Inside the Mind of an Unexpected Hit Novelist
It has spread like wildfire. People everywhere are reading and recommending Theo of Golden, a novel about an 86-year-old man who mysteriously arrives in a new city and begins growing the community’s heart through kindness.
But there was buzz even before a major imprint published the book in 2025—and it hit the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Theo of Golden had started winning hearts years prior, when its author first self-published the book in his late 60s, with no novel-writing experience and little social media presence.
So who is Allen Levi, the author behind Theo of Golden? What drives his art, and how does he view the world?
The Sunday Paper sat with Levi to find out. As Levi told senior editor Stacey Lindsay, the very act of creating—be it a meal, a painting, a book, or a song—is a way for humanity to connect. “It’s this glorious gift that God has given us.”
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