Mel Gibson Books

Inside the Passion is a behind the scenes peek at how the movie was made. It explains why certain things were shown and is surprisingly useful as a meditation tool.

A lot of folks flipped out because they thought the scourging and crucifixion scenes were too strong. The book explains why Mel Gibson and his team decided that they were not going to sanitize the Passion the way other movies had in the past.

Some folks nitpicked becuase Gibson and the team decided to have Jesus speak Latin to Pilate but the book shows that they made this decision for pretty sensible reasons: 1. The Romans had been in Palestine for 40 years. In Gallilee, which was heavily gentile by that time, a smart person must have been roughly familiar with Latin if for no other reason than that it was important to know how high to jump when a Roman soldier demanded that you do so. 2. Jesus was God. He could've spoken in any language He chose when He decided to speak to Pilate's ignorance.

Finally, the great strength of this book is that it so closely follows the movie step by step that even if you never saw the film after reading the book you will understand it. This is an excellent work and I plan to buy more copies as gifts.

I bought this book for my Dad, but opened it up last night and couldn't put it down. The book is only 186 pages, but it's not a quick read. It makes you think. It brings up insights I never thought about, Mel Gibson's 12 years of meditating on Christ's Passion have born a lot of fruits. Read it for yourself.

This book is written so clearly that almost anyone should have no trouble understanding the way Father John Bartunek, a Legionary of Christ (Roman Catholic Religious Order), clarifies the different aspects of Christ's Passion as is portrayed by Mel Gibson in his movie. Father John spent time on the set, watching as Mel filmed this great epic and has not only interesting insights into the filming of the movie, but also clarifies the main points, as well as details of the entire Passion of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. The movie is well worth rewatching ... as you read Inside the Passion and you will see it in a new light every time. Our Lord's Passion speaks to each of us individually, touching our hearts anew and calling us to a real Love, that comes from Christ Himself. This is a great book and a great gift for anyone at any stage in their faith.

This book is actual written by John Bartunek. He is a priest with wonderful insites. He speant a great deal of time on the set when it was being filmed and during the editing. This is a great companion to the movie.
I Loved this book so much I bought a copy for my mother and myself as well- and I will probably being buying them for a few people I know this year (just before) Easter.
I Hope that he writes more books in the future.

I saw Fr. John Bartunek (the author) give a presentation on The Passion of Christ (event and film) last night to a surprisingly packed (who knew so many people would show up on a Tuesday night to discuss a two-year old film?) university campus church auditorium of over 500 people (students and community members). His presentation, like his book, gives a fascinating and compelling account of the theology and symbolism that went into the making of Mel Gibson's film. The presentation was electrifying; the book is no less moving and thought-provoking. For example, there's a very short scene in the film when, in the midst of the horrific flogging of Christ, the camera turns to what appears to be a shot of a young mother with her infant child in the crowd. As the camera moves in on them, however, we find that the woman is not beautiful, but very odd and sinister, and the baby almost inhuman, as we see when it turns its head to give the viewer an evil smile. The symbolism: The woman represents the devil and the child his handiwork. Gibson takes an iconoclastic image of Beauty (Madonna and Child) and turns it into Evil (devil and inhuman offspring). The point:
Evil is not immediately identifiable as starkly evil; rather, evil is simply beauty that has become distorted and false. It tempts us into thinking it is one thing, when in fact it is quite something else. The significance, twofold: to illustrate the devil's role in the suffering and death of Christ and, perhaps more importantly, to show that when Christ is at his weakest (including in modern society), the devil gains a foothold. Interesting tidbit: Gibson used a beautiful actress as the devil, had her head and eyebrows shaved, and used makeup to turn her into something very un-beautiful. And this was only one 20-second scene! The examples go on and on. As a liberal-minded Catholic unhappy with the "culture wars" surrounding so many issues today, I was pleased to see that this film had no agenda other than to relate the Gospel story with the major theme being Christ's love for all humanity, including not only us simple sinners but also those who beat, mock, and kill him, in various ways. It's an invigorating story and makes the book well worth reading.

Call to Arms is one of those books that literally takes you on a journey back in time. The civil war error is brilliantly portrayed on many levels, including the emotions, challenges, romance, and spiritual relevance of a time in history that changed the destiny of individuals as well as our nation. The colorful characters and plots capture your interest and allows you to live the story with them. It would be wonderful to see this story of love and faith come to life on a movie screen!
A Texas friend and fan.

"Call to Arms" is a must read and spellbinding novel. It has all the elements needed for fascinating reading - a book you will not want to put down until it is finished. It is a haunting, true life depiction of Civil War times. There is something for everyone; charming true love, hilarious comedy, hope, beauty, sadness, joy, and historical accuracy of the mid 1800's. This is the perfect book for giftgiving for those who read for pure pleasure. It would make a wonderful movie with a musical score to create that "Old World Charm."

"Call to Arms" is a must read spellbinding novel. It has all the elements needed for fascinating reading - a book you will not want to put down until it is finished. It is a haunting, true life depiction of Civil War times. There is something for everyone; charming true love, hilarious comedy, hope, beauty, sadness, joy, and historical accuracy of the mid 1800's. This is the perfect book for giftgiving for those who read for pure pleasure. It would make a wonderful movie with a great musical score to create that "Old World Charm."

As you can see I gave this book a 5 star rating wishing That I could give it a 10 star rating. This is the most exciting book that I have read in a long time. Loved the colorful carictures
Holds your interest, coulden't put it down, brought tears to my eyes Is a wonderful book!

This is a wonderful story set amid the dramatic mid 1800's backdrop of our nation's Civil War. I appreciate how Mr. Wayne has weaved a realistic drama into the pages of this historic time period, while incorporating both the tragedy of the many battles and the trials, tribulations and indomitable spirit of those who were both on the front lines and on the home front. While set predominantly in the South, it offers a comprehensive look at both the North and the South, and the issues that were of concern to the people who lived during that time - all the while remaining true to historical facts. It is primarily a love story, with bits of humor and strong spiritual faith blended in, while being an uplifting educational read - and at the same time offering a profound perspective on life itself.

That book gave me information about Mel Gibson that I could not get anywhere else (and, as a fan, I have just read a lot about him)!! It is both bography and film description (very large description of each film!) Also very will written - I could not stop reading until I came to the last page! I think anyone will enjoy it!

Very, very good and large backround informations about Mel Gibson's life, thei history of his films and recent films of the most important costars!

Passionate Dialogues is a book well worth reading even though Mel Gibson's film came out some time ago. The articles in this book highlight many reasons why we, Christians and Jews, should not let the flurry of conversations and opinions and feeling that the movie sparked die out. The editors did a great job of pulling together a rich array of perspectives that dig deeply into everything from film making to the war on terror and Biblical scholarship.

These are my comments, section by section:

Historical perspecitives:
Denova's article is a trove of clear and concise information culled from extra-Biblical sources. She uses this scholarship to help inform us of Gibson' manipulation of the Passion Narrative. She shows us that his primary focus on who was responsible for Christ's death overshadows the very real tragedy of Jesus' betrayal by all. She makes a compelling argument that Gibson's film is unfortunate because its portrayal of Jesus' death as atoning sacrifice continues what J. D. Crossan calls the "largest lie" in Christianity.

Richard Miller's article continues on with the atonement. His quite original work compares Gibson's traditional portrayal as Jesus as victim - an atoning, universal sacrifice for sin, with an older tradition culled from 2 and 4 Maccabees and other Hellenistic sources. His argument that Jesus, following a strong theological and historical precedent for martyrdom in his own time, determined to attain martrydom to foment a radical change, is meticulous and compelling.

Anne Brannen's article points to a place that I identified with strongly as I watched the movie - there was no point of contact for me to implicate myself into Christ's passion as a perpetrator. She describes a medieval resource that Gibson overlooked in his medieval treatment of the story: The York play "Crucifixtion." Using the perspective present in this play, people would have been drawn into the realization of their own sin and redemption, much like a modern day David Mamet play can do for an audience today.

In "From Stage to Screen," Ziva Piltch discusses quite well the translation of the somewhat parallel tradition of medieval Passion Plays to the genre of film Her analysis is very thought provoking. I found myself fascinated by her revelations about how film direction, editing and photography moves us in ways that are more limiting than the techniques of the medieval playwrights. Her insights into anti-semitism in Gibson's film are key and exacting.

Dorothy Chansky's easily accessible article is a great look at the more homespun modern passion plays in North America. I appreciate her bias completely. Especially good are her observations that when these plays are "preaching to the choir" their underlying purpose of conversion, like Gibson's film, marginalizes anyone from outside the community. She makes the point that theater can be used to critique and reinvent stereotypes such as the evil Jews or a Caucasian Jesus. Gibson wasted this opportunity.

Literary perspectives:
Ray Keck's literary analysis is inventive and powerful. He sees a certain awful beauty in the violent portrayal of the sacrifice of Christ in Gibson's movie. Mentioning several Spanish authors and works - Lorca and Miro - he identifies the Passion of Christ as a modern day metonymy for the state of our world today. Much as "the bottle" has become a metonym for the disease of alcholism - Christ's passion has become a metonym for our reality.

In a dialogue with the writings of Flannery O'Connor, Williams does a beautiful job of upholding Gibson's portrayal of Satan and the ongoing battle between him and Jesus. Using the vehicle of transubstantiation, he makes a case for placing Gibson's vision on par with great literature. This disturbs me because he fails to see, I think, Gibson's failed attempt to "present violence s a vehicle to understanding the world." (p. 120) I wonder if Gibson's personified Satan does anything except place our own hands on the mallet and nails (as Gibson claims.)

In the article "What Gibson Really Meant", Wilhelm Wurzer seems to echo things that preachers, probably even including Jesus, have long known: "the real spirit of Gibson's film is not limited to ... the various incidents... on screen." (p. 137). I think what "Wurzer really meant", but never says, is that the Holy Spirit can be relied upon to allow a picture of Jesus that is alive and in the world, inspite of Gibson's alternative purposes. This unlimited quality, along with the masterful cinematography and score lead Wurzer to dub the movie a "work of art."

Sarah Haeglin examines Gibson's cinematic decisons and declares that his intense scrutiny and portrayal of the scourging of Jesus is an ethical failure. She argues convincingly that his flashback technique - cutting violence with loving moments with the women - subverts the message of Christ and the mystery of salvation by shifting the historic theology of the cross to the theology of the whip.

Psychoanalytic perspectives:
Don Carveth take on Gibson's film claiming that its violent picture of Jesus' death supports a less evolved understanding of the atonement - limiting it to the substitutionary model. He recognizes a more "advanced" understanding of the atonement (that I like except for the hiearchy he attributes to it.) This is one that allows good and evil to be experienced and held in tension with one another. He, therefore, judges Gibson's film to be narrow and primitive by supporting a view of Christianity that denies many of its central truths and paradoxes.

Philip Gundersn sees Gibson's film as another voice in the "language of sacrifice" (p. 180) that has taken over in neo-conservative rhetoric since 9/11. He argues rather brilliantly that the old Freudian model of psycho-sexual development, wherein we sacrifice pleasure for delayed gratification at some stage in our lives, is played out in extreme in this film. This same CHOICE for sacrifice is being called for in the war on terror by the power that be today.

Britton Johnston's argument that Gibson portrays Jesus as the ultimate Lethal Weapon is compelling. Using the anthropological/literary work of Rene Girard, Johnston shows that Gibson's work totally reverses and undoes the hopeful message of the whole Bible - that humanity can say NO to its ancient and mythic patterns of scape-goating as opposed to grace and mercy.

Interfaith Perspective:
David Shtulman write a very well balanced article on how Gibson's film provides a teachable moment for Jewish/Christian relationships. He highlights the progress of this reconciliation starting with Vatican II. And, while not ignoring the anti-Semitic aspects of the film, he cautions Jews not to over react or expect to tell Christians how to tell their own story.

Daniel Burston finishes the collection with an article that takes us back to the beginning articles. He cautions Christians to deepen their understanding of why Jews don't necessarily appreciate the universalism of humanity's culpability for the death of Jesus. He feels that Gibson's movie is an anachronism that has reversed the ideal of a vibrant and humane religious pluralism" (p. 239) He also outlines, with brave honesty, what he sees as a "Faustian bargain" that exists between Evangelicals and Israeli Jews and also between more mainline factions of both faiths as we band together against the Muslims. His discussion of original sin was eye-opening.

This is an amazing book that deserves wide circulation. It is not simply a book about Mel Gibson's movie - it's a frank and scholarly discussion of the role of religion in American life. The editors - Daniel Burston and Rebecca Denova - have done an excellent job of assembling a wide-array of opinions on Gibson's movie. Indeed, Burston and Denova deserve our gratitude for insisting on essays that are both challenging and contrary to the editors' own view. This book does not bash Gibson's movie. That would be too easy and not particularly edifying. Rather, the editors have done what Gibson himself is constitutionally incapable of doing - they have treated religion as something problematic, as something that needs to be thought out, and as something not to be used as a bludgeon to force people into line.

The book has 14 chapters, organized by 5 themes. The first section is Historical Perspectives, which looks at Gibson's movie from a number of different perspectives. The lead essay by Denova gives a very good overview of the meaning (to both Christians and Jews) of passion plays, the crucifix, the arrest and trial of Jesus. Overall, Denova writes a very measured essay, criticizing Gibson for emphasizing conflict over love. This, of course, could be criticized, for Gibson is hardly deserving of one's moderation; but Denova has written a fine historical essay that is very thoughtful and sensitive.

The other essays in the section are less rigorous, but no less interesting. Richard Miller thinks that Gibson is courageous to tell the story as he does, but he doesn't back that claim up; Anne Brannen dislikes the use of "medieval" as a synonym for reactionary, and tries to revive an alternative understanding of that concept. She finds that Gibson's medievalism may not be the most salutary understanding of that term.

Piltch and Chansky both discuss the meaning of the Passion play in western culture. It seems clear that Gibson knows that Passion plays incite anti-semitism and hatred; it is hard to divorce the meaning of these plays from innocent religious theatrics.

The next section discusses Gibson's movie from literary perspectives. The two essays are short but incisive commentaries on the role of violence in Gibson's movie.

The next section is on Film Studies. These two essays are perhaps the best of the book. The first essay by Wurzer is a strange one. He not only tries to revive Nietzsche as a rightwing philosopher, but he brings along Mel Gibson and Jesus too. Wurzer is clearly having fun using rightwing postmodernism to his favor. His essay suffers, however, from his desire for play at the expense of locating Gibson's excesses, his stupid anti-semitic remarks, his paranoia, his historical inaccuracies, and his bloodlust within the tradition he is trying to revive. Sarah Hagelin's essay rectifies some of Wurzer's omissions. She discusses the film from the standpoint of film studies. She finds problems with the movie as well as with its theology (which Wurzer doesn't address). She rightly places the movie in context with other movies on Jesus' life (Scorcese), as well as within a literary tradition, emphasizing the movie's violence as part of the larger American culture and Mel Gibson's filmography. It's an essay well worth reading.

Daniel Burston is a professor of psychology (see his other books on Amazon), and no doubt encouraged some authors to discuss essays from a psychoanalytic perspective. This was a brilliant idea. In this section, there is one short essay, a medium essay discussing Rene Girard, and a longer one that discusses the movie through a Lacanian and Deluezian perspective. This essay too is one of the finest in the book, and a good corrective to Wurzer's.

Finally, there are essays on inter-faith dialogue. It's clear that Gibson's movie has irritated the issue, with conservative religious people defending the movie without acknowledging its major defects, its distortions, its use of violence, its antisemtic imagery. Dan Burston clearly feels the pain of Gibson's efforts. He writes a sensitive essay on the damage done by Gibson to interfaith dialogue. But Burston, one feels, is an optimist, and the book reflects his overall efforts to bring diverse people together. Bravo!

This is a fine book on a difficult topic. Burston and Denova are sensitive and fine scholars of their respective fields. Although the movie came out some time ago, this book is not untimely. The issues it addresses are contemporary issues. It is fair, open, moderate, and dedicated to the finest spirit of liberalism - all things, unfortunately, Mel Gibson seeks to rid us of.

A great book; well documented and argued. It holds up for display the many myths about Canada perpetuated by the media and pundits as opposed to the reality.
The case is convincingly made out that Canada has in fact a corporate plutocracy and ideology calling the shots and running the show, under the guise and veneer of a democracy.
This book should be a must read for every Canadian who really cares about our country and where it is heading, and the future for our children and grandchildren.

THE PASSION: PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE MOVIE is a nice souvenir book, but now that the DVD is available, you don't really need this book.

When THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST was still in theaters in its original run, I bought several copies of this book, to give to family members. At that time it was very helpful and people were very curious to look through the book, due to all of the news and publicity, whether or not they had seen the film.

Since then, now that THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST has been out on DVD, this book is more for the biggest fans of the film only, since you might as well watch the DVD, instead of look at most of these photos.

Most of the photos do NOT seem to show too much that isn't already in the film. Most of the pages have one small color photo and very minimal text, usually Bible verse quotes. Most photos could use further explanation if someone was not familiar with the Bible story, or had not yet seen the film. There is a VERY SHORT section of SMALL b/w photos at the end of the book that show some production shots that you won't see in the film. Most of the color photos throughout the book look pretty much like what you see onscreen during the movie.

It's a very nice book, but it was a lot more unique BEFORE the DVD came out.

Instead of this book, I would recommend that you first buy the DVD version of the film, especially THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST: DEFINITIVE EDITION, which has both the original full length film and the RECUT version from a year later (5 minutes shorter). (Don't be confused by its poor DVD back cover description which only mentions the RECUT version! The DEFINITIVE EDITION has BOTH versions!) The DEFINITIVE EDITION also has about 140 minutes of Making Of, documentary footage, and 3 different commentary tracks (2 with Mel Gibson), so THE DEFINITIVE EDITION on DVD is the way to go, for about the same price as this book!

OK. If you're going to create a pictorial accompaniment to a controversial movie, AT LEAST PUT IN THE BEST PICTURES!!!

"The Passion of the Christ" intersperses stills from the movie with snippets from the passion section of the gospels. But whatever its value as a devotional or meditative aid, it is missing nearly all of the over-the-top images from the movie. There's no snake in Gethsemane; no clear image of Satan; no Jesus hanging off the bridge; no demon children hounding Judas; none of the nastiest scourging scenes; no long stairway to ascend with the cross; no shroud image on Veronica's cloth; no flipping Jesus on his face; no shoulder dislocation; no eye-piercing crow.

Virtually none of the images that stayed with me from the movie are included. I wonder why not? Were these scenes too gruesome when transferred to the printed page? Or were they rendered silly when they could be studied at leisure? I can't figure out Mel Gibson for adding these gruesome scenes to the film. I understand less why he left them out of the book. Weird.

Mel Gibson's pornographic depiction of violence, blood, and torn flesh is not for me. It's disgusting and disturbed. There are more respectable and watchable movies made about Jesus and the Bible. The Passion is sheer torture from a gore-obsessed mind.

This book captures some of the breathtaking images from the movie "The Passion." Combined with relevant scriptures, both from the gospel and Old Testament prophecies of Christ, the images allow one to really meditate on the suffering of Christ, each step of the way.

The pictures follow his ordeal that began in the garden, as he prays to the Father. Each step is captured in a stunning picture or two. That ends with his death on the cross and then a visual image indicating his resurrection. This is akin to a visual tool to follow the stations of the cross and allow their significance to sink in. In that way, this book becomes interactive as a prayer and devotional tool.

There are also some pictures of the filming of the movie that provide a glimpse of Mel Gibson and the actors setting the stage for the movie.

I think this book is a must-have for anyone who appreciated the movie The Passion or for anyone who is a Christian but was not willing to endure watching the suffering of Christ in the movie. Although I strongly recommend the movie and the book, the book offers a more bearable way to see what he endured and to appreciate his sacrifice for those who avoided the movie.

Wonderfully done, like the movie! The pictures are just as touching as the film. The book touches on the most important scenes, the relationship between Jesus and Mary and the suffering He went through in the end. It doesn't fail to point out that Jesus rose from the dead also. This book clearly communicates the purpose of Jesus dying for us and that He is God. It has brought me closer to the Lord and I'm sure has had the same effect on other people. It's also a great way to introduce Mel Gibson's film to friends.

Mel Gibson's depiction of Christ's Passion has stirred a vertiginous array of reactions. Some lovingly praise the movie's moving depiction of Jesus' gift to humanity while others condemn it as a perversion of Christianity, a racist diatribe, or a form of [...]. Not only that, the film's influence, ubiquity, and controversy seem to preclude any rational discussion amongst its supporters and detractors. Film reviews supply the most salient evidence of this. Neutral or middle of the road reviews rarely appear, and most reviews get crammed with overbearing for or against hyperboles. This book, intended for the general reader, attempts to remedy this seemingly hopeless situation. It brings together the viewpoints of Christians (Roman Catholics, Evangelicals and Protestants), Jews, Mormons, and even Atheists into one non-inflammatory volume. It succeeds greatly in this task. The book does not sell or indoctrinate one viewpoint on Gibson's film. Nor does it ever try to impose on the reader a "correct" stance. Each of its 20 essays of course has a specific point of view on the film and the issues it raises, but the book as a whole is balanced. Some essays read like theology, others like Cultural Theory, even others like philosophy. A virtual salad of styles awaits.

The topics covered by the book are as diverse as the authors. Five main sections divide the essays. The first deals with the horrific violence portrayed in the film; the second with charges of anti-semitism; the third with the film's accuracy to scripture; the fourth with the "why?" of the passion; the fifth with ethical questions surrounding the Passion. Each section presents level headed for and against positions on the issues. Some of the issues discussed include: Is the violence justified? How does the movie deal with atonement? Does the movie distort Jesus and scripture? What motivated the making of the movie? How do Christians and Jews view the film differently? Can we forgive Judas, and if so, how? What influences did Gibson draw from in making the movie? Did Christ receive due process? What can the Passion teach us about our own mortality? How are women depicted in the film? How do Christ's and Socrates' deaths appear similar or different? Is the Passion anti-semitic? Could Jesus have chosen differently? What theory of nonviolence did Jesus subscribe to? The book also elucidates some of the devices and Biblical references Gibson utilized to make his point (and just what his point was gets debated throughout the book). Those who have seen the movie and are not familiar with scripture will learn a lot. Those seeking elucidation of the principles of Christianity portrayed in the film will also learn much. Open minded readers of any bend will likely finish the book with their extreme viewpoints dulled somewhat. The book simply does a great job of presenting the good arguments on all sides. If the book does have a unifying message it's that "I'm right, you're wrong" is not the best attitude to take towards this film. The book won't make one love the film if one hates it or hate the film if one loves it, but it will make one think more deeply about the issues it raises.

Along the way, many big names and concepts get introduced. Some are theological, some philosophical, some ethical. Apart from the obvious Biblical names that appear, many other big names appear, such as Aristotle, Plato, Nietzsche, Boethius, Augustine, Hegel, Aquinas, Heidegger, Socrates, C.S. Lewis, Buber, Tolkien, Elaine Pagels, and even Dan "The Da Vinci Code" Brown. Probably the best time to read this book is after seeing the movie at least once and before viewing it again. This book will open up new interpretations and perspectives on the movie whether it inspires or repulses. Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in any aspect of Mel Gibson's "Passion".

With a movie as controversial as The Passion of the Christ (Widescreen Edition),it was just a matter of time before Open Court's "Popular Culture and Philosophy" series got their hands on it. As with public opinion about the movie, the opinions within the book are likewise mixed, though with a more thoughtful response.

The book itself deals with the movie in 20 essays in 5 sections. They deal with everything from the alledged anti-semitism, the violence, Christ's suffering and so on. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds, including theologians and philosophers from various stances. With such a good mix, the views presented are as wide and varied, while maintaining a consistently high level of thought and expression.

The book goes some way to make the shock of the film itself more understandable and somewhat less of a brutalisation of the senses. Putting the excessive gore and blood of the movie into a wider philosophical context is an important function of the book.

As per usual, I have thoroughly enjoyed this installment from the "Popular Culture and Philosophy" series. Once again, a big thumbs up to this volume. It is very good and recommeded to people from all walks of life.

This series of books, popular culture and philosophy is fantastic. It seems that any popular movie, or TV series immediately generates a backlash. Two recent examples include the Harry Potter books and movies, and Me. Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In the case of Harry Potter, fundamentalist Christians have lamented that the books are teaching witchcraft. In Passion, the movie is being charged as being anti-Semite.

In this series of books, prominent philosophers are being asked to comment on these charges and on the story contained in the movie. In contrast to the shrill, loud, emotionally loaded comments being made primarily to get attention to the commenter, here are thoughtful, reasoned essays that challenge the reader to think about and decide for himself about these charges.

These books make for absolutely delightful reading. It is a way to bring philosophy to the public in connection with a story that is familiar to a broad range of people.

_Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy: The Cross, the Questions, the Controversy_ in the Popular Culture and Philosophy series, edited by Jorge J. E. Gracia, is a relatively interesting collection of essays detailing the responses of various philosophers to the movie. Mel Gibson's movie _The Passion of the Christ_ recounts the last days of Jesus Christ before his death and resurrection, detailing on the screen his passion, torture, and Crucifixion. The movie has been all-too-predictably criticized by atheists and secularists of all sorts as a "tool in the hands of the religious right" and as "anti-Semitic". On the other hand, some Christians have joined in this criticism claiming that the movie is too violent and distorts the true message of Christ. Gibson, a devout Roman Catholic, bases his movie on the Gospel accounts of Christ's suffering and death and upon the visions of the Roman Catholic seeress Anne Catherine Emmerich. These essays attempt to deal with some of the issues surrounding the movie and offer up philosophical thoughts on various aspects of the Christian revelation and on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. My only complaint is that so few of them are actually written by Catholic scholars and that some are written by those with no obvious relation to the movie or Christianity in particular other than as chronic bashers. The essays presented in this book touch on the following themes: did Christ have to suffer violently, is the movie anti-Semitic, what is the truth (a detailing of Pilate's question put to Christ), why was Christ killed, and who is morally responsible. Mention is made of many different philosophers and philosophical schools of thought throughout. Each essayist seems to be coming from a unique point of view which can be both refreshing and frustrating at the same time. As someone who found hope in the movie, I was encouraged by reading many of these essays into reflective thought; however, some of them I found to be particularly odious. That said, I would hesitantly recommend this book for those looking to reflect deeper on the mysteries of Christ and his Crucifixion in a philosophical manner. However, ultimately it is probably better to turn to the source material itself, the Bible and the writings of the saints.

"I get the impression that the book's author, Keith McKay, did not speak to Mr. Gibson personally as there are no direct quotes in the book. The book does include quotes about Mr. Gibson from other people he has worked with as well as quotes from Mr. Gibson written in other people's articles.
This is a good picture book but not much info on Mr. Gibson's personal life.
If you are Mel Gibson fan, I would recommend this book. If you are looking for more details on Mr. Gibson, stay tune for the authorized biography .."

-------
The book's Author,Keith McKay, is (was) my first Cousin. Keith was a gifted and multi-talented Writer/Musician/Artist,gone too soon. Keith would have only written under the auspices (guidelines) given by those supervising him on said book, (or any other) , with expressed permission from Mr. Gibson etc.

(I dont know this for sure, but, knowing my Cousin,I'm pretty certain.)We all know very good books don't need (necessarily) "first-hand" info to be valid and important or true in content. I believe,if Keith spoke to Mr. Gibson "live", it would have reflected in the book.

If Keith's book says it's an Authorized biography, then it is:) We are so glad you enjoyed my Cousin's book. Thank-you for your kind post. And though,I don't know above details for sure, I think they probably apply. Knowing Cousin as we did:)

P.S. Young writer's ought think of picking up some of Keith's books,if simply to be aware of keen and insightful writing styles:)
God Bless:)

This book covers in text and pictures the various movies Mel Gibson has done at the start of his movie career: Mad Max, Tim, Gallipoli, Road Warrior, The Year of Living Dangerously, The Bounty, The River, Mrs. Soffel and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

It talks a little bit about Mr. Gibson's family and childhood.

I get the impression that the book's author, Keith McKay, did not speak to Mr. Gibson personally as there are no direct quotes in the book. The book does include quotes about Mr. Gibson from other people he has worked with as well as quotes from Mr. Gibson written in other people's articles.

This is a good picture book but not much info on Mr. Gibson's personal life.

If you are Mel Gibson fan, I would recommend this book. If you are looking for more details on Mr. Gibson, stay tune for the authorized biography which I am working on :-)

one of the best picture books of mel from his first screen roles up till HAMLET.

Since Mel Gibson is an extremely private person, I was wary about reading a bio because I know he hates the invasion. But this particular writer was not interested in trashing this supersar. Mr. Gibson has led such an amazing, ever-changing life that it is only natural that people be interested in his rise to stardom. The facts about his upbringing in such a large, devoutly Catholic household really impressed me and showed that for the entire Gibson clan, family really does come first... His battles with infidelity and alcoholism only make him seem more human and one can't help but admire the strength of his faith and marriage under such circumstances.