Peter, Matthew, Thomas, John: Who were these men? What was their relationship to Jesus? Tom Bissell gives us rich and deeply informed answers to these ancient and surprisingly elusive questions. He examines not just who these men were (and weren't), but how their identities have taken shape over the course of two millennia. He makes clear that, ultimately, their story is the story of Christianity and its growth from an obscure Jewish sect to the global...

"A group of pilgrims are travelling together for five days from London to Canterbury. On the way, each pilgrim has to tell a story to keep the others amused. Some stories are happy, and some are sad. But they all have a message, and we can learn from them."--P. [4] of cover.

"The scene is London in 1399. The strangest and most interesting king in English history, Richard II, is on the throne. Over the past several years his reign has been troubled by peculiar signs and portents, and as the turn of the century approaches, there is talk of an apocalypse. Meanwhile a mad nun, who was born beneath the convent of Clerkenwell, is visited by visions of the future. As Sister Clarice's prophecies signal the beginning of dark days...

Provides a critical reading of the text, and a discussion of the work's influence