At the Manger: The Stories of Those Who Were There [Hardcover]

Peter V Orullian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2001

Experience the joy of Christimas by taking a journey back in time and partaking of thelives of those first to greet the newborn babe.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The plot device that drives this collection is hardly new; just last Christmas, Max Lucado's One Incredible Moment adopted a similar approach of having the characters at the manger speak about their experiences in the first person. However, rarely has it been done as well as in Orullian's beautifully written anthology of loosely connected short stories. The book opens with the fable of Luke (no, not the Gospel writer), a down-on-his-luck carpenter whose wife convinces him to take a non-paying trial job doing a manger for a local innkeeper, just to demonstrate his skills. The manger becomes, of course, that manger, connecting Luke to the birth of Yeshua. The book succeeds because it imagines the interactions of non-biblical characters, rather than inserting tidy thought bubbles into the story for Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, etc. Here we are asked to conjecture how ordinary people might have responded to Yeshua's birth-and, by extension, how we would respond.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"An enchanting retelling of the Christmas story from the perspectives of various people who visited the baby in the manger." -- The Seattle Post Intelligencer

"If you only read one new book this holiday season, this is the one to pick." -- The Tampa Tribune

"Orullian imaginatively paints fictional portraits of various Bethlehem citizens to create a picture of Bethlehem and the power of love." -- CBA Marketplace

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Descant (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971290903
• ISBN-13: 978-0971290907
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,355,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Update: THE UNREMEMBERED made Library Journal's Best Fantasy Novels of 2011. Couldn't be happier.

Bio: I have two abiding passions in life: Writing and Music. I like to consume and create both. And in any of this, it's only worth doing if it thrills me. I get plenty of the un-thrilling stuff elsewhere.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for At the Manger, November 11, 2002

By 

Jenny Johnson (Bothell, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At the Manger: The Stories of Those Who Were There (Hardcover)

If you read one book this Christmas, this should be it. This book takes you on a journey through the sorrow and gut wrenching pain that life can bring, to the peace and healing the Savior offers. Be there as those who first saw the Christ child are transformed by His love and the miracle of His birth. I highly recommend this book. I guarantee you've never read a Christmas story quite like this.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touched my Heart, December 5, 2002

By 

Amy (Salt Lake City, Utah) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At the Manger: The Stories of Those Who Were There (Hardcover)

This is an amazing new Christmas story. I love books that make me think and take me out of my comfort zone. "At the Manger" was a cause for personal reflection and a series of short stories that all weave together the lessons of giving and personal sacrifice. At the Manger TOUCHED MY HEART. It is an awesome book to add to your collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for Christmas and beyond!, November 27, 2002

By 

Mike (Utah) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At the Manger: The Stories of Those Who Were There (Hardcover)

I must admit I am not usually a reader of Christmas stories. In fact, I only picked this book up on the recommendation of a friend. Upon reading it, however, I found it to be a great read, with excellent writing and intriguing plotlines, brought together by the central event. I would definitely recommend this book for those who enjoy Christmas stories, as well as those who just enjoy a well written, well crafted read!