Joshua: The Homecoming [Hardcover]

Joseph F. Girzone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 1999

Joseph Girzone wrote his parable in 1983 and published it himself with neither accompanying fanfare nor expectation of the extraordinary effect it would have on people around the world. With only word-of-mouth for advertising, and by virtue of its siniple message of love, Joshua became an international force of spiritual strength. after its modest beginnings, Joshua and its sequels have millions of readers around the world and continue to bring hope and peace to all who seek nourishment. When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are at first mystified, then confused by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears to seek nothing for himself. He supports himself solely by carpentry and woodworking, and he charges very little for his services. Yet his work is exquisite. Even more exquisite, and even more mysterious, is the extraordinary effect he has on everyone he meets. All who come in contact with him can't help but be transformed by his incredible warmth. The acceptance and love in his eyes and in each actions amazes the townspeople. Who is Joshua and just what is he up to? The answer to that question amazes them almost as much discovery of that same transforming power in each of their own hearts.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Joshua: The Homecoming is Joseph F. Girzone's sequel to the immensely popular Joshua. The title character, a kind and solitary carpenter, returns to the small town of Auburn after a 20-year absence. Joshua finds that many of his old friends have died, and he sees in the new generation a pervasive fear and spiritual insecurity. Many of the anxieties that plague the citizens of Auburn stem from millennial hysteria; and when signs of the Apocalypse begin to appear (such as a great earthquake just before the turn of the new year), Joshua soothes their fears by reminding them that God is love. "My father does not follow people's calendar," Joshua says. "If he decides to bring the world to an end, it will be when the work of His creation is perfected." Eventually, it becomes clear to Joshua that he must leave Auburn to preach his powerful message to the rest of the world. Like all of Girzone's books (including Never Alone and A Portrait of Jesus), this novel exudes empathy for its characters' loneliness and fears, and gives readers a strong sense of what it means to live in an intimate relationship with God.

From Library Journal

Another millennial novel, this one featuring the protagonist of Girzone's four best-selling Joshua novels. Here, Joshua seeks to reassure people anxious about the coming of the year 2000 even as a giant earthquake hits.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Religion; 1st edition (October 19, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385495099
• ISBN-13: 978-0385495097
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #783,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must read" for any fans of the Joshua books!, October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Joshua: The Homecoming (Hardcover)

This latest in the series of Joshua books does not disappoint. It is pointedly relevant to this specific point in time--the dawning of a new millenium. It was well written and nicely tied into the first Joshua book at the beginning. As per usual, the characterizations in the book are extremely well done. The wonderful message of Joshua shines through in this latest book, again leaving the reader uplifted, enlightened, hopefully inspired to change for the better, and with hope for the future of mankind.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the wait., October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Joshua: The Homecoming (Hardcover)

I've read all of the Joshua novels and its been some time since Joseph Girzone wrote his last one. But this new one was definitely worth the wait. It's much better than any of the stories since the first Joshua. This is a terrific book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Joshua No More., May 23, 2002

By 

tvtv3 "tvtv3" (Sorento, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Joshua: The Homecoming (Paperback)

I have read all the books in the Joshua series and a couple other books Joseph Girzone has written. My favorites are JOSHUA and JOSHUA AND THE CHILDREN. JOSHUA AND THE CHILDREN really moved me and affected me deeply, giving me a deeper appreciation for the finer things in life. I was really looking forward to reading JOSHUA THE HOMECOMING, the latest book in the series.

What a huge disappointment! The Joshua of JOSHUA THE HOMECOMING is not the same Joshua who appears in the other books in the series. The author says he is, but he's not really. No, the Joshua in this book is really just a puppet that the author uses to express his own beliefs and philosophies, some of which are not even Biblical. Now, there's nothing wrong with an author using a character he has created to spew forth the author's beliefs. However, Joshua isn't just some character. Joshua is supposed to be Jesus. Jesus isn't just a character and he shouldn't be treated as such.What made the first few Joshua books so enjoyable, memorable, and meaningful is that Joshua was Jesus. Girzone seems to have forgotten that. Instead, Joshua has become a mouthpiece of Joseph Girzone.

No longer does Joshua hide the identity of who he is, but now he lets people in on the "messianic secret" sometimes even telling them point blank who he really is. Not only that, but this Joshua claims that the Bible really isn't God-breathed but is an embellishment made by men. According to this Joshua: the claims of Christ about when the world would end aren't true and a prophecy might never reach it's fulfillment; macro-evolution is a fact of life; and we should all be blindly listening to scientists because they are the new prophets. This is just a sample of the teachings from the new Joshua.

I enjoyed reading all the other Joshua books, but JOSHUA THE HOMECOMING was a struggle to get through. The book isn't very long and the language is simple, yet it drags. Instead of caring what was going on with the story, I found myself wondering how long the book was going to drag. What a disappointment.