LAMB - The Gospel According to Biff

"I suppose that every boy wonders what he will be when he grows up.  I suppose that many watch their peers accomplish great things and wonder, 'Could I have done that?' For me, to know at ten that my best friend was the Messiah, while I would live and die a stonecutter, seemed too much of a curse for a ten-year-old to bear." -Biff

LAMB by Christopher Moore is a laugh out loud, thought provoking, insightful and refreshing look into the life of perhaps the most famous person that has ever lived.  The story is told from the point of view of Christ's best friend, Biff, but LAMB doesn't preach or make fun of religion. It simply tells the story of two great friends and their time together.

Joshua (Jesus) soon learns he needs to venture out into the world and learn how to be the Messiah. There is no hesitation in Biff as he takes his place is beside his friend, with no thought at all as to where their journey will take them.  Joseph tells Biff, "You go with Joshua.  He needs a friend to teach him to be human."  More than anything we see Joshua, aka; Jesus, as a human.  As Joshua learns, Biffs learns along side him, each coming away with vastly different, but complimentary knowledge.  

Joshua very much depends on Biff, on their friendship.  He seeks out his counsel, his advice, his humor.  They have amazing philosophical conversations, they study Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, yoga, as well as argue the Torah.  Without Biff Joshua would not have been the Messiah he came to be.

The humor, humanity and heart in this book are wonderful.  It takes the reader on an amazing journey of good friends who grow to become men, who learn to abandon their selfishness, strive for greatness and change the world.  LAMB truly is a must read.