In this lyrical, Quaker retelling of the New Testament saga, readers are invited in to experience the resonant silences in the written record by joining the storytelling carpenter Yeshu, his young neighbors Daavi and Shoshana, and a band of fellow seekers as they travel through wilderness, village, and city in search of what is divine and what it means to be human. Brimming with adventure, laughter, and natural beauty, the quest they share forever alters their lives, and still impacts ours. The brother and sister who are the eyes and ears of this telling step out of the obscurity of history to show us that the meaning of the public story we thought we knew eludes us until our personal story makes it our own. Before Daavi can take his first footstep at Yeshu’s side, Shoshana goes mysteriously missing, leading him on a search to save her that puts his own soul in the balance during his journeys with Yeshu and beyond. When the novel opens, Daavi is a young lad helping out in his neighbor Yeshu’s workshop. He hands the carpenter tools and fetches him water from the village well. In return, Yeshu tells Daavi stories. Over time they forge a friendship that is deepened by the arrival of Yeshu’s second cousin Yohanan, who wanders the wilderness, emerging from time to time to sing praises of the natural world and baptize seekers of the spirit. Among those seekers are the “lost soul” Maria Magdalena and the exuberant Thunder Brothers, James and John. They treat the lad as their equal, and he blossoms in what will become enduring friendships.The transformative impact of Yeshu’s teachings and example are illuminated in the dilemmas facing Daavi and his friends, and in the choices they make and avoid. They are challenged to embrace all living creatures as sacred, and the role of family and community are pitched against responsibility for the destiny of society. Each of them must answer their questions personally, and Daavi’s lifelong road to clarity of insight and effective action is neither level nor straight.This novel is intended for readers of all ages and spiritual backgrounds. It was written by a storyteller about storytellers, including one of the premier tellers of all times, a Jewish village carpenter from Nazareth. This book shares a seeker’s journey in which the end is the beginning. A fictionalized account of Jesus' life, told from the perspective of a young disciple. Kleymeyer's novel leads readers through young Daavi's journey-both literal and metaphorical-with his neighbor Yeshu, a carpenter from Nazareth. The novel's plot closely follows biblical accounts of Jesus' life, with many familiar characters The author draws on his experience as a sociologist and performing storyteller to reimagine well-known tales in an entirely unique and engaging way. From the birth of Yeshu in a manger to his crucifixion, the novel fills in details about Jesus’ life, but from the perspective of young Daavi, a neighbor in Nazareth. Yeshu is 23 and working as a carpenter, but he soon becomes the village storyteller and healer. Daavi looks up to Yeshu and begins to model his approach to life. On long journeys, they explore what it means to pray, how God speaks to people, and how people can speak to God. The one-on-one interactions between Yeshu and Daavi are compelling, and the most interesting and unusual aspect of the novel is the fact that it is told from the perspective of this “ordinary” boy living beside Yeshu’s workshop. In addition to New Testament events, Kleymeyer relies on other sources of inspiration. He masterfully weaves in cultural and historical references to craft the novel, including Quaker teachings, Chinese and Japanese folktales, musical compositions, art and literature, and his own life experiences. Kleymeyer takes this cultural material and seamlessly applies it to spiritual principles, getting to the heart of how people influence each other in a society—and specifically how even one person can have a profound impact. The chapters are well written and quickly paced, and they contain active dialogue. Kleymeyer introduces a particularly intriguing aspect: Daavi’s sister, Shoshana is missing, and throughout the novel, Daavi is on a quest to find her. Meanwhile, he is striving to follow Yeshu’s teachings. Each chapter provides an opportunity for reflection on specific biblical messages. As a result, the novel will appeal to fans of Judeo-Christian fiction as well as to those interested in exploring spiritual themes. Through comforting messages of love and forgiveness, Kleymeyer presents a new context for familiar biblical passages and parables. Charles David Kleymeyer is an award-winning writer and applied sociologist with a lifetime of experience serving organizations and communities of low-income ethnic groups throughout the Americas. He has published short stories and poetry, and during a Fulbright Fellowship in highland Ecuador, he produced a trilingual collection of documentary short stories-in Spanis