Proctosophy

If Philip K. Dick had been a Catholic from Louisiana, he might have written this. It reads like an old-fashioned screwball comedy of the spirit, as Dr. Thomas More, Psychologist/mental patient, tries to perfect his invention, the Lapsometer, which can diagnose illness of the soul, while juggling the affections of three beautiful women and navigating professional rivalries. The setting is the near-future, after the end of the Auto Age, in which consumer culture is decaying and people are retreating either to live in the forest or small communities. There's lots of wonderful, wise musings on love and life and religion and it's all very lighthearted and funny, with none of the Dickian pessimism that might turn a reader off. It took me a long time to slog through because it's kinda dense, but I'm glad I pushed through to the end.