Paul is deeply troubled by this anomaly, and he finds himself engaging in a lively debate with an imaginary visitor, Kierkegaard's clown. Named after the mid-nineteenth century Protestant philosopher, the clown challenges Paul's Western complacency and draws a curious link between religion, war, and poverty by taking Paul to "circus tents"-poor and despondent sections in America, India, and Iraq.
It's in Baghdad where Paul's journey to enlightenment truly begins. Along with a group of like-minded individuals-Christian, Muslim, and Jewish-and with the clown as his unwavering guide, Paul searches for the theological and philosophical answers to his questions and discovers that the ultimate truth lies within his own heart.