Robertson Davies was a prolific and gifted Canadian novelist whose fictional works always contained a lively mix of mystery, wit, philosophy, morality, and art. All of these elements are evident in this entertaining and enlightening novel set in Toronto. It centers on the life and work of Jonathan Hullah, an unorthodox physician known for his unusual diagnostic skills. The protagonist is tutored as a young boy in the art of medicine by a Native American healer and by a somewhat frazzled physician who encourages him to hitch his wagon to science. Eventually Hullah wins many patients with a practice informed by the wisdom of the perennial philosophy. Over the course of a long life, his friends and acquaintances provide him with an unending stream of surprises and insights into the vagaries of the human spirit. Robertson Davies has created a lovable and idiosyncratic protagonist in Jonathan Hullah. This physician invests his work with spiritual meaning and savors all his experiences.