Presents influential apocryphal stories about the young Jesus and tales that provide the basis for Mary's biography and ideas about her purity. Will give you a deeper understanding of the devotion Christians feel for Mary and the holy infant Jesus.
"Accessible and insightful ? helps us appreciate the imaginative storytelling in these narratives as well as their piety and theological content-and even their occasional humor. An ideal starting point for the study of these fascinating gospels."
-Robert J. Miller, author, Born Divine: The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God
"Clear, accurate and fun to read.... I love this book! Weaves solid historical scholarship with a deep appreciation for folk traditions and fiction. Gives us a sense of the creativity involved in thinking about the infancy of Jesus and his mother, Mary. I will assign it for students next semester."
-Jane Schaberg, professor of religious and women's/gender studies, University of Detroit Mercy
"Filled with incidents that are magical, touching, humorous, even shocking, but always entertaining. Davies' translations are appropriately idiomatic, and his comments are informative and insightful by comparing these stories not only to pagan, Christian and Jewish parallels but also to versions of some of the stories in the Qur'an."
-Ronald F. Hock, professor of religion, University of Southern California
