#22

I've seen Scorcese's film version about 12 times, which colored my first reading of Kazantzakis' novel. All dialogue was spoken in my head with thick New York accents, in particular Judas' potent "You broka ma heart!"

This is, I believe, the fourth novel about Jesus I've read, and they've all been excellent. I still think King Jesus is my favorite, with Godbody a close second. But Kazantzikas accents the humanity of his Christ in special ways, and takes great risks; having Jesus the carpenter fashion crosses for the Romans while God torments him with bird talon visions, for example. A pure pleasure, even for an atheist with Buddhist tendencies.