Concerning the Future of Souls

In Concerning the Future of Souls, Joy Williams offers a masterful collection of ninety-nine reflections on mortality, blending humor, beauty, and deep insight. The book centers on Azrael, the Angel of Death and transporter of souls, who is portrayed as a thoughtful and troubled protagonist grappling with the sacred yet impossible nature of his task, his uneasy relationship with Death, and his unusual friendship with the Devil. Williams balances the extraordinary and the humble, the bizarre and the beatific, crafting a work that is both intellectually profound and emotionally moving. Following her earlier work, Ninety-Nine Stories of God, this collection features a diverse cast of characters including ordinary people, celebrated artists like Kafka, Nietzsche, Bach, and Rilke, as well as animals such as dogs, birds, horses, and butterflies. Each illumination explores the transient yet everlasting fate of the soul, inviting readers to confront life and death with sorrow, wit, and ecstatic insight. Praised for its intricate artistry and political resonance, the book is described as a holy and gorgeous masterpiece that leaves readers awestruck.