The Overexamined Life of Jacob Hart by Jerry Wald

The Overexamined Life of Jacob Hart by Jerry Wald
Series: A standalone
Publisher: Torchflame Books (July 9, 2024)

Review by Mae Clair

An engineer, a rabbi, a CEO, and a professor walk into a lodge…

No, that isn’t the lead-in to a joke, but it does introduce the four major players in The Overexamined Life of Jacob Hart. (For the record, the lodge plays a key role).

This book turned up on one of my reading recommendation newsletters under “religious fiction.” The blurb intrigued me, so I immediately hopped over to Amazon where I discovered multiple stellar—make that glowing—reviews.

“…couldn’t put it down…”

“…beautifully written…”

“….thought provoking….”

On and on they went, so it was a no-brainer to click the purchase button.

Note to self: next time, don’t be so quick on the trigger.

I almost stopped reading at three different points but stuck with the book as I had selected it as my October read for Fish. When finished, I seriously debated whether I should even review it given my struggle to complete it, but not every novel can hit a home run.

On the plus side, the characters are strong and a few managed to worm their way into my heart.

Recently retired, then widowed, Jacob, a Jewish man, struggles with the meaning of life, particularly the inclusion/intervention of God. Jacob has a bad heart, two adult children who skirt the edges of his life, and a loyal canine companion named Hunter (I loved Hunter). Throughout his long corporate career as an engineer, Jacob had lived by the mantra that there is an answer to every problem, no issue without a solution–but suddenly he is seeking the biggest answer of all.

Jacob is the proverbial seeker, inviting the reader along on his quest for knowledge as he puzzles together his understanding of a higher power.

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“I believe in God from my heart, not my intellect. I don’t know His origin or purpose, but my soul craves faith in a higher power. To be part of a plan. To be grateful to Him.
Without God, my life would be diminished.”

The Overexamined Life of Jacob Hart, Jerry Wald

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Along the way, Jacob’s life intersects with a Rabbi who has lost his faith, an ivy league professor (and old friend) skilled at manipulating circumstances, and an atheist/CEO who must face his own mortality. There’s also a real estate scam, a slimeball mayor, a gorgeous lodge tucked in a wooded setting, a somewhat mystical lake, and a peculiar flock of black-and-white birds.

All four main characters are well developed, and as noted, the story is “beautifully written.” I was particularly fond of the Rabbi and his wife, but the story was not what I expected.

If you’re interested in examining weighty topics such as homelessness, religion, race, sexual orientation, friendship, and class, you’ll find this “thought provoking” fiction. I found the story a bit of a downer in several areas, and disliked how Jacob’s evangelical son was initially portrayed (though that changes by the end). There was a nice surprise at the conclusion and I was satisfied with how (most) of the plot threads resolved, including those of multiple secondary characters.

No question this is a well-written, polished novel that will appeal to many, but it wasn’t what I was expecting from characters in search of God. I can easily see book clubs dissecting this one.

I give The Overexamined Life of Jacob Hart three fish.

I purchased the Kindle version of The Overexamined Life of Jacob Hart.