While flying to Arizona a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of finishing a brilliant novel on the
plane. 36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Novel by Rebecca Goldstein was so good that I deigned to carry the hardcover on board with me even though I only had 30 pages left to read. This self-proclaimed academic satire makes fun of the recent phenomenon of best-selling atheist books (think, God is Not Great, The God Delusion, Letter to a Christian Nation, etc). Cass Seltzer, a religion professor, suddenly finds himself in the spotlight having written a tract entitled 36 Arguments Against the Existence of God. Included is an appendix that outlines the 36 most prevalent arguments, and the logical refutations to each of these.In addition to Cass, the cast of characters includes a raving, red-haired feminist anthropologist (Roz), a menschy university president who cannot quell student protests, a self-absorbed brilliant female mathematician (also Cass's girlfriend), and Cass's rambling, incoherent yet highly regarded Ph.D adviser (Dr. Jonas Klapper). Of course, these characters all engage in witty bantering on philosophy, mathematics, science, and religion. These asides that allude to everything from William James to game theory make each chapter fun, challenging, and nostalgic to read. They recall the pretentious conversations that are unavoidable in academia.
But the biggest joke that runs throughout is that Cass has no idea how he became a bestselling author; he was basically writing about something he'd mulled over his entire life at the right time. It was nearly an act of divine intervention. Cass's reaction is appropriately transcendent. 36 Arguments begins with Cass standing on a bridge, overlooking the Charles River, feeling closer to something spiritual than he ever had before, as he reflects on his newly acquired fame.
Indeed, this transcendent feeling crops up several times throughout the novel, suggesting that a spiritual connection can be felt regardless of one's religious belief. Goldstein makes this theme most clear by interjecting a somewhat forced storyline of Azyra, a Hassidic boy whom Cass meets first as a grad student, and mentors for the next twenty years. Azyra is more or less a child math prodigy. While his family and neighbors recognize that he's special, they think he's been touched by God and should become the next Rabbi. As Azyra becomes a teenager, he needs to decide if he should leave his town and go to college to reach his mathematical potential, or stay and become the next Rabbi. Ultimately, Azyra does choose to become a rabbi, demonstrating that the knowledge of some things, like family, may be the best knowledge of all.