Veritas

a Harvard professor, a con man, and the Gospel of Jesus’s Wife

Ariel Sabar author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Scribe Publications

Published:12th Nov '20

£18.99

Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.

Veritas cover

From award-winning author Ariel Sabar comes the gripping, true story of a sensational religious forgery and the scandal that engulfed Harvard University.

In 2012, Dr Karen King, a star professor at Harvard Divinity School, announced a blockbuster discovery. She had found an ancient fragment of papyrus — ‘The Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’, as she titled it — in which Jesus called Mary Magdalene ‘my wife’. Her announcement made international headlines. If early Christians believed that Jesus was married, it would upend the 2,000-year history of the world’s predominant faith, threatening not just the celibate, all-male priesthood but sacred teachings on marriage, sex, and women’s leadership.

As debates over the manuscript’s authenticity raged, award-winning journalist Ariel Sabar set out to investigate a baffling mystery: where did this tiny scrap of papyrus come from? His indefatigable search for answers became an international true-crime story, in which, remarkably, he managed to solve the crime.

‘Ariel Sabar tells a fascinating story.’

-- Craig Brown * The Mail on Sunday *

‘A dramatic tale of gullibility, deception, ideology and academic politics.’

-- Matthew Reisz * Times Higher Education *

‘[A] madcap, unforgettable book … [F]or enthusiasts of ancient Christianity … and readers of idea-driven capers, whether by Daniel Silva or Janet Malcolm. It’s a barely believable tale, crazier than a tweed-sniffer in the faculty lounge.’

-- Mark Oppenheimer * New York Times Book Review *

‘It’s a story about journalism done right, about Sabar’s own capable, dogged sleuthing to get to the bottom of those famous headlines … Veritas offers a vital lesson less about Christianity than about what happens when a scholar decides that the story is more important than the truth.’

-- Lucas Wittmann * Time *

‘Ariel Sabar is an excellent investigative journalist explaining in detail a con that could have changed all of Christianity. Whatever the scam, the con artist and the victim both have an agenda.’

-- Frank Abagnale, author of Catch Me If You Can

‘Mesmerising … [Sabar] has our attention, and slowly, remorselessly, he pays out the rest of his devilish yarn … Savour the denouement — and don't leave at intermission.’

-- Alex Beam * Wall Street Journal *

‘Sabar’s meticulous reporting shows how quickly the first victims of a forgery turn into con men themselves, desperately manipulating the evidence to keep plugging holes in a forger’s fragile story. A masterful portrait of desire and a gripping analysis of a scandal that reveals the blurred lines between scholarship, faith, and lies. An unprecedented contribution to the study of forgery.’

-- Dr Erin Thompson, art crime professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and author of Possession: the curious history of private collectors from antiquity to the present

‘This astonishing book — part detective story, part exercise in reporting conducted at its highest level — reaches hold of you by the shirt collar and doesn’t let go … Exciting on every level, it poses the deepest question of faith: does it depend on the scholarly verification of ancient fragments or on what Heaney called a journey ‘into the marvellous’? I was bowled over by it.’

-- Caitlin Flanagan, author of Girl Land

‘Intriguing religious/true-crime story involving a possible wife of Jesus … A lengthy yet fascinating tale of how one scholar was duped, both by a con man and by herself.’

* Kirkus Reviews *

Veritas is a fascinating journey into theology and academia, meticulously researched, well-written, consistently engaging.’

-- Gregg Easterbrook, author of It’s Better Than It Looks

‘If turning scraps of ancient papyrus into an enthralling true-crime escapade takes a miracle, consider Ariel Sabar a miracle worker … Veritas, Latin for truth and inscribed on the Harvard seal, is an extraordinary and mind-bending adventure into ancient traditions with modern consequences.’

* Shelf Awareness *

‘Sabar has written a true story of mystery and intrigue … [B]lending religious history with a tale of deception … [A] well-researched, engrossing backstory of failed discovery from a noted scholar.’

-- Jacqueline Parascandola * Library Journal *

‘A work of exemplary narrative nonfiction … [F]itting neatly into the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction category … Provocative and probing.’ STARRED REVIEW

* Booklist/American Library Association *

‘Fascinating … Ariel Sabar digs out every detail in his engrossing book … The interaction of these two characters, one with a deep need to deceive and the other with a desperate need to believe, presents a wholly human story of frailty and weakness.’

-- Tom Gjelten * NPR *

‘[A]n exhaustive examination of the whole affair in a work of exemplary narrative nonfiction … Provocative and probing, this will entice readers interested in the history of early Christianity.’

-- Ilene Cooper * Booklist *

‘Extraordinary … [A]stonishing … The book is as good as a detective novel, possessing plot, subplots, hidden motives, bees in eccentric bonnets and startling revelations.’

-- Katherine A. Powers * Minneapolis Star Tribune *

‘A tour de force of investigative journalism … Mr. Sabar’s book is a model on how to investigate any new ‘discoveries’ from ancient texts. It is also a cautionary tale about the acceptance of experts and expertise at face value.’

-- Rebecca I. Denova * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *

‘Sabar offers plenty of fascinating arcana about scientific and historical methods for testing and analysing such an object, and he also brings to life many of the people involved … Veritas is packed with details and tells a complex story, but Sabar’s prose is clear and inviting, and the book is structured with a well-tuned sense of suspense. It’s a wonderfully absorbing example of truth being stranger than fiction.’

-- Colette Bancroft * Tampa Bay Times *

‘A thriller for eggheads.’

* Boston Globe *

‘A testament to the value of investigative journalism … [F]ull of shocking and revelatory moments.’

* Daily Beast *

‘Scintillating … Sabar is a master storyteller.’

* Tablet *

Praise for My Father's Paradise:

‘A biography, a memoir, a meticulously reconstructed history of a largely vanished people and place … Transcending mere reportage, it acquires a novel-like warp and weft.’

* Los Angeles Times *

Praise for My Father's Paradise:

‘Sabar offers something rare and precious — a tale of hope and continuity that can be passed on for generations.’ STARRED REVIEW

* Publishers Weekly *

Praise for My Father's Paradise:

‘Graceful and resonant.’

* New York Times Sunday Book Review *

Praise for Heart of the City:

‘A beguiling romp.’

* New York Times *

Praise for Heart of the City:

‘Charming, uplifting tales.’

* Library Journal *

Praise for Heart of the City:

‘Quirky true tales about city landmarks and chance encounters.’

* New York Magazi

ISBN: 9781913348304

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

416 pages