Mary A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother

by Hazleton, Lesley

• ISBN13: 9781582344751
• ISBN10: 1582344752
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-01
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Summary

Starting with a dark-skinned girl barely out of adolescence when she gives birth, Lesley Hazleton weaves together the many facets of Mary's existence: peasant villager, wise woman and healer, activist, mother, teacher, and yes, virgin, though in a sense we have long forgotten. She follows her through the worst any mother can experience-the excruciating death of her child-and then looks at how she transforms grief into wisdom, disaster into renewal. Strong and courageous, the Mary we see here does not merely assent to her role in history, but chooses it and lives it to the fullest.Lesley Hazletonis the award-winning author of eight books, includingJerusalem, JerusalemandWhere Mountains Roar; her work has appeared in such publications as theNew York Times,Harper's Magazine,Parade,Esquire,Vanity Fair,Mirabella, andThe Nation.Who was Mary? The most famous woman in the world is usually depicted as a blank, iconic figure rather than the extraordinary person she must have been. Beginning with a vision of a dark-skinned girl barely out of adolescence when she gives birth, Lesley Hazleton draws a fierce and inspiring portrait from Mary's myriad identities: peasant villager, wise woman and healer, activist, mother, teacher, and yes, virgin, though in a sense we have long forgotten. We see how she becomes pregnant, how she raises her son to inspire and to lead, and how she survives the worst any mother can experience--the excruciating death of her child. Above all, as Jesus is buried and resurrected, we gain new insight into the depth of Mary's wisdom as she transforms grief into action, and disaster into renewal. A former psychologist and political reporter with deep roots in both Judaism and Catholicism, Hazleton has drawn on years of research and experience in the Middle East, as well as on anthropology, history, and theology. The Mary who emerges is neither demystified nor diminished. On the contrary, it is her very humanity that makes this such a powerful and universal story, one in which women everywhere will recognize themselves. This brilliant biography radically reenvisions the life of Mary, restoring her to us as both a real woman and a powerful spiritual leader. "Drawing on a wide range of sources including the sometimes suppressed history of the feminine in ancient religions, Hazleton paints a convincing picture of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Both scholars and nonspecialists are bound to enjoy this highly readable intellectual and spiritual treat."--Harvey Cox, Hollis Professor of Divinity, Harvard University, and author ofCommon Prayers "An intelligent, trenchant puzzling over the details of history and culture, as well as a reclamation project . . . a tremendous accomplishment."--The Seattle Times "At last! A real, flesh-and-blood Mary. Recent scholarship about Jesus situating him in the social and political milieu of first-century Palestine now extends to his mother, Mary. Far from robbing us of faith, this grounding of Mary's life as a brown-skinned, struggling peasant girl invites us deeper into the sheer, paradoxical mystery of faith."--Sister Helen Prejean, author ofDead Man Walking "Lesley Hazleton'sMaryis simultaneously intellectual, fanciful, respectful and impious . . . An original, contrary view, with something to challenge everyone who picks it up."--The Oregonian(Portland) "Maryhas the starch of real history to it . . . [Hazleton's] writing flows like wine and readers of fiction as well as history will enjoy it . . . Those who revere Mary needn't worry that this book will de-mystify one of the world's great religious figures. Instead, Hazleton adds a layer to the Mary story that actually makes her more remarkable than ever."

Author Biography

Lesley Hazleton is the award-winning author of eight books, including Jerusalem, Jerusalem and Where Mountains Roar; her work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper's, Parade, Esquire, Vanity Fair, Mirabella, and the Nation.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Her World	p. 13
Her Womb	p. 75
Her Women	p. 149
Notes	p. 211
Bibliography	p. 229
Acknowledgments	p. 241
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