Debut Novel, The Essence Of Nathan Biddle, Earns High Critical Acclaim, Accolades

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Essence of Nathan Biddle the debut novel by Alabama native J. William Lewis has earned high critical acclaim and accolades.  A timeless, sweeping tale that unfolds on the Alabama coast in the 1950s, The Essence of Nathan Biddle has been met with high praise from critics and readers alike, including:

"A mesmerizing book"      
     —San Francisco Book Review

"Compelling….The Essence of Nathan Biddle is a classic."
     —Readers' Favorite Reviews

 "A fantastically-written book" 
     —Manhattan Book Review

"A beautiful work of fiction with characters that come alive on the pages. This is one of those books that keeps you thinking of it long after the last pages are read."
     —Laura Hartman, WriteKnit

"Lewis casts a compelling and lingering coming-of-age story"
     —Mountain Times

"A complicated book that will stick with you after the last page."
     —Long and Short Reviews

"A brilliant coming-of-age tale"
     —Reader Views

"One of the more satisfying debut novels that I have read for a long time."
     —Book Chase

"For fans of J.D. Salinger's classic novel The Catcher in the Rye, the vast emotional and existential explorations of the hero of J. William Lewis' debut novel will ring true" 
     —BookPage 

"Beautifully written and profoundly moving."
     —BookTrib

"Good fiction along the lines of Catcher in the Rye always turns our head, and this novel is the real deal." 
     –ForeWord Reviews

"A coming-of-age story that will resonate" 
     –Portland Book Review

"An impactful coming-of-age story"
     – Seattle Book Review

"One of the best books I've read in years, and I truly believe it will become a Southern classic."
     — The Sketchy Reader

"A rich well-paced seamless work."
     —Bookpleasures

"Deftly crafted…one of those coming of age tales that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf." 
     —Wisconsin Book Watch

A mesmerizing and moving tale, The Essence of Nathan Biddle features protagonist Kit Biddle, a rising prep school senior who finds himself tangled in a web of spiritual quandaries and intellectual absurdities. Kit's angst is compounded by a unique psychological burden he is forced to carry: his intelligent but unstable Uncle Nat has committed an unspeakable act on what, according to the Uncle's deranged account, were direct orders from God. The tragedy follows Kit like a dark and foreboding cloud, exacerbating his already compulsive struggle with existential questions about the meaning of his life. But when he spirals into self-destruction and makes a snap, irrational decision that causes a horrific accident, Kit is forced to examine his perceptions of reality. A beautifully written, marvelously told tale about coming to terms with the necessity of engagement with life's pain, pleasure . . . and absurdity, The Essence of Nathan is intelligent, clever, captivating—and utterly unforgettable.

The Essence of Nathan Biddle (Greenleaf) is available in hardcover (6 x 9, 400 pages-approx., ISBN: 978-1-62634-846-2, $27.95) and eBook (ISBN: 978-1-62634-847-9) editions and now available where fine books are sold.

Novelist J. William Lewis lives in Shoal Creek, a suburb of Birmingham. Alabama.  For more information, visit the official Author Website of J. William Lewis

Members of the news media wishing to request a review copy of The Essence of Nathan Biddle or more information are kindly asked to contact Maryglenn M. Warnock by phone: 615-297-9875, or by email: [email protected] 

SOURCE J. William Lewis