This fictional autobiography of a bright, but introverted and slightly insecure Henry Lawson begins at a young age when he hears strange voices, which at first he does not recognize. He attributes one voice to Sable Shadow, a confidant of the devil, and the other to The Presence, possibly a representative of God. His life becomes a “sort of board game” for these powerful contestants. In high school, Henry is introduced to the writings of Jean-Paul Sartre, and he begins to see life in existential terms, though this does not infringe on his rudimentary Christian beliefs. Upon Henry’s entry into the business world, he receives guidance from Sable Shadow, and advances to a high corporate level. But with his career nearly at its peak, Henry suffers a series of devastating tragedies. Feeling tormented, he attempts suicide. With the help of his wife and a psychiatrist with whom he engages in philosophical dialogue, he constructs a completely new identity in an attempt to overcome tragedy. Sable Shadow & The Presence is a novel rich in triumph and tragedy, success and failure, good and evil. The story develops a fascinating framework for understanding these complexities of life.
