The Creed Room

Daniel Spiro
Aegis Press (2006)
ISBN 0974764523
Reviewed by Regan Windsor for Reader Views (10/06)

Sam Kramer is a law school dropout turned high school teacher.  He has a love of philosophy and nontraditional methods of teaching that land him in the administrative hot seat.  Add to that a slight temper and an ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. 

Life changes for Sam, however, when he sees an ad in the paper seeking “Lovers of Humanity.  Seekers of Wisdom.  Atheists.  Theists.  Liberals.  Conservatives.” and is immediately intrigued.  What he finds is an adventure of intellect, a search for passion, and experiences that change the course of his life. 

The “assignment” for the group of nine is to come up with a new “creed” for humankind, a unifying philosophy for the divided world.  In return for their participation they would be rewarded with a large sum of cash.  The mystery surrounding their “Benefactor” and his intentions for this new Creed remains a mystery.  Speculations surface but evidence and motive do not reveal themselves until after the exercise has been completed.

In retrospect Sam wonders what the members of the group would have done had the motive presented itself before completion of the “assignment.”  One thing, however, is quite clear – it has changed the lives of its members.  For Sam it has resulted in much that is good in his life and though he has mixed feelings he cannot help but feel thankful for the experience.       

Daniel Spiro has tackled the hot topics of religion, politics, racism, poverty, gun control, and abortion; just to name a few.  His ability to debate these subjects with such structural finesse, all within the constraints of a love story, is a truly amazing feat.  “The Creed Room” will challenge your beliefs, activate your intellect, and stimulate your mind.

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