Beginning with the Shroud of Turin, Dr. Norberto explores the scientific evidence
that links the Shroud to Jesus.
I was not acquainted with this book even though it came out in July, last year. I just received an eblast this morning from Amazon to let me know The Physical Death and Resurrection: A Surgeon’s View by Dr. Jose J. Norberto was now available in a Kindle edition and that I could buy the Kindle version for only $2.99 if I also bought the paperback version for $11.71 at the same time.
Why would I do that? I can buy the Kindle, alone, for $8.99.
The book has 30 reviews (surprisingly, 29 five star reviews and 1 four star review). You can read them here.
Here are two editorial reviews:
- "Dr. Jose Norberto, an accomplished cardiovascular surgeon, has written an interesting treatise on the crucification of Jesus Crist from a physician surgeon perspective. Readers will find his observations thought-provoking. His unique insights into the aspect of the unbelievable trauma to the human body of Jesus, as reported in Scripture, and his thoughts about the resurrection, are worth the reader’s consideration and attention." -G.B. Snider, MD, FACP
- "Scientists and physicians may feel troubled by the concept of faith and be reluctant to accept religion. Dr. Norberto has embraced the mysteries of faith and launched a medical investigation into certain biblical teachings. The Physical Death and Resurrection takes you on a scientific journey to the time of Christ. Beginning with the Shroud of Turin, Dr. Norberto explores the scientific evidence that links the Shroud to Jesus. In the second section, Dr. Norberto presents an intriguing scientific explanation of the crucifixion and the resurrection. The presentation is thoroughly researched and well written, offering its readers the historical and scientific evidence to support the resurrection." -Margaret S. Sawyer, M.D
About the Author from Amazon:
Dr. Jose J. Norberto grew up in the Dominican Republic, where he received his medical degree magna cum laude at the University of Santo Domingo. He completed his surgical training in the United States, receiving multiple awards for scientific research and medical excellence. Dr. Norberto is a cardiothoracic surgeon and the director of cardiac surgery at Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster, Ohio. He enjoys spending time with his two daughters as well as practicing clarinet and saxophone.
La profesión de “médico” ha sido probablemente la más comprometida con la autenticidad de la Sábana de Turín desde que Yves Delage (médico y zoólogo) iniciara, con Vignon y Colson, su estudio científico.
La profesión más comprometida porque tenemos la certeza médica de que la IMPRONTA de la Sábana es la de un cuerpo humano muerto con gravísimos signos de tortura, y JAMÁS nos engañarían pinturas medievales, góticas o bizantinas que, siendo bellísimas obras de arte, serían solamente groseras caricaturas desde el punto de vista médico.
Y todo lo demás, aún siendo importante y muy interesante resulta nimio ante esa realidad y queda sujeto a cúal pueda haber sido el mecanismo de formación de la impronta (olvidar que es una IMPRONTA, en su significado de marca, huella o señal, puede ser fuente de errores).
Carlos
The 29 reviews. I am not saying that this is the case here but the Society of Authors warned about the way in which Amazon reviews are no longer respected because they were mostly by friends of the author. I checked up on another book a couple of years ago where I suspected the author had done this and the telltale sign was a whole bunch of fIve star reviews coming out almost on the same date and with some of the same terminology so it was obvious.
Poisoning the well! Without reading the book, I dare say Dr Norberto came to not dissimilar conclusions as did Paul Vignon, Yves Delage, Pierre Barbet, David Willis, Robert Bucklin, Fred Zugibe, and various other medical practitioners, all without the benefit of friendly Amazon reviews. Posting insert ‘About the Author’ is sufficient to establish his ‘bona fides’ and competence in such matters. How many other “art works” depicting the crucified Christ, regardless of the medium, have excited any such attention at all from the medical fraternity? None!
Poisoning the well. Well, I am not going to plough through the reviews in this case but it does happen. In the case I knew about the five star reviews were up even before publication date and by a month after publication date there were lots of them and then hardly anything. And unlike this book, I knew the book and it was not up to much.
Book are sent to some people to review before the publication dates. I’ve read reviewers stating that many times on Amazon. Unless I’ve read other books by the same authors I limit my buying a book unless there are over 30 reviews and I like a book with both bad and good reviews.
I always read the one and two star reviews first. I feel that no matter what an author writes there will be some people that disagree with it and if I see none I question all the other 5 stars reviews.
John, you have your own way of buying books. My Egypt,Greece and Rome came out in 1996 and has sold 82,000 copies. I have had a total of 46 reviews on Amazon.com. Which is less than three a year. The third edition has not yet had a single review but has sold out twice in the States and has already, in six months,earned me my advance back and more besides plus the sale of the rights to mainland China.
Yes, publishers send out books for review but they don’t expect the reviews to be on Amazon as these may be very good but on the whole have no credibility in the wider market simply because some people, organise a big five star review programme among their contacts.
BTW here’s an interesting book just exposed “Boy Who Came Back From Heaven.”
Many times I find reading the reviews are as entertaining as reading the book.
Well, I’ve bought it and read it. It’s a good enough introduction for a devout Christian who had never previously contemplated the physical Jesus, but at barely 100 pages long it is historically, theologically and medically quite superficial and does not explore any of these aspects (and certainly not any controversial aspects) in any depth. His only sources for information on the Shroud are Barbet (1953), Bulst (1957), Wilson’s The Blood and the Shroud (1998), and Rogers’s Thermochimica Acta paper (2005). I would not think any of the regular correspondents to this blog would gain a great deal from from it.
Sounds interesting.