Description
Book SynopsisFrom award-winning author Ariel Sabar comes the gripping, true story of a sensational religious forgery and the scandal that engulfed Harvard University.
In 2012, Dr Karen King, a star professor at Harvard Divinity School, announced a blockbuster discovery. She had found an ancient fragment of papyrus — ‘The Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’, as she titled it — in which Jesus called Mary Magdalene ‘my wife’. Her announcement made international headlines. If early Christians believed that Jesus was married, it would upend the 2,000-year history of the world’s predominant faith, threatening not just the celibate, all-male priesthood but sacred teachings on marriage, sex, and women’s leadership.
As debates over the manuscript’s authenticity raged, award-winning journalist Ariel Sabar set out to investigate a baffling mystery: where did this tiny scrap of papyrus come from? His indefatigable search for answers became an international true-crime story, in which, remarkably, he managed to solve the crime.
Trade Review‘Ariel Sabar tells a fascinating story.’
-- Craig Brown * The Mail on Sunday *
‘A dramatic tale of gullibility, deception, ideology and academic politics.’
-- Matthew Reisz * Times Higher Education *
‘[A] madcap, unforgettable book … [F]or enthusiasts of ancient Christianity … and readers of idea-driven capers, whether by Daniel Silva or Janet Malcolm. It’s a barely believable tale, crazier than a tweed-sniffer in the faculty lounge.’
-- Mark Oppenheimer * New York Times Book Review *
‘It’s a story about journalism done right, about Sabar’s own capable, dogged sleuthing to get to the bottom of those famous headlines … Veritas offers a vital lesson less about Christianity than about what happens when a scholar decides that the story is more important than the truth.’
-- Lucas Wittmann * Time *
‘Ariel Sabar is an excellent investigative journalist explaining in detail a con that could have changed all of Christianity. Whatever the scam, the con artist and the victim both have an agenda.’
-- Frank Abagnale, author of
Catch Me If You Can‘Mesmerising … [Sabar] has our attention, and slowly, remorselessly, he pays out the rest of his devilish yarn … Savour the denouement — and don't leave at intermission.’
-- Alex Beam * Wall Street Journal *
‘Sabar’s meticulous reporting shows how quickly the first victims of a forgery turn into con men themselves, desperately manipulating the evidence to keep plugging holes in a forger’s fragile story. A masterful portrait of desire and a gripping analysis of a scandal that reveals the blurred lines between scholarship, faith, and lies. An unprecedented contribution to the study of forgery.’
-- Dr Erin Thompson, art crime professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and author of
Possession: the curious history of private collectors from antiquity to the present‘This astonishing book — part detective story, part exercise in reporting conducted at its highest level — reaches hold of you by the shirt collar and doesn’t let go … Exciting on every level, it poses the deepest question of faith: does it depend on the scholarly verification of ancient fragments or on what Heaney called a journey ‘into the marvellous’? I was bowled over by it.’
-- Caitlin Flanagan, author of
Girl Land‘Intriguing religious/true-crime story involving a possible wife of Jesus … A lengthy yet fascinating tale of how one scholar was duped, both by a con man and by herself.’
* Kirkus Reviews *
‘Veritas is a fascinating journey into theology and academia, meticulously researched, well-written, consistently engaging.’
-- Gregg Easterbrook, author of
It’s Better Than It Looks‘If turning scraps of ancient papyrus into an enthralling true-crime escapade takes a miracle, consider Ariel Sabar a miracle worker … Veritas, Latin for truth and inscribed on the Harvard seal, is an extraordinary and mind-bending adventure into ancient traditions with modern consequences.’
* Shelf Awareness *
‘Sabar has written a true story of mystery and intrigue … [B]lending religious history with a tale of deception … [A] well-researched, engrossing backstory of failed discovery from a noted scholar.’
-- Jacqueline Parascandola * Library Journal *
‘A work of exemplary narrative nonfiction … [F]itting neatly into the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction category … Provocative and probing.’ STARRED REVIEW
* Booklist/American Library Association *
‘Fascinating … Ariel Sabar digs out every detail in his engrossing book … The interaction of these two characters, one with a deep need to deceive and the other with a desperate need to believe, presents a wholly human story of frailty and weakness.’
-- Tom Gjelten * NPR *
‘[A]n exhaustive examination of the whole affair in a work of exemplary narrative nonfiction … Provocative and probing, this will entice readers interested in the history of early Christianity.’
-- Ilene Cooper * Booklist *
‘Extraordinary … [A]stonishing … The book is as good as a detective novel, possessing plot, subplots, hidden motives, bees in eccentric bonnets and startling revelations.’
-- Katherine A. Powers * Minneapolis Star Tribune *
‘A tour de force of investigative journalism … Mr. Sabar’s book is a model on how to investigate any new ‘discoveries’ from ancient texts. It is also a cautionary tale about the acceptance of experts and expertise at face value.’
-- Rebecca I. Denova * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *
‘Sabar offers plenty of fascinating arcana about scientific and historical methods for testing and analysing such an object, and he also brings to life many of the people involved … Veritas is packed with details and tells a complex story, but Sabar’s prose is clear and inviting, and the book is structured with a well-tuned sense of suspense. It’s a wonderfully absorbing example of truth being stranger than fiction.’
-- Colette Bancroft * Tampa Bay Times *
‘A thriller for eggheads.’
* Boston Globe *
‘A testament to the value of investigative journalism … [F]ull of shocking and revelatory moments.’
* Daily Beast *
‘Scintillating … Sabar is a master storyteller.’
* Tablet *
Praise for My Father's Paradise:
‘A biography, a memoir, a meticulously reconstructed history of a largely vanished people and place … Transcending mere reportage, it acquires a novel-like warp and weft.’
* Los Angeles Times *
Praise for My Father's Paradise:
‘Sabar offers something rare and precious — a tale of hope and continuity that can be passed on for generations.’ STARRED REVIEW
* Publishers Weekly *
Praise for My Father's Paradise:
‘Graceful and resonant.’
* New York Times Sunday Book Review *
Praise for Heart of the City:
‘A beguiling romp.’
* New York Times *
Praise for Heart of the City:
‘Charming, uplifting tales.’
* Library Journal *
Praise for Heart of the City:
‘Quirky true tales about city landmarks and chance encounters.’
* New York Magazine *
