Among the books displayed by ARPress at the Frankfurter Buchmesse in Frankfurt, Germany, from October 15 to 19, 2025, The Book of Mary: A Commentary on the Protevangelium of James (Second Edition) by Michael P. Closs stood out quietly amid the buzz of the world’s largest publishing event. The fair, in its 77th edition, felt like a live pulse of the book-world: five days where ideas, culture, commerce, discovery and connection all collided in one place.
This year, the fair added several new layers of energy. For starters, the Guest of Honour was the Philippines, presenting under the theme “The imagination peoples the air.” That meant a special pavilion, a series of cultural and literary events highlighting Filipino voices and storytelling traditions.
Also, the fair leaned hard into cross-media formats: the newly emphasized “Book-to-Screen Day” on October 17 signalled that publishers and creatives are not just thinking print, but film, TV and streaming. For example, you could stroll from a rights negotiation meeting straight into a panel about turning a novel into a streaming series, then glance over to an audio zone where narrators and audiobook tech were on show.
The public programme (open to all from Friday onward) featured a dizzying range of stages: manga, comics, cosplay and games got serious space this year; there was a “Centre Stage” in Hall 4.1 for cultural and political talks (featuring big names like a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and ex-NATO Secretary General) and a “Reading Zone of Independent Publishers” where up-and-coming voices were amplified. Even the logistics showed how the fair is living up to its global claims: over 4,000 exhibitors from across the world, and the event framed as “the defining fair for the print and digital content business.”
The opening hours show the rhythm: trade visitors got access from 15-18 October, while the general public could join in on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. What this means in practical terms: imagine showing up early in the week for rights talks or author meet-ups; imagine a Saturday afternoon where the booths flood with families, manga fans in cosplay, readers browsing new titles, authors signing, coffee in hand. Meanwhile behind the scenes, deals are being made, translation contracts drawn up, creators from around the world comparing notes. The venue itself, Messe Frankfurt, becomes a micro-city of publishing, buzzing with voices, booths, panels, unexpected side-conversations in hallways.
For a book like The Book of Mary: A Commentary on the Protevangelium of James (Second Edition) by Michael P. Closs, this is fertile ground. In a setting where major genre titles can dominate the spotlights, the special, quieter books still find their nook, but now with the benefit of tremendous visibility. The broader themes of fair, cross-media adaptation, international rights, younger reader engagement, creative-tech intersections, mean that even a book whose focus is more contemplative, or niche can ride the wave of attention simply by showing up in the right context.
The Book of Mary: A Commentary on the Protevangelium of James (Second Edition) by Michael P. Closs takes a fresh, critical look at the Protevangelium of James, one of the earliest texts detailing the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Closs meticulously analyzes historical manuscripts, including Syriac and Greek sources, to explore how this ancient work influenced early Christian beliefs and shaped traditions about Mary’s life, from her miraculous birth to her role in the story of Jesus.
Michael P. Closs is a retired professor at the University of Ottawa, Canada. He is also a Catholic deacon who has served in both Canada and Mexico. Closs’s work is thoroughly researched and carefully crafted. He opens with background on the Gospel of Mark, which likely drew primarily from the Protoevangelium, especially in relation to the Messianic Secret.
The Book of Mary: A Commentary on the Protevangelium of James (Second Edition) is a poignant and spiritually reflective narrative that draws readers into the sacred and human dimensions of Mary—the mother of Jesus. More than a religious retelling, it is a journey into Mary’s heart: her obedience, her faith, her sorrow, and her hope. The book explores the depth of her relationship with God, her role in the unfolding of divine salvation, and the emotional and spiritual burdens she carried as both mother and servant of the Lord.
Beyond textual analysis, this bookdelves into the broader historical and cultural context in which these writings emerged. Closs examines the role of women in early Christianity, the influence of Jewish traditions on Marian narratives, and how later theologians built upon these foundational stories. He presents a balanced approach, acknowledging both the strengths and the limitations of historical interpretations while inviting readers to consider the Protevangelium as more than just legend—it is a window into the spiritual mindset of the earliest followers of Jesus.
The Book of Mary: A Commentary on the Protevangelium of James (Second Edition) stands out as a spiritually enriching work that brings a new level of intimacy to one of the most revered figures in Christian faith. It is compelling because it humanizes Mary without diminishing her sanctity—portraying her not only as the mother of the Messiah but as a woman who faced doubt, fear, and pain with extraordinary faith.
Readers will find comfort, strength, and renewed devotion in these pages. The book gently reminds us that holiness does not mean perfection but surrender—that even the purest faith is tested through suffering. For believers, it offers a chance to reflect more deeply on Mary’s example; for seekers, it opens a window into the transformative power of faith and grace.
This year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse felt alive with possibility. The cultural dimension (Philippines guest of honour), the expanded public access, the varied programming (from comics to film-industry panels), the global-rights stage, all of that created a backdrop where a book doesn’t just have to be good, it has to connect. And walking among the stalls, one could almost sense the collision of story and technology, tradition and innovation, local voices and global echo.
So, when someone notices The Book of Mary: A Commentary on the Protevangelium of James (Second Edition) by Michael P. Closs in ARPress’s display, maybe on a table near the broader non-fiction section, maybe in a quiet corner of a genre bay, they’re not just seeing a book. They’re seeing it in a moment: a moment of publishing’s future meeting its roots; a story offered amid thousands of others, inviting a reader to pause, to pick it up, to ask “what might this one say to me?” And perhaps that is why books like this matter even more in a fair like this, because among the big lights and big deals, there’s still space for the voice that whispers rather than shouts, for the reader who wanders, for the author who offers something earnest.
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