1962 Newbery Medal Winner

After returning from the mountains outside of the town of Ketzah in Galilee during the first century, a young Jewish man named Daniel learns to let go of his hatred of the Romans because of the teachings of an odd carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth.

This is another one that I may not have enjoyed as much if I hadn't listened to it in audio format. Pete Bradbury narrated with great pacing and expression. His tone when he talked about Daniel made this scowling, hateful character more sympathetic to me even though he didn't experience much change until the very end of the book.

I'm somewhat biased about this book because I'm a Christian, but I thought the incorporation of Jesus was done well. It's not an easy thing to write about a religious figure without making the story boring or cheesy, but I felt like the character in this book was appropriately intense without overwhelming the narrative (contrast to another book I've read somewhat recently, [b:Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt|25347|Christ the Lord Out of Egypt (Christ the Lord, #1)|Anne Rice|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507443588s/25347.jpg|2926176], in which Jesus was the main character and it just... didn't... work for me).

Of course I am also biased about the message of the book--the "bow of bronze" symbolically becomes the character of Daniel, whose hate can only be "bent" by the love of Christ. The ending made me cry.

The big However, though, is that others have criticized and explained some of the problems in the way that the author depicts Judaism (note that these links are part of a discussion on whether the book belonged in a school's curriculum--as a librarian, I don't support censorship in the form of removal of books from a library, but I do support inclusivity and factual accuracy when it comes to a school's required reading list). Obviously a book that looks positively at Jesus in the first century may be bound to contain things that could be offensive to some Jewish people... the idea that Jesus is the Messiah that they waited for, for one. It sounds from the pages I linked to above, though, that the book goes further than that, and the author, although providing a great historical setting and details, wasn't spot-on when it came to accurate information about Jewish beliefs and culture of the time. I wouldn't go as far as to say that she demonized Judaism, since all of the characters are Jews just as Jesus was a Jew, but she does harp on "the law" quite a bit seemingly without understanding what all of the laws and contemporary ways of thinking were.

So, I can't give it five stars because of that, but I really enjoyed the book, and of course am a proponent of the message (which I didn't even think was overly message-y), that only love can drive out hate. ( )

I could almost appreciate this, were it not for the character of Samson... why does that mysterious individual have to be the only black character in the book? It sure looks like racism. Otoh, I love that the other characters seem real, and alive, not 2K yrs gone & dusty.

I read it for the Newbery Club; I would not have ever chosen it elsewise.

#1259 in our old book database. Rated: Good. ( )

A moving re-read, a decade after memorizing portions of the story to perform. My perspective has changed and new elements stood out to me. But it's still interesting historically and culturally, and both inspiring and challenging religiously and personally. ( )

After Daniel bar Jamin's father is crucified by the Roman Empire, Daniel wants nothing more than to rid his land of Israel of Roman control once and for all. Yet when David meets Jesus of Nazareth, a traveling carpenter with a gentle message of love and forgiveness, David starts to realize that the hate festering in his heart might be his true enemy after all.

0.90

The book documents the slow change of heart for a boy with every reason to hate the Roman occupiers in his Palestine home. By letting family obligations and friendships intrude into his one-track life path toward revolution, he unknowingly opens himself up to love and friendship. He further spoils his plans by spending time listening to Jesus of Nazareth teach, opening his mind beyond the small definition of the Kingdom of God and the desire for revenge. It’s a slow change, as often happens, and the ending leaves many loose ends, but the story is still told - a story full of doubt and a little bit messy, but very beautiful. ( )

Reminded me a bit of Ben-Hur. Speare has a gift of delicately building up to the climax. It wasn't until the last twenty pages that I realized how I cared for the characters. It was a lovely journey, thoughtfully paced, that ended with a message which, although obvious, was not overly preachy. ( )

Set in Roman occupied Palestine, this is the story of eighteen year old Daniel bar Jamin, a Jew.

I am split so many ways on this... As a depiction of life in Jesus' time, it's fascinating. As a kids' book, it's well-written but doesn't captivate me. As a Christian book - the protagonist is one of Jesus' followers, to some extent - it's also fascinating; why follow this one among all the other choices? The use of Samson is annoying - we never find out how much he understood or really anything about him, he's just (eventually) convenient muscle, and extra guilt for Daniel. Like most kids' books, there are an awful lot of convenient people and events, popping up at just the right time and place so the protagonist can make the right choices (this is why I say it doesn't captivate me). But it was most definitely worth reading (probably would be more worth reading if I were younger), might be worth rereading in a few years. ( )

Newbery Medal 1962. Daniel is seeking revenge on the Romans for crucifying his father. He must return home to care for his mentally ill sister, but is still active in the resistance. Meeting Jesus opens his eyes to the power of love and forgiveness. ( )

I actually started this book several months ago and put it down to read something else before I had finished the first few chapters. Since I am determined to make it through the Newbery list, I knew it had to be read. I'm glad I picked it back up as it ended up being quite a good book. I was impressed how Elizabeth George Speare wrote the book with religious undertones without being an overly religious book. This keeps the novel readable for anyone regardless of faith. The look into the day to day life of the characters in the time was very interesting. I'm not sure I had read a book in this setting before and enjoyed it. Overall, I was greatly impressed with this work. ( )

My book group chose the perfect time to read this book, Easter and Passover were happening as we read it. We all enjoyed the book. We found it had a lot of depth as well as quite a lot of action. We stormed through the last few chapters unable to put it down. Our memories told us that we had not liked the book as much when we were children and that we missed the deeper message back then. We wondered how kids today would react to it. ( )

I think I may have read this a decade or more ago. It seemed somewhat familiar. Good story, well written. ( )

Good historical young adult fiction. I really enjoyed this one! I was so glad that Jesus was able to help the main character, Daniel to change from his hatred. All the characters are done very well and the reader cares about each one. ( )

5439. The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare (read 1 Feb 2017) (Newbery winner in 1962) This is the 12th Newbery winner I have read. It is an artless work of fiction, not too well written, telling of Daniel, a Jewish youth living in the time of Jesus' public life, who is livid with hate of the Romans occupying his country. He has a very shy sister who is befriended by a Roman soldier, and when Daniel learns of this he is ready to kill the soldier. The book ends somewhat spectacularly by Daniel seeing that love is better than hate, though through most of the story Daniel, though impressed by Jesus, clings to his hate. ( )

I read this in the last two days, while sick in bed. It is part of my daughter's reading list for our Ancient Rome study. I wasn't expecting this book to be so full of intrigue, it even kept me up late despite feeling tired and sick. Very well written piece of historical fiction about an angry young zealot in ancient Rome who meets Jesus. ( )

I read this book when I was in middle school, so I would probably use this book in either 5th grade or higher. It is a chapter book and it does contain information about the story of Jesus. If you were in the private schools most children would already know that. If you were in public schools (and they allowed this book) then you might have to give some background knowledge as to who Jesus was and his story. ( )

First read this when I was teaching 6th grade; I made this one of their required reading books. Shows how hatred can destroy a person and those around him. The story also shows how Jesus' presence can drastically change that person filled with hate, if he chooses to love others before himself. Thoroughly enjoyed this story! ( )

Let me first say that I really liked this 1962 Newbery winner, and I wasn’t expecting I would. Set during the time of Jesus, the main character, an 18-year-old Galilean named Daniel bar Jamin, fled his home and blacksmith master five years before and has been living on a nearby mountain with outlaws who are supposedly preparing for the day the Jews will rise up against their Roman masters. Daniel’s hatred of the Romans is especially strong, given that they crucified his father, which led to his mother’s death and younger sister Leah’s regression into fear and solitude.

As the book opens, Daniel meets a brother and sister, Joel and Malthace (also called Thacia) who become a major part of the story, as does his friend Simon the Zealot, who becomes a disciple of Jesus. Daniel eventually meets Jesus and it ultimately changes his life. It’s a wonderful coming-of-age story, with the additional message of love and peace over hate and war.

The title of the book comes from Psalm 18, verse 34 (also 2 Samuel 22:35): “He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze” (p. 87). Daniel uses a drawing of a bronze bow as a sign to Joel and Thacia that he is hiding in their house in Capernaum. The verse becomes a touchstone for Daniel and a metaphor for his own internal struggle.

Written at a fifth-to-sixth grade reading level, the content is most appropriate for those ages and up. Narrator Mary Woods does a good job creating individual characterizations by voice without resorting to caricatures or accents.

In her Newbery acceptance speech, Speare explained that she wrote the book while teaching Sunday school because she "longed to lift the personality of Jesus off the flat and lifeless pages of our textbook. I wanted to give my pupils, and others like them, a glimpse of the divided and turbulent society of Palestine, an occupied country with many parallels in our own day. And I wanted to stir in them some personal sharing of what must have been the response of boys and girls who actually saw and heard the Carpenter from Nazareth….I longed to have them see that the preacher who walked the hills of Galilee was not a mythical figure, but a compelling and dynamic leader, a hero to whom a boy in any age would gladly offer all his loyalty."

Reading this (and the rest of her speech), it’s not surprising to learn that the book has been challenged when used as part of the curriculum in public schools. While not anti-Semitic or demeaning toward Jews, critics said it glorifies Christianity while portraying Judaism and its rabbis in a negative light.

Recently, a group of parents in San Rafael, California, was able to convince their public school district to drop the book as required reading in seventh grade in a unit on ancient Rome (but had no problems with the book being in the library). After reading the many links on their website, I can understand their position. As much as I liked this book and would recommend it to others, and don’t think it should ever be removed from any library, I believe it should be optional supplemental reading rather than required in public schools. ( )

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, even though it had been recommended. It is the story of Daniel, a youth in Israel during the Roman occupation, and as it progressed, I found myself enjoying how the characters were developed. I also had vivid pictures in my mind of the people, the settings, as if I were watching a movie. Well done!

If you've read Ben Hur, it is similar in some ways, but not as if the author borrowed from Lew Wallace's classic tale. Good read. ( )

Disclaimer: I review books on how they stand alone without regards to anyone’s personal views about the author. I review based upon readability and how the book affects my life for good, and less upon literary style.

I loved this book because it speaks of many of the great characteristics of Jesus Christ. It shows that Christ did indeed bring his Father's kingdom here to earth, but many did not recognize it readily because of their expectations... But those who allowed themselves to really listen to the words and the Spirit that emanated from Christ were blessed with faith sufficient to understand that the Kingdom of God is a realm of love, peace, courage, and mercy. And, that this love forces all hate and fear away from it. Jesus says to Daniel toward the end of the book when Daniel was finally realizing Jesus as the Messiah, "Can't you see, Daniel, it is hate that is the enemy? Not men. Hate does not die with killing. It only springs up a hundredfold. The only thing stronger than hate is love."

On a personal level, too, it shows the fact that Jesus knows each one of us. and wants what is best for us. ( )

Daniel has nothing but hatred for the Romans. They occupy his native land, with soldiers everywhere, and Daniel feels that they are to blame for his parents' death. Though he is only 15, Daniel considers himself a zealot, has taken a vow to avenge his parents, and has run away from his apprenticeship to a cruel blacksmith. He now makes his home in the mountain caves with a band of thieves led by Rosh, a hard but charismatic man who promises to lead the fight against the Roman oppressors. When word comes to Daniel that his grandmother is dying, he returns to the village where he grew up. He finds his grandmother at death's door, and his sister Leah, who is mentally ill and refuses to leave the house, in a pitiable state. Daniel longs to return to the mountain, but when his grandmother dies, he is the only person who can care for Leah. The old smith has died, and the new smith Simon, a friend of Daniel's, has left his forge to follow a new teacher named Jesus whose words are inspiring many in the area. Daniel occasionally goes to hear this Jesus but finds his teachings confusing. Daniel is determined to continue working for Rosh from his position in the village, and even recruits Joel, a friend from the nearby city of Capernaum. Daniel also gathers together a group of village boys who feel the same way he does about the Romans. But when one of Rosh's plans results in Joel being captured and Rosh does nothing to help, Daniel's faith in his leader is shaken. And when Daniel's sister is taken ill with a fever, there is only one person Daniel can turn to -- but will Jesus demand that Daniel give up the one thing he's always clung to: his hatred of the Romans?

I found the pacing and characterization in this book very good, though it is a product of its time and contains a few historical inaccuracies. This book will be best appreciated by readers who approach it from a Christian worldview, as it dovetails neatly with Biblical accounts of Jesus' teachings in Galilee during the early part of his ministry. This book is not without bias, and has been criticized for portraying some aspects of Judaism harshly, so that's something some readers may want to keep in mind. As inspirational historical fiction, this book works pretty well -- and since I believe the author originally wrote it for her Sunday School class, that makes perfect sense. I doubt that it will appeal to a broader audience, though. ( )

A fascinating perspective on the early ministry of Jesus from the perspective of the young zealot Daniel. After years of devoting his life to seeking vengeance on the Romans for the death of his parents, he eventually (if begrudgingly) finds the words of the new teacher Jesus more powerful than the hate he has built his life around.

The person of Jesus as described in the story seems a little too human, a little too weak; and the Disciples (though not named as such) may be a little too protective of their charge. The conversations with Simon and Jesus, however, feel plausible and true (which had me worried).


"Can you repay love with vengeance?" ( )

A favorite with all I know who read it. A fantastic perspective to the times that Jesus grew up in.