Review: "Before Bethlehem" by James Flerlage

I love reading books that fill in the historical background of the Biblical stories that I know and love and this one does not disappoint. This the story of what life was like in Nazareth for Jesus’ family before his birth. It is told in the voice of his brother, James. It comprises the time period where Mary and Joseph meet and her pregnancy and the birth of Jesus. It brings to light the persecution suffered by the Jewish race and the great risk that Joseph put himself and his family in by standing by Mary.

I enjoyed the book for the details about life under Roman rule. He elaborates on different aspects of daily existence that are only touched on briefly in the Bible. It is well researched and helps me to understand why certain things were done the way they were and also why people reacted to situations the way they did.

I highly recommend this book to everyone from young teen to adult although one needs to keep in mind that this is only the author’s idea of how the human characters reacted. Also, although we know how the story turns out, it is still page turning and will keep you interested and wanting to know how people survived during this time.