The Mother of the Last Prophet by Alessandra Lavagnino

What is it about?

A novella about the predicament of St Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias, when told by Gabriel that they are to have a son. The childhood and martyrdom of John the Baptist are vividly imagined, as is the impossibility for parents of comprehending the nature of a child with a sublime and revolutionary mission.

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Why is it important?

It is by a remarkable Italian novelist, scientist and cultural historian whose work deserves to be better known by English speaking readers. Among this author's other works is the first account of life in a mafia-dominated society from a woman's point of view, translated into English as Truth and Flies.