The Incompleteness Theorem

A study in closely observed middle age.
A story of family and self discovery in the age of COVID.
A novel inspired by the fiction of Richard Ford and Pat Conroy.

Jack Callany, recently widowed, is now seeking to understand, and then rebuild, himself. Jack's wife, Diane, passes away unexpectedly only days before the worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns. Jack and his teen son and daughter are forced to cope with their grief in isolation, but Jack's good nature and playful pranks help the family endure these shocks. As Jack's son returns to college and his daughter prepares to leave for college, Jack is forced to examine himself and decide who he will be in the next phase of his life.

PRAISE:

“The Incompleteness Theorem is a novel of middle age, reinvention, and isolation, following the evolution of a new widower whose world is changed not only by the demise of his wife, but by the isolation of COVID and the trajectory of his teenage son and daughter who are on the cusp of leaving home. McDowell weaves many threads of modern life…and injects a sense of quiet desperation and growth into this saga of re-envisioning one's future under vastly changed circumstances. His attention to dialogue, detail, characterization, and life choices as the backdrops to unprecedented events brings with it a vivid familiarity with the characters… Readers won’t expect the wry humor or sense of joy that supplements pain with pleasure…as Jack’s world contracts, then expands in surprising ways chart[ing] both the highs and lows of a life that at first seems to be unraveling, but eventually reforms in a delightfully realistic manner. Fiction readers seeking contemporary middle-age novels that move beyond the obvious to probe the moments and maturity of individuals still steeped in life and learning will find that The Incompleteness Theorem crafts a welcome journey.” —DIANE DONOVAN, Midwest Book Review

"Lively, entertaining, and uplifting, The Incompleteness Theorem looks through the lens of a sliver of America to tell a universal, touching tale of what it means to love, lose, and try to rebuild. McDowell’s smooth prose kept me eagerly turning the pages. A compulsive read."
—GREG MELVILLE, former editor Men’s Journal and author of Over My Dead Body

"The Incompleteness Theorem by Mark McDowell is the best book I've read this year by a wide margin. It is engaging, funny, relatable, and well-observed. The story is serious but never melodramatic or self-pitying, the characters are three-dimensional, and the narrative is exquisitely constructed with flow, cadence, and wit. Ultimately it is an uplifting story of self (re)discovery in the face of a tragic loss told in a fresh and unique style. As an engineer, a husband and a father, I found it resonated in a surprising number of ways." 
—SANJAY SARMA, MIT Professor, and author of Grasp

"The Incompleteness Theorem is set in what appears to be a quiet haven of wealth, mansions, private clubs, and yachts. But as with all good novels, things are rarely what they seem...McDowell has written a flashy first novel in prose reminiscent of Richard Ford's."
—GARY V. POWELL, Award-winning author of Lucky Bastard 
 
"A well-written and fun read...McDowell is able to let the reader feel as though they are right in the room with the characters, knowing them personally. You can't help falling in love with the entire family —they're all so real." 
 —JOHN EAST, author of Silicon Valley: The Way I Saw It
 
"The Incompleteness Theorem is full of real characters going through real challenges and growth. The many emotional and poignant turns come from a fully developed story with no shortcuts or cheap twists. Intellect, wit, and heart are fully present throughout. A truly beautiful accomplishment—McDowell's characters will stay with you for a while." 
—ROBERT GUTH, Former Chairman and CEO Reader's Digest Association