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God Knows [Paperback]

Joseph Heller
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)

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Book Description

November 12, 1997
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 Jewish father. Listen as David tells his own story, a story both relentlessly ancient and surprisingly modern, about growing up and growing old, about men and women, and about man and God. It is quintessential Heller.

Frequently Bought Together

God Knows + Good As Gold + Catch-22: 50th Anniversary Edition
Price for all three: $34.73

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joseph Heller was born in Brooklyn in 1923. In 1961, he published Catch-22, which became a bestseller and, in 1970, a film. He went on to write such novels as Good as Gold, God Knows, Picture This, Closing Time (the sequel to Catch-22), and Portrait of an Artist, as an Old Man. Heller died in December 1999.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster (November 12, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0684841258
  • ISBN-13: 978-0684841250
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.9 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joseph Heller was born in Brooklyn in 1923. In 1961, he published Catch-22, which became a bestseller and, in 1970, a film. He went on to write such novels as Good as Gold, God Knows, Picture This, Closing Time (the sequel to Catch-22), and Portrait of an Artist, as an Old Man. Heller died in December 1999.

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Customer Reviews

I ended up with the wonderful feeling that God is good, all the time! Heywood Wakefield  |  5 reviewers made a similar statement
This was one of Heller's best books. T. Bratz  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
40 of 46 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars More Entertaining Than Catch 22 July 1, 2000
Format:Paperback
If Heller had written Catch 22 with the same kind of easy style he exhibits in God Knows, then I might too be among those rabid Yosarian fans who claim it one of the best books in the damn universe. But it wasn't, and anyway, this review is about God Knows. There are many novels out there that make me smile and/or chuckle, but God Knows is one of the few that made me laugh out loud in several places. Read it if only for the passage with the lisps. You'll know what I mean when you get there. And I like the original treatment of Kind David, making him more human than divine. I normally avoid speculating on what the author was thinking or trying to do with a character, but given Heller's treatment of David's sense of time and the way David constantly claims credit for contemporary work, I kept thinking of him as a paranoid/neurotic in a mental ward somewhere imagining himself as David. Next time I'm at a seance I'll ask Heller if that was the case. But mental patient or not, the style still worked for me. Now some petty critiques: for such a build up regarding Solomon and his brother, the pay off was small to non-existent. The reader knows all along what happened with Solomon, and the expected fireworks never appeared. Fizzled even. And Heller (or a competent editor) could have or should have cut out about forty pages worth of redundancy. But there's so much entertainment here that, unless you're an easily offended pious type who can't take a little good natured blasphemy (stay away from that not helpful button, you) I enthusiastically recommend the book.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Pull Out Your Bible and GIGGLE!! January 16, 2001
By David
Format:Paperback
In what can only be called the shear GENIUS of Joseph Heller, God Knows crosses the line between biblical irony and just plain FUN!! As a member of the clergy I found this book a refreshing and oftentimes TOO POIGNANT look at one of the greatest biblical heroes! Heller breathes life and REALITY into a character of mythical proportions. . . just in time to remind us that we are all HUMANS and a part of God's work. I am sorry for those Catch-22 fans that cannot let go of their IDOL WORSHIP for Joseph Heller. They are missing out on good writing and some downhome chuckles. . . GO FIGURE!!
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Blasphemy at its most hilarous and biting August 7, 2002
Format:Paperback
Although I would not say that this book is entirely on the level of Heller's first three books (all masterpieces), as it does not, perhaps, resonate with the vibrancy and poignancy of everyday life as those works do, God Knows is nevertheless an entertaining, blasphemous, and laugh-out-loud hilarous Bibilical parody. Many an author has turned their skills to the task of setting a famous Bibilical character into the universe of modern literature and re-telling their story that way, but few have done it with the intelligence, wit, and sheer knowledge of Heller. This is the work of a man that, though perhaps a Jewish atheist (I'm not too sure of what Heller's religious views were), nevertheless clearly had a vast and perhaps encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible - or the Old Testament, at any rate. Here, we have the story of King David ("the best story in The Bible", as the narrarator himself repeatedly tells us), told through Heller's first-person satiric lens, casting the famous and mythical character straight into the pantheon of modern literature. Many may well consider this book blasphemous (although I am glad, and pleasantly surprised, indeed, to see in some of the other reviews here that members of the clergy have read and enjoyed it), it is all in good fun, and quite an entertaining read - as well as also hitting home at several points. Although there are several laugh-out-loud segments, Heller, beneath the farce, is also asking existential questions, as well as tackling some complex moral issues: God's apparent inclination towards punishing the innocent for the crimes of the guilty is given a good bit of attention here. Although this book may well have some sort of a built-in audience due to it's Bibilical leanings, it probably does not have a more or less universal audience as his first three books did - being steeped heavily, as it is, in its subject matter. I think that you will enjoy the book a lot more, and will certainly find it funnier, if you are familar with The Bible - or at least the parts that it deals with. Indeed, if you are highly steeped in Bibilical subject matter, you may well consider this Heller's best book. I reccommend it regardles, however: even if you are not knowledgable with its inherent subject matter, you will still find the book enjoyable, especially if you are a fan of Heller's particular style and liked his other writings.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars AN EMPIRE AS LARGE AS THE STATE OF MAINE
Old Testament tales told through the eyes of King David. Puts history into perspective by sometimes popping in and out of the centuries. Very creative touch. Read more
Published 22 months ago by OLD GUY.
5.0 out of 5 stars "God Knows" Heller
Hysterical commentary on biblical account of King David. Heller's command of biblical commentary, midrash and legend is exhaustive. Read more
Published on March 15, 2011 by Donald J. Weinshank
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
This is my second copy of the book, and it is still as enchanting as it was the first time! Easy sale and delivery, absolutely no problems,will buy from them again.
Published on December 22, 2010 by jatwood4
5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly better than Catch-22?
Heller satirizes human nature, which allows for jokes about something three thousand years ago to easily relate to modern times. Read more
Published on October 29, 2010 by foundationalmethods
5.0 out of 5 stars god knows--good book and good deal
i was very glad to find the book, god knows, by joseph heller. it is fairly hard to find these days, i don't know why. however, it's a great story. Read more
Published on June 21, 2010 by david murray
5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterful Reimagining
The David story is, arguably, the best-known story in the world. Tackling it is an act of supreme chutzpah. Joseph Heller, as always, fails to disappoint. Read more
Published on December 16, 2009 by James V. Palmer
4.0 out of 5 stars God Knows
The book is written from the point of view of King David after his marriage to Bathsheba and his falling-out with God. Read more
Published on July 29, 2009 by M. Owens
2.0 out of 5 stars Not very funny, not captivating, and not historically accurate
I found this book listed in a bibliography of recommended works of historical fiction. What I expect from historical fiction is a captivating story, with historical reality woven... Read more
Published on February 8, 2009 by Tom Dykstra
4.0 out of 5 stars A humorous and ingenious approach to a revered biblical tale.
`God Knows' is quintessential Heller. Perhaps that is all you need to know if you are wondering if you should buy this book. Read more
Published on January 28, 2008 by Charlie M
4.0 out of 5 stars An Original Take on an Old Story
This rambling narrative is 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... Read more
Published on April 20, 2007 by Lynda in Oregon
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