The premise of God is simple: write a book about the descriptions of God.  Alexander Waugh, son of columnist Auberon and grandson of satirist Evelyn, crafts a diminutive book exploring the attributes of God.  Mining a variety of sources, including different Bible translations, Gnostic, apocryphal, visionary, Jewish, Muslim and Mormon texts, Waugh offers the reader a multitude of perspectives on the topic.  The challenge comes from the traditionally held beliefs that God is invisible and immaterial.  Waugh leaps from one religious tradition to another, comparing and contrasting, occasionally dissecting a long-held truism with a satirist’s eye.

The writing is crisp and concise, mingling thoughtful critique with dry wit.  The jacket blurbs lauding the book come from an ecumenical range of sources, including a rabbi, several Christian preachers, and a few atheists.  God does a great service in making the reader think and making the reader laugh.  Waugh proves up to the task in approaching the heavy topic with a light touch and a healthy dose of scholarly irreverence.