THREE FROM GALILEE: The Young Man From Nazareth

The continuing saga of Mary, Joseph and now Jesus from the author of Two From Galilee may be to the Biblical text what soap operas are to real life. Mary and Joseph have returned to their respective families after the birth of Jesus. Once home, Mary's family is so delighted to have her (despite the stigma of Jesus's birth) that Jesus becomes the star in the familial constellation. Indeed, the entire book is devoted, in uninspiring detail, to his boyhood in Nazareth: sheperding with his grandfather, loving animals, working in the carpentry shop, enjoying his siblings, the Passover journey to Jerusalem, and his first love. At best, this is a sentimental ""movelization"" featuring the religious stars of yesteryear. Tedious in the extreme (life is recorded with every banality in place), the author focuses on the least interesting aspects of the Bible story. In short, a heavy inspirational message in an easy-to-read narrative.