DIALOGUES WITH THE DEVIL

by Taylor Caldwell ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 3, 1967

The Devil Lucifer writes re-thus to his brother in heaven, Michael the Archangel: ""Strange to remark, men are less susceptible to determined seduction than women... Man reasons, woman conjectures. Therefore, man wearies first. He is always yawning in the very midst of feminine discourse."" How true, how true! Seldom has an authoress put her foot in her mouth so aptly. Miss Caldwell here summons up a quasi-mystical Christian parable in pure Manichean black and white. It is the eve of destruction for Terra, and Lucifer exults in his triumph over God's stupidity in allowing man free will. What is man doing now? He's shouting, ""God is dead!""--and good riddance. Between them, with Lucifer directing the arguments and Michael answering them, they review God's bungling throughout the universe. Despite Michael's lachrymose defenses, the reader is left utterly unconvinced and unmoved by God's strategy in creating His own disorder via Lucifer, in engineering the Crucifixion and in giving the Virgin the power of intercession for the souls of sinners. Lucifer has been doing well on other planets, but he sees in his success on Terra his personal destruction also. To Miss Caldwell's credit, he never recants. But the bushel of sodden chestnuts of Christian theological dispute she serves UP will have readers of both sexes gasping to stay awake.

Pub Date: March 3, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1967

Categories: FICTION