The Life of God (as Told by Himself)

The protagonist of Franco Ferrucci's inspired novel is a tender, troubled deity. In the beginning is God's solitude, and because he is lonely he creates the world. He falls in love with Earth, plunges into the oceans, lives as plant and reptile and bird. His every thought and mood serve to populate the planet, with consequences that run away from him - sometimes delightfully, sometimes unfortunately. When a new animal emerges from the apes, God believes he has finally found the companion he needs to help him make sense of his unruly creation. He wanders through history, incarnating himself as one inconspicuous bystander after another, looking always for those who will recognize him for what he is and fulfill the destinies of both God and humanity. He wrestles with Moses for the souls of the Chosen People, sits at the feet of Buddha, loves a Hebrew girl, and becomes, unintentionally, the father of Christ; debates Augustine, inspires Dante, falls afoul of Shakespeare, and makes a gift to Freud of the idea of the unconscious. As the centuries pass, God feels more and more out of place in the world he has created; by the close of his memoir, he is packing his bags.