The Childhood of Jesus (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780143125761)

From the Nobel Prize-winning author of Waiting for the Barbarians, The Life & Times of Michael K and Disgrace.

Nobel laureate and two-time Booker Prize winner J. M. Coetzee returns with a haunting and surprising novel about childhood and destiny that is sure to rank with his classic novels.

Separated from his mother as a passenger on a boat bound for a new land, David is a boy who is quite literally adrift. The piece of paper explaining his situation is lost, but a fellow passenger, Sim n, vows to look after the boy. When the boat docks, David and Sim n are issued new names, new birthdays, and virtually a whole new life.

Strangers in a strange land, knowing nothing of their surroundings, nor the language or customs, they are determined to find David's mother. Though the boy has no memory of her, Sim n is certain he will recognize her at first sight. "But after we find her," David asks, "what are we here for?"

An eerie allegorical tale told largely through dialogue, The Childhood of Jesus is a literary feat--a novel of ideas that is also a tender, compelling narrative. Coetzee's many fans will celebrate his return while new readers will find The Childhood of Jesus an intriguing introduction to the work of a true master.

Author: J. M. Coetzee
ISBN-10: 0143125761
ISBN-13: 9780143125761
Publisher: Penguin Books
Language: English
Published: 07/29/2014
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.47lbs
Size: 7.96h x 5.11w x 0.74d

Review Citation(s):
Christian Century 08/06/2014 pg. 33
New York Times Book Review 09/07/2014 pg. 28