I Came to Love You Late

by Joyce Landorf

The taste and smell of Biblical Palestine come alive once again! Using extensive on-site research and unsurpassed literary skill, Joyce Landorf transports you back in time for an eyewitness view of the Gospel accounts. The author weaves a tenderly perceptive, intensely personal tale as seen through the eyes of Martha — sister to Lazarus and Mary, friend to Jesus. The story line runs from Martha's childhood, through the baptism of Jesus, right up to His final ascension after the crucifixion. Experience for yourself the hopes, the doubts, and the sheer amazement that were being expressed throughout Israel about the carpenter from Nazareth.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Biblical Fiction, Christian Fiction

221 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Judy]

This is typical of the books I read avidly as an impressionable young teenager. "The Silver Chalice," "The Robe," "Dear and Glorious Physician," the C.S. Lewis "Perelandra" trilogy -- I ate them up! I was fascinated with Bible stories and religious themes... makes me wonder why it took so long to figure out that I was destined to become a minister. So it was kind of fun to come back as a 70-year old to read another of this type of book. It was recommended on Facebook or someone's blog when a colleague was musing about Mary and Martha.

All my life, since I was old enough to understand that Bible stories are metaphors (and growing up as a Unitarian Universalist, I learned this early), I have wondered whether I was Martha or Mary. To put it another way, as a child of the 50's who spent her young adult years in the 60's, was I June Cleaver or Gloria Steinem?

This book actually helped me accept and celebrate the Martha side of me -- that practical woman who is so focused on hospitality that she's too busy running back and forth waiting on her guests to sit and listen to the teachings of Jesus. In the book, when they have That Famous Conversation, Jesus says to Martha "I want to see a balance between doing and being in your life. You need to learn when it is time to stop your industrious serving and quiet yourself for listening and storing food for your soul. Did you know that the soul must be fed its supper, too?" It's so much sweeter to read these words than the shorter version in the Bible, which I always heard as "You made the wrong choice, Martha; Mary has chosen right."

I only gave it three stars, because it's not well-written and I disagree with the underlying theology that Jesus was King of Heaven, that he was bodily resurrected, etc. etc. I am not a Christian. But I love the stories, and I think they have their own value separate from the author's theological agenda.

[Deborah Johnson]

I Came to Love You Late is one of my all time favorite books. It is the love story of Jesus and Lazarus, Mary and Martha.! I read this book many years ago and cried all the way through it. A profound book.

[Bob]

Actually my second reading of this book - I found it among my mother's books after she died in 2000. I rarely read "romance" novels, but this one captured my interest because of Mom's notes in it and the dates she had read it (several). This is clearly Martha's story - her family memories, her relationships with her sister and brother and friends in Bethany, her viewpoint of Lazarus's death and new life, her observance of Mary's growth and her own, and her thoughts and feelings about Jesus in His last weeks as a human.
I highly recommend this little book to anyone who loves the Lord, or who would like to learn more about Him. Although it is a fictionalized novella about Jesus' ministry and the people He called friends, it rings true and closely follows the first hand accounts of his followers as collected in the Bible.

[Jane Hunt]

Loved this story the first time I read it and it popped out at me again from my bookshelf this week. Nice read!!!

[Charlene]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful story, based on Scripture, that portrays the kind, loving, gracious Jesus.

[Pearl]

Quite a sweet reimagining of the story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, focusing on Martha's viewpoint. A LOT of poetic licence taken.

[Lisa Pence]

Novel of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave from the viewpoint of Lazarus' sister Martha. Very enjoyable and relaxing read. Really enjoyed her descriptions of daily life during this time period.

[Amy]

This is a great book. I really identified with Martha and her struggles. It honestly helped me with some of my own struggles.

This book is a "tenderly perceptive, intensely personal tale as seen through the eyes of Martha - sister to Lazarus and Mary, friend to Jesus. The story line runs from Martha's childhood, through the baptism of Jesus, right up to His final ascension after the crucifixion." It explores "the hopes, the doubts, and the sheer amazement that were being expressed throughout Israel about the carpenter from Nazareth.

....Everyone will be abl to identify with Martha's struggle to supplant her pragmatism with a workable faith. Here lies the real intrigue, for even after a lapse of 2000 years, (we) have inhereted Martha's dilemma in full. The claims, the miracles and the teachings of Jesus stand before you - the decision to accept or reject them is yours to make. Seeing how Martha made her choice may well help you with your own."

[Kim. E.]

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I read it for the first time as a teenager, and have read it several times since then. The book centers on the Biblical story of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, and their friendship with Jesus, from a fictional basis.

[Kolette]

A friend's favorite from years ago...can't wait to find out why.

[Jennifer]

I read this book as a young girl and it's wonderful! So real....

[Julie]

This has to be one of my all-time favorite books--ever. It spoke to me on many levels and is one that I will continue to reread until the day I die.

[Megan]

July 4, 1996
December 5, 2000

[Gaile]

This is the best book of the life of Jesus I have ever read!

[Kristen Adamowicz]

not bad but not a must read

[Sharon Craiger]

Interesting