Mitzvah Man by John Clayton

Our member Vera Roth writes:

Mitzvah Man is a very warm and human contemporary story about overcoming tragedies, difficulties and social injustice which sometimes happens throughout the life of ordinary people. The book shows how living life the “Jewish” way helps triumph over unfortunate events in modern society in our country.

The book is a lovely depiction of family and friends devoted relationships, the significance of father/child closeness, empathy and caring.

The Jewish religion by its philosophy and everyday prayers provides us the ability to carry life to its fullest. One does not have to be overly Orthodox to utilize the benefits our religion has to offer.

Boston businessman Adam Friedman goes a little crazy — or becomes a little holy —after the death of his beloved wife. He becomes a very different kind of superhero. In a frenzy of mitzvot — good deeds, commandments — he saves lives and helps the needy. His teenage daughter begins to wonder if there isn’t something more than a shared joke to the Mitzvah Man T-shirt she has designed for him. When Friedman is propelled into the headlines, followers gather on his doorstep. Voices, dreams, and auras visit him. Miracles occur among family, friends, and strangers alike. But while some hail the Mitzvah Man as a modern-day prophet, others brand him a madman, and he is in danger of losing custody of his daughter. Through his experiences of love and loss, beauty and pain, Friedman’s daily quest reveals the unexpected ways in which God may inhabit us.

The book is crafted in wonderful literary language, the story is engaging, the reading is a pleasure.

Mitzvah Man by John Clayton is a book lover’s treasure.