This is a lively Socratic debate on ‘Origins’ and Genesis. Most books on Origins push a single viewpoint, but this one lets all speak and poses a question that everyone initially rejects. The debate takes place among thirteen students, most of them Christians, who are floating down a river. Questions are posed and the debate is led by a student called Asker; she is researching methods of Conflict Resolution. Can any sort of wide agreement be reached at all? Between them, the students probably represent all of the widespread views on Genesis, from young-earth creationism to a theistic view of evolution, and even atheistic materialism and agnosticism are represented. Not everyone wants to put a partisan view; but all speak with honesty and strong feeling. No-one ‘wins’ the debate; and moreover no-one changes their view during it. But some are surprised by what others say. (Incidentally, no single student speaks for the author, whose views are not the point of this book.) Also, the Three Men of the book’s title are not among the students; who are they?

The discussion is detailed and forceful, but there are regular light interludes along the river, often featuring the canine antics of Montmorency, a small wire fox-terrier owned by Jay, the lead steersman. In theory, this book should be widely approved, as it represents nearly everyone. In practice, it will probably be frowned on by most and only read surreptitiously or under a blanket at night, perhaps with a rare trace of joy.

This book is classified as non-fiction, not because the events are real (they are not) but because, like Plato's Socratic debates, the conversations are distillates of many real ones. Thus it is not a drama, nor a novel; and the fictional chapter introductions are added merely to assist readability and form no plot. In short the debate is inscribed, not invented - and a reader expecting fiction would have found that definition equally unsatisfactory.