The Book of Mary — Gail Sidonie Sobat

Provocative and irreverent, author Gail Sidonie Sobat breaks historical and conventional boundaries in this imaginative fictionalization of the life of Mary. From staid Joseph of Nazareth to the hip, modern Three Wiseguys, Sobat employs humour and a daring blend of contemporary and historical voice to bring an ancient tale into the realm of the wholly original. Through journal entries, Mary gives us her story as a young Jewish girl whose flair for drama settles into wisdom in the face of a solidly patriarchal society. Her personal growth is beautifully portrayed as her voice transforms from that of giddy girl to a woman of great inner strength who has learned to balance a keen sense of social justice for women with an intensely personal quest for the spiritual in life. In the unorthodox portrayal of the world of women during the time of Jesus of Galilee, Sobat sidesteps traditional stereotypes to breathe life into a character who has too often been reduced to a symbol.