There is an old Jewish tradition related to Rosh Hashanah that God records each person's deeds in a book. Upon the death of each individual, he or she is presented with the book of his or her own life. In this view, through his or her deeds, each person composes a novel that represents his or her own life. At life's end, the last words are written. The definitive edition is completed. At that point, the volume becomes the provenance of the critics. The question each person must therefore face as he or she goes through life is: What will the reviewers say about the book, about the story of my life, about the quality of the work of art that is my life?
— Byron Sherwin, The Community of Religions by Wayne Teasdale, editor, George Cairns, editor