"There are times in your life when certain events happen and you know that your life is forever changed by what happened." 

Told in the first person, the story revolves around a chance encounter of an eccentric, older man named Gabe and a social worker.  The social worker is on assignment to meet with a family when his vehicle becomes stuck on a muddy road. 

The social worker walks a short distance and comes across a cabin where The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" is playing repeatedly.  It is at this house that the narrator meets Gabe. 

Gabe is a wise man, but he is also odd.  Gabe delves into the hidden messages found in music.  As the narrator gets to know more about Gabe's beliefs, he begins to wonder if Gabe is crazy or very wise.  Then again, is Gabe even real? 

THE GIFT OF GABE is well-written, but the subject matter was too over the top for me.  I think you have to be very open-minded about philosophy to enjoy books of this nature.  While I don't mind pondering some topics on a slightly more spiritual level, 185 pages of whether The Beatles' lyrics could have more complex interpretations became tedious.  Charles Manson felt there was hidden meaning to the lyrics in The White Album and look how that ended up.  I'm not convinced looking for hidden meaning is always a good thing. 

Those with a strong interest in The Beatles and philosophy will be thrilled with Brian Joseph's novel.  Readers looking for something a little less perplexing will want to look elsewhere.