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Book Review of Only Human: A Divine Comedy

Only Human: A Divine Comedy
reviewed on


An irreverent, poignant and intellectually stimulating retelling of the Old Testament story of Abraham. Even more than the tale of a believer, this is the story of a cranky, bemused, stubborn deity -- puzzled and intrigued by its creations' capacity for invention, and at its being drawn to experience human emotions -- and a woman, Sarai, who starts out in life as Abram's sibling before she becomes his wife and the mother of Isaac. It is the story of Sarai's desperate battle of wits against a God trying to possess Abram like a jealous lover. More than anything else, though, this is a story about humanity, about human isolation and the ability to invent meaning where there might not be any, about hope and despair, about pride and limitation -- and about storytelling, that most human of all activities.