Book summary

Noah's wife begins his story, revealing that her ancient husband (there's a 500-year age difference) is distant, domineering, and downright unpleasant. When he gets the call from God to build an ark and save humanity from the coming flood, the family reacts in a variety of ways, and the narrative bounces back and forth between them. It's his sons, of course, who have to do the work of shipbuilding, and it's his disgruntled daughters-in-law who have to track down all the animal species and herd them into the ark. Then there's the ordeal of living in close quarters with the animals, all of whom have to be fed and cared for. His long-suffering family reluctantly has to admit that Noah was right--not crazy--but the experience takes its toll on them all as they try to please both Noah and God. David Maine reimagines the familiar Biblical tale from a modern perspective, humanizing all the participants and making the story vivid and new.

Media reviews

"Neither satire nor hagiography, but an idiomatic modern rendering of the biblical tale in accord both with contemporary sensibilities and historical accounts."