5 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BIZARRE BOOKS

Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of The Madman’s Library, shares a selection of curious facts about some of history’s oddest volumes

1 JESUS'S WILL WAS (ALLEGEDLY) DISCOVERED IN JAPAN In the 1930s, a Shinto priest in Japan reportedly discovered Japanese documents that – so it was claimed – included the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. According to these, Jesus – described in the text as “a longnosed goblin” – evaded crucifixion, his brother having taken his place. Allegedly, Jesus then travelled to Japan, where he lived as a farmer before dying at the ripe old age of 106, leaving several grandchildren. Although the documents were apparently lost during World War II, some still believe the claims. The village to which Jesus is reputed to have fled is Shingo, about 340 miles north of Tokyo. Some of its inhabitants today believe themselves to be related to Jesus. Shingo has become…

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History Revealed (Digital) - 1 Issue, January 2024

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