In the 1930s, young Hanna-the author's mother-spent her holidays in the Swiss mountains with her uncle Ernst Zuppinger, a painter. She often accompanied him on his excursions to paint in the open air. One of his paintings now graces the cover of this book.
Those mountain wanderings led Hanna to a series of uncanny encounters with the Little Green Monster in a nearby cave. This strange being, a remnant from an age when nature was alive with spirit and meaning, had survived the rise and fall of the old gods. It had rejected every later pantheon-and even God himself-remaining nameless, untamed, and free.
The two protagonists engage in a spirited dialogue-at times losing themselves in theological debate, at others playfully composing their own gospel: a joyful, irreverent response to the Abrahamic faiths. Through these conversations with an inquisitive young companion-alive with curiosity and openness-the fate of the lovable Little Green Monster gradually comes into focus.
Trained as a physician in Switzerland, Markus Michael chose not to pursue a traditional medical career. Instead, he dedicated his life to humanitarian work in war-torn regions. For decades, he operated on the front lines of conflict-delivering aid, navigating complex public health challenges amid chaos, and advising international humanitarian organisations on strategic planning.
Earlier this year, he published a thought-provoking book on history: The Unwritten Chronicles of Western Civilisations' Greatest Confrontations - An Imaginary Walk through an Alternate History, and also in 2025, a historical novel: Foresight.
Markus Michael lives in S o Paulo, Brazil.