Author: J. William Lewis

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

ISBN: 9781626348462


The Essence of Nathan Biddle could have been nothing further than a coming-of-age story, but J. William Lewis has turned it into a thoughtful compelling narrative which in the end exacts quite an emotional toll


Featured is an 18-year-old lad, Kittridge Carr Biddle (nicknamed Kit), whose most profound treasures of his complex mind are probed. 

Kit describes himself as a “fretter,” where he gets some images in his mind that won’t disappear. There always seems to be “something” troubling him. He is constantly worrying a great deal about the significance of “things.” And although he is not struggling to grow into a philosopher, he endeavors to uncover answers to very basic questions such as the nature of existence. Unfortunately, his insatiable reading habit does little to provide the answers he is seeking. 

Lewis introduces Kit to us in the opening pages of the tale on the first anniversary of the death of his cousin Nathan. As event unfold, we learn about the gruesome death of Nathan. He was murdered by his religiously fanatic father, the Reverend Nathaniel Tyler Bickle. The latter claimed God ordered him to kill his son. The  Reverend ended up in  a psychiatric institution. 

Another traumatic episode in Kit’s life was the death of his father when Kit was four years old. His father had plunged his car into a bridge abutment. Kit wonders if the accident was accidental or intentional. 

To make matters ever more difficult, Kit has recently been ditched by his sweetheart, Anna, who still wishes to remain as “friends.” Kit had met Anna one summer while toiling as a truck driver for his friend, Eddie Lichtman’s father’s furniture store. Anna explains to Kit that she is not someone who he thinks she is, but rather someone he has created in his mind. 

All of these milestones have caused Kit an immense deal of suffering and anguish. One of his teachers points out to him that he might be having a severe spiritual crisis. Nathan’s death, in particular, has an overwhelming impact on Kit as the two were remarkably close and were companions to one another. 

At school, Kit is acting up, and his teachers are deeply concerned. They feel that they have let him down. Whereas previously he was an outstanding student and athlete, his conduct looks to be spiraling out of control. He has been dropped from the honors program and appears to be drifting with no purpose. 

After being chucked aside by Anna, Kit becomes entangled with his friend’s sister, Sarah, who idolizes him; however, the feeling is not reciprocal. She may be delightful and bright, but she is not Anna. 

What gives Kit a moment of pause and a fresh perspective on his life is when he almost kills himself after stealing a flatbed maintenance truck from a country club. He winds up in the emergency room with major life-threatening injuries.

The Essence of Nathan Biddle has all the polish and finish that readers might expect from an author with considerable more notable achievements. It is a rich well-paced seamless work loaded with feelings and philosophy. The writing is compelling and the story is narrated with a kind of magical realism. And despite an incredible amount packed into the novel, it glides effortlessly.

Moreover, one of the joys of reading this story is the masterful manner in which Lewis portrays Kit. He honestly feels like a real person-someone we can easily root for to conquer his challenges and obstacles. His emotions are portrayed so realistically that readers can readily connect to him and sympathize with the torment he faces.

`Follow Here To Read Norm's Interview with J.William Lewis