Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of NazarethZealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
Score Modern
What it's about
Two thousand years ago, a Jewish preacher and miracle worker gathered followers in Galilee to establish what he called the Kingdom of God. Reza Aslan argues that this movement was so threatening to Roman rule that Jesus was executed as a state criminal, and he explores the historical Jesus behind the Christ of faith.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 3 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a provocative, readable history.
You'll love it if you liked
The Gnostic Gospels
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
The Varieties of Religious ExperienceGood to know
Some scholars dispute its arguments. It's history, not theology.
By the numbers
- Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #7 of the 11 faith books we rank
- #187 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #700 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1322 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth worth reading?
Yes. It spent 3 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,322 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth about?
Two thousand years ago, a Jewish preacher and miracle worker gathered followers in Galilee to establish what he called the Kingdom of God. Reza Aslan argues that this movement was so threatening to Roman rule that Jesus was executed as a state criminal, and he explores the historical Jesus behind the Christ of faith.
How long does it take to read Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth?
About 8 hours (337 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth?
If you liked it, try The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari or The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James.