On God

In On God, Norman Mailer, a towering figure in American literature, explores his concept of the nature of God. In a series of probing, challenging, and uncommon dialogues, Mailer establishes his own system of belief, one that rejects both organized religion and atheism. He presents a view in which our world is created by an artistic God who often succeeds but can also fail in the face of determined opposition by contrary powers in the universe. As war is waged for the souls of humans, we in our turn are given the freedom-indeed, the responsibility-to choose our own paths. Mailer believes that our individual behavior, a complex mix of good and evil, will be rewarded or punished with a reincarnation that fits the sum of our lives. Ever original and unpredictable, this inspiring verbal journey offers a unique vision of a world in which "God needs us as much as we need God."
"[Displays] the glory of an original mind in full provocation."
"Mailer was always the wildest of the great generation of twentieth-century American novelists; reckless, hip, often offensive, always energetic. His essays, even when outrageous, are superbly written, his imagined lives of people intensely researched."
"Remarkable. [Mailer's] a believer-in his own fashion…Here, he puts on the record his typically idiosyncratic beliefs."
"Thought-provoking…deliberate and expressive."
"At once illuminating and exciting…a chance to see Mailer's intellect as well as his lively conversational style of speech."