Fascinatingly and convincingly drawn . . . Aslan may come as close as one can to respecting those who revere Jesus as the peace-loving, turn-the-other-cheek, true son of God depicted in modern Christianity, even as he knocks down that image.”—The Seattle Times

“[Aslan’s] literary talent is as essential to the effect of Zealot as are his scholarly and journalistic chops. . . . A vivid, persuasive portrait.”—Salon

“This tough-minded, deeply political book does full justice to the real Jesus, and honors him in the process.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“A special and revealing work, one that believer and skeptic alike will find surprising, engaging, and original.”—Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

“Compulsively readable . . . This superb work is highly recommended.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

What a fascinating listen!

Would you consider the audio edition of Zealot to be better than the print version?

One of the wonderful things about this audiobook is that it's read by the author, who has a fantastic voice that's very easy to listen to. Even when Aslan is imparting a lot of complex information, he remains perfectly understandable and makes those concepts seem easy.

What did you like best about this story?

Although 'Zealot' deals with a lot of questions and ideas that I have personally already encountered, there were a lot of concepts in here that were completely new and entirely engaging for several people in my life who downloaded it at my recommendation. It's an extremely accessible and engaging book, and even if these are ideas that you've grappled with before you'll still find yourself saying 'oh, that's just perfectly put'.

Which character – as performed by Reza Aslan – was your favorite?

It was so interesting to learn about Saul/Paul and James in particular, two religious figures I've never put much thought into

Any additional comments?

I listened to the whole thing in two days and didn't regret a moment of it! A fascinating listen, and one I very much recommend experiencing.

Great book!

I recommend this to both believers and non-believers alike. It paints a vivid picture of the time of Jesus.

An interesting perspective.

Not a great book to read for exegesis, but if one wants to understand the history around the time of Jesus and to better understand how a non-Christian biblical scholar understands Jesus this book is for you.

Interesting perspective.

Historical veracity questionable when built on numerous single assumptions. This book is helpful to those in understanding the rise of Islam and return to a religion of law.

Recovering Catholic Loved This Book

After 18 years of Catholicism, this book blew my mind...in a good way! I will never again utter the phrase "gospel truth," as I now know that is a contradiction in terms. I was absolutely captivated learning about the historical context in which Jesus existed and how the religious practice he espoused was born of Judaism. What is also incredibly interesting/shocking, is the number of times cities are anihilated in the name of religion and power. Given all the details and insights the book provided, I can only imagine the extent of the research. Mind-boggling!