The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt [Hardcover]

Joseph Loconte (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 2012

Never before had they known such hope.

In a world drenched in violence and oppression, here was a man armed with a message of peace and freedom. Into lives nearly overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, he brought compassion and healing and the deepest joy. To people who felt like outcasts and aliens, he showed the way home. And then, in one devastating night, all their hopes collapsed.

This is where our story begins—in the valley of despair. It is a tale of two friends, a stranger, and a search for truth in a world gone mad with doubt.

Historian Joseph Loconte unlocks the meaning of their exchange, set in the chaotic days following the execution of Jesus of Nazareth. Drawing from literature, film, philosophy, history, and politics, Loconte shows how this biblical drama is an integral part of our own story. Sooner or later, we will find ourselves among the searchers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joseph Loconte is a Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in Politics at The King’s College in New York City, where he teaches Western Civilization and U.S. foreign policy and writes widely about the importance of religious freedom in strengthening democracy, human rights, and civil society.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 5, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595554467
• ISBN-13: 978-1595554468
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #588,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a masterpiece... May 21, 2012

By Eric Metaxas

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Every once in a while a book comes along that is so elegant and beautiful and vital that you can't imagine the world without it. Joe Loconte's THE SEARCHERS is a masterpiece, one of those rare books you will want to give to almost anyone, believers and non-believers alike. It overflows with wisdom and information about the very thing that makes us human, our search for meaning in the universe.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Searchers May 24, 2012

By Kenneth G. Campbell III

Format:Hardcover

Historian Joseph Loconte unravels the story of the travelers of Emmaus. He uses characters from Gilgamesh to Elvis Presley to get his point across: We are in a great search for God because He is our hero. From the beginning Loconte uses the media, culture, and tradition to relate the message to our modern lives. It begins in the valley of the shadow of death and we march on until we reach inexpressible joy.

I didn't jump out of my seat after every page, I had to think thoroughly. Loconte uses his great presentation skills to create a story for the mind. Every section contains a parallel to our world today. I was glad to see him not use all historical references, but references such as Harry Potter and Elvis Presley to relate to the younger generations. As a younger reader I was able to follow it smoothly, but he also intrigued me with the references I did not know.

I learned a lot from this book and I will end up learning a lot more because it introduced me to many of new articles, essays, and books. I greatly enjoyed The Searchers and will be excited to read other work by him. His students, I hear, love him and I can see why. He knows what he is talking about and enjoys what he does. For anyone looking for a book to read over the summer this is it! Everyone will be able to use this book to get their ideas out in a more fluent manner. Check it out!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Info - but not the Info promised June 4, 2012

By HarmonyWheeler

Format:Hardcover

Joseph Laconte's "The Searcher" is full of interesting information that would likely provide wonderful insights if only it had more room - perhaps if each chapter received its own book. Laconte's background and expertise as a history professor shows, as he includes numerous historical and cultural stories for context. Unfortunately, those stories and Laconte's explanations have little to do with the one story his book claims to be all about, that of the Road to Emmaus, which is found in Luke 24.

Laconte uses pieces of the Emmaus story to launch into specific topics that actually don't shed any light on the Luke 24 passage. For example, Laconte uses the travelers' mention of the Pharisees' actions to discuss the various evils that have been committed in Christ's name, such as the Spanish Inquisition. Another chapter uses the travelers' story (which tells of the women being greeted by angels at Jesus' grave) to discuss our modern perceptions of angels and what angels really are like. Laconte provides lots of interesting information, but only toward the end of his book does her really, finally spend a good amount of time talking about the actual Emmaus story and what readers can learn from it.

"The Searchers" contains plenty of interesting tidbits of information, but leaves readers "searching" for insights on the Luke 24 Road to Emmaus story - an element of Laconte's book that is surprisingly missing.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review of it.