Woman of prayer, woman of faith, woman of confidence – this is the Miryam (Mary) of Nazareth we met in Ann Johnson’s vivid, contemporary portrait of the mother of Jesus that was first published over twenty years ago. In a new edition of this spiritual classic, we discover that these strengths were a part of Miryam – long before the angel asked her cooperation in God’s plan of salvation. Now available for a whole new generation of readers, Miraym of Nazareth unfolds in three parts. Imagining her first in the desert, Johnson situates Miryam’s prayer in the spirit of her predecessors in faith – Esther, Judith, Deborah and Ruth. Miryam, the mother of Jesus, is then given a new voice through a collection of Magnificats that allow us to glimpse the key moments of his life through her eyes. Finally, Miryam’s life among the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem after the resurrection is portrayed through her prayers of hope and trust. Johnson’s imaginative and stirring use of the Magnificat prayer form presents a fresh and appealing view of Mary, the God-bearer and woman for all times.