Jesus Trilogy books in order

The Jesus Trilogy by J.M. Coetzee in reading order. Three allegorical novels exploring childhood, education, and death.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Jeesuksen lapsuus 2013 J.M. Coetzee N/A
2 The Childhood of Jesus 2013 J.M. Coetzee Buy
3 Jesus na Escola 2016 J.M. Coetzee N/A
4 The Schooldays of Jesus 2016 J.M. Coetzee Buy
5 A Morte de Jesus 2019 J.M. Coetzee N/A
6 The Death of Jesus 2019 J.M. Coetzee Buy

The Jesus Trilogy is J.M. Coetzee’s late-career allegorical project, following a child named David through three novels that mirror stages of Christ’s life without directly retelling it. The Childhood of Jesus introduces David and his guardian Simon in a country where everyone speaks Spanish and has no personal history. The stripped-down world serves as a canvas for philosophical questions about language, meaning, and identity.

The Schooldays of Jesus and The Death of Jesus continue David’s story through encounters with education, authority, and mortality. Coetzee leaves the allegory deliberately open, allowing readers to bring their own interpretations to a trilogy that resists easy categorization.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Jesus Trilogy series?

There are six books in the Jesus Trilogy series, published between 2013 and 2019.

What is the first book in the Jesus Trilogy series?

The first book in the Jesus Trilogy series is Jeesuksen lapsuus, published in 2013.

What is the Jesus Trilogy about?

The Jesus Trilogy follows a boy named David through three allegorical novels. The Childhood of Jesus (2013) sees him arrive with a man named Simon in a new country with no memory of his past. The Schooldays of Jesus (2016) and The Death of Jesus (2019) continue his story through education and mortality, using a stripped-down narrative style that invites multiple interpretations.

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