Books: In Praise of Humanity

DOUBTING THOMAS (210 pp.)—Winston Brebner—Rinehart ($3).

The villain of Doubting Thomas is called simply The Agency, a coldly indifferent organization with life-and-death powers over the people. Directed by the Supervisor, its countless computers are crammed with data that can be fused into terrible, final judgments by the flick of a switch. And The Agency is never wrong. Thomas of the title is a district agent of The Agency, hated by the people of his district, and returning each night to a termagant wife and a supercilious daughter. But for two days every year Thomas is transformed into that classic figure of irreverence,...