An Answer for Pierre

M. Wayne Cunningham is a past executive director of the Saskatchewan
Arts Board and the former director of Academic and Career Programs at
East Kootenay Community College.

A retired university professor, Jacob Harald, seeks answers to the
question, “Why did God forsake the Jews in Auschwitz?” It was a
question once posed by Jacob’s salesman friend, Pierre, who
subsequently lost his job and disappeared for several years. Plagued by
feelings of guilt, Jacob embarks on an odyssey of research, reflection,
travel, and observation to formulate the ultimate answer. His search
takes him into realms of cosmology, epistemology, quantum physics, and
religion and brings him face to face with fundamental questions. What is
evil? Why does evil exist? What is free will? Is capital punishment
justified?

In the course of his travels, Jacob hears personal stories about
Auschwitz so horrific that he is driven to the brink of a breakdown.
Throughout his search, his wife, Eve, helps him to clarify his thinking
and understanding. Fortified by their mutual love, Jacob and Eve
confront their problems and those of their children. When Jacob finally
meets Pierre again, it is evident that the years of searching for the
answer to Pierre’s question have benefited Jacob more than Pierre.

This challenging novel will appeal to readers interested in questions
and debates about morality, existence, philosophy, and good versus evil.