God's Gym

Ebony, Feb, 2005

In GOD'S GYM (Houghton Mifflin, $23.00), by John Edgar Wideman, the author tackles tales of faith, fate, strength and belief. In his first story collection in more than a decade, Wideman continues to break the rules with his seamless prose. "My mother believes in a god whose goodness would not permit him to inflict more troubles than a person can handle," he writes.

"A god of mercy and salvation. A sweaty bleeding god presiding over a fitness class in which his chosen few punish their muscles. She should wear a T-shirt."