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God Knows
God Knows
Author: Joseph Heller
Joseph Heller's powerful, wonderfully funny, deeply moving novel is the story of David -- yes, King David -- but as you've never seen him before. You already know David as the legendary warrior king of Israel, husband of Bathsheba, and father of Solomon; now meet David as he really was: the cocky Jewish kid, the plagiarized poet, and the...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780440131854
ISBN-10: 0440131855
Publication Date: 9/1/1985
Pages: 400
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 12

3.7 stars, based on 12 ratings
Publisher: Dell
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
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Readnmachine avatar reviewed God Knows on + 1479 more book reviews
Very funny book. This is a rambling narrative told by the biblical King David as he approaches the end of his life while simultaneously trying to entice Bathsheba back into his bed and avoid naming her son Solomon his heir.

Dont look for history here. Oh, yes, David recounts multiple biblical stories frequently amending, editorializing, and re-assigning authorship but most of his time is spent recalling the details of his life, speculating about the characters of biblical patriarchs, commenting on the motives of his family members (many of whom spend large portions of the book trying to kill him), bragging about his writing and musical skills, reminiscing about his multiple wives and their various connubial talents, and kvetching about inaccuracies in Michaelangelos statue of him.

Oh yes about that last Hellers David is unfettered by linear history. He quite happily claims authorship of virtually every famous line ever written (up to and including Tennessee Williams) as well as the musical masterpieces of Bach, Mozart, and Haydn, discusses the American Civil War, dissuades his nephew from going off to conquer Russia, Korea, Japan, Turkey, England, Germany, France, and Poland, too, if there is one, and complains about the relative scenic wonders and cultural opportunities offered by Hollywood and Cannes as compared to those of Jerusalem.

And when hes not doing that, hes thinking about God. Talking to God. Arguing with God. Convincing himself and his contemporaries that God is dead -- or a homicidal madman.

It is Hellers genius that he manages to make all this eminently readable and laugh-out-loud funny.
reviewed God Knows on + 49 more book reviews
A funny tale of King David, giant-killer, in his final days.
reviewed God Knows on + 16 more book reviews
From the back of the book.

Joseph Heller's powerful, wonderfully funny, deeply moving novel is the story of David-yes, King David, but as you've never seen him before. We already know David as the warrior king of Israel, husband of Bathsheba, and father of Solomon; no meet David, the cocky Jewish kid, the plagiarized poet, the Jewish father. Hear David tell his own story, a story both ancient yet modern, about growing up and growing old, about men and women, and about man and God. It isquintessential Heller.


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