(+) The Handmaid and the Carpenter (2006 Berg), novel
The Handmaid and the Carpenter (2006) is a novel by Elizabeth Berg.
Abstract
A retelling of the Christmas story follows a young couple, Mary and Joseph, who are planning to be married, only to be confronted by an unexpected pregnancy that for Mary is a miracle and for Joseph, a challenge to his faith in his wife and in God.
"This wonderful novel transports us to Nazareth in biblical times, where we meet Mary and Joseph–and understand them as never before: young, in love, and suddenly faced with an unexpected pregnancy. Aided by a great and abiding love, they endure challenges to their relationship as well as threats to their lives as they come to terms with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the birth of their child, Jesus. For Mary, the pregnancy is a divine miracle and a privilege. For Joseph, it is an ongoing test of his faith–in his wife as well as in his God. Exquisitely written and imbued with emotional truth and richness of detail, The Handmaid and the Carpenter explores lives touched profoundly by miracles large and small."--Publisher description.
Editions
Published in New York, NY: Random House, 2006 (#1626).