This tiny book reminds me of a strange sort of sandwich: The slices of bread are very thin and get soaked through by the juicy meat inside.

For indeed, there are only five chapters, and the first is a breathtaking tour of the modern Jesus Quest in 18 pages, while the last chapter is a likewise whirlwind preview of arguments that Wright will make in his enormous books elsewhere. It is what you find in between these slivers that make the book worthwhile, as Wright deconstructs in turn the three following modern fringe portraits of Jesus:

• Barbara Thiering's "Jesus the Publicity Stunt", which reads the New Testament like a modern gossip magazine. Wright argues against Thiering mostly by incredulity, but that's really all he needs to do!
• A. N. Wilson's "Jesus the Jewish Holy Man Who Was Fouled Up By the Paganistic Paul", yet another demonstration of why skeptics who are journalists need to mind their own business when it comes to the Bible. Most of the arguments Wilson appeals to were discredited long ago.
• John Shelby Spong's "Jesus the Victim of Uncritical Liberal Scholarship", the religious version of shock radio. Spong likes any idea that turns people's heads; the more controversial, the better, never mind the scholarly support.

This book is a delightful little read --- even if you never have had occasion to run into one of the three stooges above.