Phoenix, 2000, $16.95, ISBN 1-84212-008-5, 250 pgs., trade paperback

With all the Mel Gibson hype, I thought it was a good idea to read one of my favorite ancient era authorities. Well, was I disappointed with this 2000 reprint of a 1976 book. Evidently, Grant was nearing the end of his career, and the golden prose of his career fled these pages.

This is incredibly dull, and is less a biography than a theological exposition of biblical passages. I struggled mightily with page after page of Paul's arguments in favor of conversion, of salvation, of active participation in spreading the gospel. And this is all wonderful Christian theology, but a pitiful stab at a biography--as proudly proclaimed on the book cover.

Perhaps there is not much information about Paul. Fair enough. But don't call this a biography. It may be an examination by an author in the twilight of life. Again, fair enough...but hardly a biography.

This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com