The Modern Magi: A Christmas Novel - Softcover

Pearson, Carol Lynn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1599553546 ISBN 13: 9781599553542

Publisher: Cedar Fort, 2009

Synopsis

Annabelle Perkins, a middle-aged waitress in a small midwestern town, has an extraordinary dream of traveling to the Holy Land at Christmas and giving a gift to Jesus. After saving her money, it appears as if her dream will finally come true, but a series of unexpected circumstances leaves Annabelle faced with a difficult choice.

About this title

From Kirkus Reviews:

A Christmas ``fable'' by the author of A Stranger for Christmas (not reviewed) and Morning Glory Mother (1997). Annabelle Perkins, a spinster of 57 who waits tables, has a little bronze lamb she wants to take to Bethlehem as a gift for baby Jesus. Her mother had always told her that they would take it together. But now her parents are dead. Annabelle deposits $200 on a $2,000 Christmas trip to the Holy Land. She doesn't earn much and has a bad heart as well, but she puts in an extra day a week at the restaurant and by November is ready for the trip. Then, however, she learns that the daughter of one of her regular customers is going to drop out of collegeshe's run out of money. Baby Jesus whispers to Annabelle, Give me my gift now. So Annabelle anonymously sends her savings in a postal money order to the girl. Next year, Annabelle again saves up for the trip, but this time she reads that an ex-boyfriend has a daughter who needs a kidney transplant (price: $50,000). Baby Jesus whispers again. And Annabelle sends the money to the ex, anonymously. Next year, the same kind of giveaway occurs. Now she's too weak to work overtime (and thus save for the fare). But, lo, a miracle takes place. . . . You have to like baby Jesus an awful lot to dig this story. But, after all, Christmas is His birthday. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From Publishers Weekly:

This holiday yarn is everything a Christmas story should be: it is inspiring without being heavy-handed; it features a principal character who is loving but also realistically flawed; and it engagingly reminds readers of the true meaning of Christmas. Annabelle Perkins, a middle-aged single woman whose parents have recently died, tries to fulfill one of her mother's dreams by signing up for a holiday trip to the Holy Land. But year after year, Annabelle finds herself giving her hard-earned savings to others who need the money more. In a story that is reminiscent of Henry van Dyke's "The Other Wise Man," Annabelle finds that she already knows how to celebrate the Christ child, whether or not she makes it to Bethlehem.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cedar Fort
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1599553546
• ISBN 13: 9781599553542
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 65