36 ARGUMENTS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

Oliver Wyman’s narration contains just the right bit of mischief to deliver the polysyllabic academician’s jargon in this ambitious, humorous new novel. We meet the “atheist with a soul,” Cass Seltzer, who’s received national acclaim for his bestselling book. However, it’s the book’s appendix that garners all the hoopla. Wyman is wonderful as puffed-up conversations about the psychology of religion, Matthew Arnold’s poetry, and the Kabbalah rain down. Other notable characters include Dr. Jonas Elijah Klapper, Cass’s mentor, and a 6-year-old math genius. But the book is less about character than about the nature of faith. Not an easy listen, the novel is expansive in its language and convoluted in its subject matter. Happily, Wyman manages to keep it all on track. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2011]