Because geek is cool and clever

Best book ever read April 23, 2009

Like many people I’ve read a lot of books in my life.
Between the ages of about 6 and 20-odd I probably ploughed my way through an estimated 300+ books but one of them stands out head and shoulders above anything else.

Since I first read Mission by Patrick Tilley when I was about 19, I have re-read it at least half a dozen times. It’s one of those books that you recommend to everyone and end up lending to passing friends and you never get it back.

I’ve bought six copies, usually because I leant it to someone and never got it back but mostly because I’ve read it or parts of it so many times that the spine breaks and pages end up falling out.

And so it is that I’ve just bought it once again from Amazon.

This book quite literally changed my life. It made me feel differently about everything I had previously thought.

Below is the abstract from the back of the book. It’s what first drew me to it (despite being atheist I have a total Jesus fixation). But the abstract is nothing compared to how this book ended up making me feel. It’s an incredible story, wonderfully written and full of thought-provoking ideas. It’s not a religious book in the accepted sense.

I’m always reading book suggestions, most of which are easily ignored. With Mission I urge you to read it.

Here’s what it says on the back of the book. I can clearly remember spending ages in the bookshop, savouring so many titles and wondering which I should buy. I think I’d shortlisted half a dozen before I saw this which easily won the day.

Here it is…

Easter Saturday. The naked body of a 35 year old man is rushed to Manhattan General Hospital. He has a two inch stab wound below his rib-cage and nail wounds in his feet and wrists.
The impossible has happened: Jesus Christ has appeared 7000 miles and 20 centuries away from the Crucifixion – dead on arrival.
What can the witnesses do? What would you do?