The Terrible Beauty of the Evil Man is a memoir of the life of Finis Leavell
Beauchamp, a child born into Southern Baptist evangelical royalty who in his early 20s made the fateful decision to convert to Orthodox Judaism. The book traces his journey from his youth until the day he converted, chronicling the people and the events who led him to this life changing moment. It was not a decision without a price, as it cost him his friends, family, home, and identity. Finis has to create his world anew and make sense of a world that has rejected him as well as reconcile his struggle with faith, commitment, and a sense of purpose.
The book is not a light-hearted read; it is raw and brutal in its honesty, introspection and judgment. It does not shy away from the true dark aspects of human existence, the loneliness, the angst, the depression, the abuse and unrequited love that the author had to experience on his journey. The author bares his soul in recounting incidents that no one should have to experience, and the reader can feel the pain seeping through the pages.
At the same time, as these moments of darkness are being recounted, the author finds a way to look at the brighter side of things—humor and whit are the tools of choice to find meaning and laughter in a world of absurdity and disappointment. The notion of faith, that good triumphs evil and that there is ultimately a greater purpose are themes that are brought to life in a real and tangible way. This is not a book of “fluff,” but a mature, balanced and subtle approach to faith in the modern world.
This book will move you and give you a fresh perspective on existence. Everyone will be able to relate to this book on some level, as the themes are universal, and for anyone who has gone on a similar journey of transformation and renewal, you will be able to see yourself in the life, mind and soul that is Finis. The book is wonderfully written, the author is truly a master of the English language. Prose, poetry, philosophy, and dream sequences are all seamlessly intertwined making for a truly cinematic reading experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and believe this is likely to be one of the most consequential Jewish publications in recent years, due to the author’s ability to relate very real events in a highly literary and creative fashion, a unique talent I have not seen in other authors.
The Terrible Beauty of the Evil Man is available on Amazon.com