When I see the following available for a book review, color me intrigued:

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.

But, when reading Loconte’s The Searchers I really never got there. I was expecting a discussion of the historical context and goings on after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. But, instead, there was a historical survey of modern and contemporary culture: our modern and contemporary culture. D-Day, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, CNN, Freud: these are the images and thoughts that seem to saturate the text. At least that’s what’s more memorable.

Perhaps I was coming into the text with my expectations in the wrong place. But, I was giving a review; I wasn’t going into it with other people’s responses to the text already in place.

While there are moments of discussion of what was going on with the two guys Jesus met up with on the road to Emmaus, there needed to be more. The book is more so intended for a popular audience, maybe for people interested in Christianity and question aspects of Christianity. But, ultimately, it’s not all that intriguing to me.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”