The Books of Jacob

Nahman’s desire to record Jacob’s life and deeds forms one of the core narrative threads of The Books of Jacob. How does Nahman’s testimony clarify or obscure Jacob’s Messianism? What is the relationship between writing, faith, and power in the novel?

Analyze the relationship between Christianity and Judaism in the novel. In what ways do the two religions mirror or undermine one another in The Books of Jacob? How does Jacob’s exercise of religious authority over his followers compare or contrast with that exercised by the Christian church in the novel?

Jacob and his followers become shape-shifters in terms of their identity, changing locations, names, and even formal religious affiliations at will in reaction to changing circumstances. What is the role of identity in the novel? How do different conceptions of identity reflect or undermine social, religious, and/or political hierarchies?