Barabbas

Pär Lagerkvist · 1891–1974 · Sweden

Originally Barabbas (Swedish)

Why it matters

The criminal freed in Christ's place wanders the ancient world for the rest of his life, unable to believe and unable to stop searching. Existentialist theology compressed into a taut, parable-like short novel.

At a glance

Spare parable prose, though its theological ambiguity rewards rereading.