Rebecca Newberger Goldstein is a philosopher, novelist, MacArthur Fellow who writes about subjects that fascinate her. Usually brilliant people like herself. In 36 ARGUMENTS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD, her entertaining new novel, Rebecca introduces Cass Seltzer, a kind and gentle best-selling atheist who is drawn into a constellation of eccentric and interesting intellectuals from Harvard who both fuss over him and mesmerize him. They are assorted poets, mystics, and geniuses including one six-year-old mathematical prodigy who is the son of a Hasidic Rebbe. Suffice that Goldstein’s novel is great fun as is Rebecca herself who in real life is as interesting as any of her characters and plays house with the redoubtable Steven Pinker. She knows whereof she speaks.
