Dear and Glorious Physician [Mass Market Paperback]

Taylor Caldwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1962

Novel set in ancient-Biblical days of the life of St. Luke

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 602 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Books; Reprint edition (March 1, 1962)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553115812
• ISBN-13: 978-0553115819
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,431,921 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A human face for a Gospel writer, May 25, 2001

By 

Devlin Tay (Adelaide, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dear and Glorious Physician (Library Binding)

I read this book years ago, as a teenager struggling with my own inner demons. It was one of the few books that made me cry, there were so many beautifully crafted scenes of humanity and redemption that resonated with what I was going through at that point in my life. Luke's mixed feelings and sometimes disdain for his father echoed some of the same feelings that I had for my parents, and woken me to the shame of having such unworthy feelings. Luke's lost of faith echoed my own inner struggles for identity, my constant feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness, and my then slowly dying faith in Christianity. My favorite scene in the whole book was a little story Mary told Luke: Lucifer, the Morningstar (portrayed here as an infinitely beautiful angel whose perfection is only marred by his own pride), took a clump of soil from the earth and showed it mockingly to Jesus, indicating that everything Jesus strives for is nothing more than dirt. Jesus then took up another clump of soil, and a plant grew and blossomed in his hand. Somewhere along the way, during those difficult years, I had also come to realise that this world, this life I've been given, is full of beauty and worthy things to struggle for and cherish, if only I would open my eyes and see them. I loved this book. BUY IT if you wish to read a fictionalised but touching account of St. Luke's life.

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites, October 4, 2001

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dear and Glorious Physician (Library Binding)

This novel is reminiscent of those that James Michener or Coleen McCullough write--that is, big, sweeping novels with historical content. Caldwell really brings Luke to life, from his beginnings as the young son of a greek freedman in the Roman Empire, to his ultimate search for Christ. Luke's spiritual search begins as a young child and continues throughout the Roman Empire, from a meeting with mysterious Chaldean priest, an encounter with Emperor Tiberius, up to his meeting with Mary, mother of Jesus. The background makes the Roman empire and the holy land in that time come to life. If you like historical novels, you can't go wrong with this one.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dear and Glorious Physician is a Great Novel, December 1, 2003

By 

Josh (Lafayette, LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dear and Glorious Physician (Mass Market Paperback)

This is not only a great period read, but a truly outstanding novel. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. Caldwell's research of the time period helps make the novel more believable, and makes the reader feel as if they were in the first century Roman Empire. Caldwell pays fine attention to detail when describing her settings, emotional natures, and physical traits of her characters. An example can be found on page 493; "The earth danced in heat waves; the sea flashed like blue fire." Here Caldwell personifies the earth, and uses simile to provide imagery of Lucanus's searching, and his attempts to record the life of Jesus. Again in the journey narrative, Caldwell uses metaphor to bring an ominous atmosphere to the mind's eye saying, "The moon was a yellow skull in the dark sky." Caldwell is careful not to clutter the work with description; she develops the plot well. I found her writing style easy to follow, which engages the reader and keeps them wanting more. There is no overwhelming theme of the novel; the book follows one man's journey, Lucanus (St. Luke), to come to know God and document the life of Christ. Although the book is religous in nature, Caldwell gives an objective perspective and does not preach to the reader. This is a great novel for people of all walks of life.