The Philosophical Practitioner

Apr 08, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is not an action-packed thriller or a hard-boiled detective story, although it does come across a bit like a Sam Spade novel with its bold dialogue and dames in heels and short skirts, one of whom is bent on murder.

Its premise is unique: Eric, the main character is a "philosophical practitioner," that is, he's a lot like a psychologist, but instead of emphasizing feelings, he focuses on theory with his clients.

This novel stands in a category of its own. Kudos to the author for originality!...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Tahlia Newland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

I don’t read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I’m a sucker for philosophy so the title of this book grabbed my attention. A philosophical practitioner is a kind of counsellor who emphasizes reason but doesn't slight emotions. I don’t know if there really is such a profession, but Eric is one. He doesn’t have patients, he has clients, and the idea seems to be that he helps people sort out how they view the world. They come to him for advice on how to live their lives.

The book is more of a chara...more
I don’t read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I’m a sucker for philosophy so the title of this book grabbed my attention. A philosophical practitioner is a kind of counsellor who emphasizes reason but doesn't slight emotions. I don’t know if there really is such a profession, but Eric is one. He doesn’t have patients, he has clients, and the idea seems to be that he helps people sort out how they view the world. They come to him for advice on how to live their lives.

The book is more of a character study than anything else. We watch as Eric talks to his clients and tries to get back together with his rich and famous girlfriend. Their goals and lifestyles are very different, thus providing a philosophical juxtaposition of two different world views. On top of this, his father is nearing the end of his life which, of course, raises more questions of philosophy, and a woman walks in to his office and says she wants to kill him. His attempts to avoid the crazy woman and work out why she wants him dead, provides the unifying thread for what would otherwise be a series of interviews, and it builds to a nice climax.

It’s a great idea with lots of opportunities to delve into the big issues of life, but the book just skims the surface. It wouldn’t detract from the book for most people, I just happen to be someone who loves a good philosophical discussion, and every time I thought we were going to get our teeth into something, the writer backed off. For example, one client mentioned that Eric had discussed the existence of God with a friend of hers. We saw the results of such a discussion but not the actual discussion, and I would have liked to have heard it. Going that little bit further would have given the book more depth, and I would have liked to have had a bit more insight into why he behaved as he did towards the unknown woman at the end.

As it was, it was an enjoyable, well written read with a couple of pleasant characters, an intriguing mystery and some thought provoking ideas. Eric was a surprising character and handled his fascinating clients in an interesting way. It’s definitely worth a read. I give it 3 stars and recommend it for those who like to reflect on their reading.

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Apr 23, 2012 Beatnik Mary rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/...

Fun. Quirky. Hard-boiled. Douglas Adams meets Sam Spade.

These are some of the ways I imagine Larry Abrams would like you to describe The Philosophical Practitioner. Will you describe it that way? No. No, you will not.

The basic premise is satisfyingly quirky: A New York freelancer has an office with a sign proclaiming him to be a "philosophical practitioner." What is that, you may ask? Exactly. He's not a shrink, he's a philosopher. Who will solve your prob...more

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Apr 06, 2012 cupcake rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've got to tell you, I read The Philosophical Practitioner, by Larry Abrams - enjoyed it, even - but I still can't tell you what a philosophical practitioner is or does.

But I can tell you about this novel.

Eric is a "philosophical practitioner" in New York City. He does not have patients; he has clients. He is not a psychiatrist or a psychologist; he is a philosophical therapist. He tries to help you figure out, philosophically, where you are in life and where you want to be.

And someone wants to...more I've got to tell you, I read The Philosophical Practitioner, by Larry Abrams - enjoyed it, even - but I still can't tell you what a philosophical practitioner is or does.

But I can tell you about this novel.

Eric is a "philosophical practitioner" in New York City. He does not have patients; he has clients. He is not a psychiatrist or a psychologist; he is a philosophical therapist. He tries to help you figure out, philosophically, where you are in life and where you want to be.

And someone wants to kill him.

She had escalated. First the forwarded letter, which in spite of its threat meant she failed to find my new address. Now she had found at least my e-mail address. How, I had no idea, and it probably didn't matter because she couldn't use it to find where I lived without hacking into my ISP's computer systems. Could she do that? Did she know it could be done? From everything I'd read, that would be very difficult even for an experienced hacker. Given the number of people with those skills compared to the total population, she most likely didn't have that capability. Or so I hoped.

When Eric isn't helping his clients or dodging The Gun Lady, as he thinks of his would-be assassin, he is trying to figure out where he is and where he wants to be in his own life, specifically his love life. His one-time girlfriend, Sheila, lives in Los Angeles, where she works as a somewhat famous actress.

The Philosophical Practitioner is several stories in one. You've got the romantic angle with Sheila, the philosophical-slash-self-help angle with Eric and his clients, and the mystery with The Gun Lady. Will Eric and Sheila be able to get over their differences and come together? Can Eric help a wealthy businessman decide to stay with his wife or leave her? And can he determine why The Gun Lady wants to kill him and stop her?

This is an entertaining, fairly well-written book. I admit to occasional "who cares?" moments during the sections dealing with Eric's clients. But the Sheila and Gun Lady story lines made up for that. I cheered on Eric, hoping that he could stay alive and be happy. Author Larry Abrams creates entertaining characters, and perhaps along the way, we readers might pause and reflect on our own lives.(less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 STARS
This is a book that in ways I can't discribes. I can't discribes what Philosophical Practitioner is. This book makes you think and wonder at what my philosophy in my life is.
Eric is a philosophical practitioner and he tells about different clients that come to him and what they talk about. One lady comes in and tells him she is thinking of killing him.
Eric tries to figure out who she is and why she wants to kill him. Also what is going on in his life. His girl friend is a actress that is...more

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Aug 04, 2012 rameau rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, read-in-2012, philosophy, contemporary, whodunit

I liked the start.

The snappy, dialogue heavy text caught me and pulled me in. I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into, but I soon realised it was something different. I was reading about this man who had made a new profession for himself and how he still had a connection to an old would-be lover, when I realised I had to check my emails. I put the book down, and the magic was broken.

I never really got back into it after that.

I’m not quite sure what this book is about but my guess wo...more I liked the start.

The snappy, dialogue heavy text caught me and pulled me in. I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into, but I soon realised it was something different. I was reading about this man who had made a new profession for himself and how he still had a connection to an old would-be lover, when I realised I had to check my emails. I put the book down, and the magic was broken.

I never really got back into it after that.

I’m not quite sure what this book is about but my guess would be that it’s about philosophy of relationships. Eric, the philosophical practioner (p.p.) has clients, not patients, who he helps by talking them through specific questions to find the preferably non-emotional answers to. If the question has more to do with feelings, Eric’s always more than willing to refer the client to a psychologist or a psychiatrist who deal with such things.

Eric specialises in talking about good and bad. The meaning of life. Calculated risks and why people should get out of bed in the morning. He also lets his friends win at chess and his old would-be girlfriend again to entertain the possibility of a relationship.

Mostly he just loves living in New York and feeding his cat, Circe.

I liked the cat. I didn’t like the so-called mystery (view spoiler) I found some—most—of the client meetings boring even if they were used to demonstrate philosophy in action. Or maybe because of it. I liked the ending for Sheila and Eric. I didn’t particularly care about New York, the supporting character.

The book failed to show a bigger picture to me, and it took me far too long to finish a novel of this length. Just not my kind of book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.(less)

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Apr 20, 2012 TAMMY CUEVAS rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

TITLE: The Philosophical Practioner

AUTHOR: Larry Abrams

PUBLISHER: Telemachus Press, LLC

ISBN: 9781935670940

CATEGORY: Fiction, Adult Contemporary

In Larry Abrams' debut novel, Eric is a philosophical practitioner, a career that no one seems to understand, but he attracts clients anyway. Some are there out of curiosity, and some are there out of confusion, but they all need help. As a philosophical practitioner, Eric does not psychoanalyze his clients, but helps them resolve their problems through...more TITLE: The Philosophical Practioner

AUTHOR: Larry Abrams

PUBLISHER: Telemachus Press, LLC

ISBN: 9781935670940

CATEGORY: Fiction, Adult Contemporary

In Larry Abrams' debut novel, Eric is a philosophical practitioner, a career that no one seems to understand, but he attracts clients anyway. Some are there out of curiosity, and some are there out of confusion, but they all need help. As a philosophical practitioner, Eric does not psychoanalyze his clients, but helps them resolve their problems through reason and philosophy. And they are clients, not patients, as he is forced to emphasize several times. For someone who helps other people with their problems, Eric has a couple of his own. The first is a long-running, off-and-on relationship with girlfriend Sheila, who lives in Hollywood and is a famous actress. Their problem is based on their philosophical differences. He is content living in New York City with a very modest income from his practice, while she craves fame and fortune and believes contentment can only be found in Hollywood. This problem is relatively minor compared to the second problem. Eric has a mystery woman stalking him, showing up unexpectedly at his office and threatening to kill him. Not only does he not know her name, he does not know her motive.

This novel was categorized as Contemporary Fiction, but I think it could have been categorized as a Mystery as well. It's not the traditional whodunit, but rather who's gonna do it. It was different enough that it took determination to stick with the first chapter, but after that, I couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Abrams. Of course, for me, the real mystery was never solved. Just what is a philosophical practitioner, anyway?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Apr 03, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgally

I received a copy of this book from netgally to review. Lucky for me, I was drawn to the cover and title. I didn't even read the synopsis.

Such a quick read! It was cute, funny, quick, deep, and engaging. With the first sentence, I got the image of an old detective movie stuck in my head. It carried me throughout the book especially since his "girl" is a famous actress. I enjoyed taking time to think on some of the philosophical questions brought up in the book.

The only disappointment I had wit...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Kassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-first-reads, reviewed-books

Larry Abrams

I was swept away by The Philosophical Practitioner. The story offered the right amount of romance and mystery. Right from the start of the story a women walks into Eric's office and says she came in because she saw his sign. The unknown women continues to say that she was curious to discover what a philosophical practitioner's job is. Eric tells her that he is different from a psychologist, for the reason that psychologists value feelings over theory. As a philosophical practitioner...more

Larry Abrams

I was swept away by The Philosophical Practitioner. The story offered the right amount of romance and mystery. Right from the start of the story a women walks into Eric's office and says she came in because she saw his sign. The unknown women continues to say that she was curious to discover what a philosophical practitioner's job is. Eric tells her that he is different from a psychologist, for the reason that psychologists value feelings over theory. As a philosophical practitioner he tries to help people solve their problems through the use of applying theories. Before the women leaves she informs Eric that she plans on killing a man and, he may be able to help her change her mind about it. As the unknown women continues to come to Eric's office she finally tells him that she is going to kill him. During, this confession she points a gun to him and says that she is going to shoot him. Also, the gun lady advises Eric to review his life over and figure out why she would want to kill him.

Before she kills him she plans on discussing the topic of a women named, Clara Thompson. Apparently the unknown women blames him for the death of her aunt, Clara Thompson, but this will not be discovered until later in the story. The story moves on further to show the measures Eric takes to uncover why the gun lady wants to kill him. The plot provides a romance between Eric and his long time sweetheart, Sheila. Sheila is a famous movie actress. She and Eric have known each other since college. They were once together as a couple, but when he wanted to get serious in the relationship, she did not feel the way about the matter.So, now they plan on giving themselves a second chance with one another to see what happens next for their relationship.

In addition,the story includes Eric's meetings with his clients. It describes their conversations and Eric's responses to his clients problems. A key note to keep in mind is that he calls his patients "clients". I enjoyed hearing his clients' problems. For example,there is a man named, Jeremy, who wants to leave his wife. He does not care for his children because they are average. He is a leader and feels his wife and children are not in his level of range. Jeremy leaves his wife and children for 12 days and discovers that he misses his wife, Alice. Next, Alice tells Jeremy that she wants a divorce. He had his chance to save his marriage, but he did not want to tell his wife that he loved her. To him telling his wife that he loves her seems childish. I felt sympathy towards Jeremy, since it took him to long to realize that he loved his wife. Then there was Joel, who did not want to go to college. His father was devastated to know this and had Joel pay a visit to Eric's practice. Joel believes a job takes away half of your life and does not allow you to pleasure life to the fullest. Eric advises Joel to read about the stock market and may be invest into it. He starts reading about the stock market and becomes smitten with the idea of investing. The stock market provides Joel with a new found hope of life. In fact, Joel father stops him from meeting Eric, for the reason that he views investing as gambling.

Eric uncovers that Clara Thompson was a prostitute and was also one of his past clients. The gun lady is Clara Thompson's niece. She believes her aunt was a child service worker, who helped many families with issues. Close to the end the gun lady shoots Eric two times and tells him that Clara committed suicide because Eric told her that God did not exist. He ends up surviving the shooting and never presses charges on the gun lady. Also, he never informs Clara's niece that her aunt was a prostitute.

At last I would recommend The Philosophical Practitioner to anyone who loves to read a thriller that includes a touch of romance. I'm looking forward to reading more of Larry Abrams books.

PS: Thank you Telemachus Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this egalley.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Rae M. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 02-stars, net-galley, review-or-comment, male-authors

Every now and then I encounter a book in which I feel my reading efforts would be more useful elsewhere. I did get quite far in The Philosophical Practitioner before that feeling came over me. But there were quite a few reasons why.

First of all, I had no interest in the main plot. I was not intrigued, or interested in why the "gun lady" wanted to kill this guy. Not in the least. The most interesting part of the book was the guy's clients, but even that after awhile became repetitive. The whole S...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Kathy Schneider rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Philosophical Practitioner is at the same time, a fast paced psychological thriller and a thought-provoking discussion about the philosophical meaning of life. The two are blended together so well that this novel does an amazing job of keeping you hooked and making you think.
I read the majority of this book in one sitting because I just could not put it down, it was that good. It makes you think and it entertains in such well-written way. I don't think I have been so wonderfully surprised by...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well written, but I did think the end was a bit rushed, I just felt I wanted more out of it.
The story is a new take on things, I enjoyed the philosophical practitioner for what it is, a new take. Eric only has a few clients, as no one knows quite what a philosophical practitioner is, and gets by with his cat on next to nothing. Although he isn't a high flier, his lady friend from hollywood brings all the glamour needed. The story is all about the mysterious woman who turns up one day at his offi...more

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May 20, 2012 Nadyne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2000-s, crime, e-books, fiction, kindle, philosophical, novel, read-in-2012, american

First sentence: "I had my feet up on my desk and my hands clasped behind my neck, trying once again to puzzle out why science progressed so much faster than everything else, when she walked into my office unannounced."

P. 99: "He thought his way out, his ticket to tranquillity, lay in denying his self."

Last sentence: "Is that you, or do I have to keep looking?"

From Smashwords: Eric is a philosophical practitioner, a new profession that emphasizes reason without slighting emotions. He has little m...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Robert Bidinotto rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: mystery fans

In an age of formula fiction, a novel with a fresh premise is an unexpected delight. The Philosophical Practitioner is such an original, witty, thought-provoking, and polished bit of writing that it's hard to believe it is Larry Abrams's debut novel.

Eric, the first-person protagonist of this clever tale, is a "philosophical practitioner." That's something like a psychotherapist or "life coach." But instead of focusing on emotions and childhood traumas, Eric emphasizes the key role that reason, a...more In an age of formula fiction, a novel with a fresh premise is an unexpected delight. The Philosophical Practitioner is such an original, witty, thought-provoking, and polished bit of writing that it's hard to believe it is Larry Abrams's debut novel.

Eric, the first-person protagonist of this clever tale, is a "philosophical practitioner." That's something like a psychotherapist or "life coach." But instead of focusing on emotions and childhood traumas, Eric emphasizes the key role that reason, and his clients' philosophic ideas and values, play in causing and resolving their problems, and ultimately, in achieving their dreams and happiness.

Eric isn't rich, but he loves the intellectual challenges of his work, and he enjoys helping people straighten out their lives. He has a small roster of colorful clients, a cat named Circe, and a girlfriend named Sheila who is a famous movie actress. (How and why they are a couple is part of the story.)

Eric also has his own problems. Reconciling his modest New York lifestyle with that of his superstar, Hollywood-rooted girlfriend. Coping with his ailing father, who lives in a Florida nursing home. And -- oh yes -- worrying about that strange lady with a gun who shows up, repeatedly, at his office door, promising to kill him for reasons she won't specify...then vanishing.

The latter mystery provides the story's thread of mounting suspense. Eric must deal with that looming threat, emotionally and practically, while he wrestles with the problems that his neurotic clientele bring into his office. What is most clever about the story is how Abrams uses these sessions to explore some of the fundamental philosophical questions that we all face: how to find meaning in life; our need to define fulfilling goals; how to navigate the shoals of intimate relationships; whether to choose personal independence versus the siren calls of money, fame, and power.

If this material sounds dry, trust me: In Abrams's hands, it is anything but. His dialogue is razor-sharp banter; descriptions of dress and mannerisms are transparent windows on characters' souls; and Eric's first-person, internal monologue is a virtual stand-up comedy routine for the reader, loaded with hilarious but incisive observations about all things large and small -- anything that seizes his attention (which seems to suffer from a touch of A.D.D.). It's great fun to look at the world through this character's wry, shrewd, but quirky perspective.

Larry Abrams brings a fresh new voice to fiction that I want to hear again. There's plenty of potential for Eric, the philosophical practitioner, to have a long and happy career, both in his office, and also in the pages of future books.(less)

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Apr 16, 2012 R. Z. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting. A bit weird. Reminded me of the wonderful book "Ishmael," and the author must have been thinking the same thing because he mentions "Ishmael" later in the story. This will appeal to readers who think with abstract logic. If you are looking for fast-moving action, this book is not for you. I thought at first that I might become impatient with the story, but I stuck with it, and ultimately really liked the book. Good job Larry Abrams. I'll keep an eye out for your next book.

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Jun 28, 2012 Teleia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just a couple of things... if it's nighttime in Manhattan, the sun won't be shining from New Jersey. Also, "stationary" means not moving, while "stationery" is paper.

Other than that, I liked this book. It's about a philosophical practitioner (much like a psychologist, but asking more philosophical questions rather than emphasizing feelings and experiences) who is threatened by one of his clients.

Novel idea and never boring.

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May 29, 2012 Mandyfujita rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. The jacket summary sounded good so I entered the contest and was lucky enough to win. I thought the beginning of the book was kind of slow. When Eric started getting clients, the story started to get interesting and entertaining. Eric is a philosophical practitioner. He listens to clients' problems and helps them through philosophical thinking rather than drugs or treatment.

Thinking about the outcome of the book, it seems like Mr Ab...more

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May 08, 2012 Jackie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book has an interesting story, and definitely made me giggle at times, but I found the writing uncompelling. The narrator is a philosphical practitioner, which is kinda like a really abstract psychologist, I suppose. Much of the pages are passed in sessions with the narrator's patients, which can be mundane. I personally had two specific problems: 1) I had trouble keeping the narrator's clients separate in my head (he has up to maybe 10 at once?) and 2) the dialogue was often blocks of quot...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Carl Holmes rated it 4 of 5 stars

From the start it is clear that Larry Abrams likes to play with words. From the opening sentence, to the closing paragraph. He sets the scene like an old Bogart detective movie and goes from there. Along the way he explores what makes humans tick, the need for novelty in life and the need for humans to relate to one another.

This book is narrative, philosophy, and a little theology thrown in and woven into a good story that is fun, while not overly difficult.

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May 29, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5

Interesting and engaging, but not amazing. Bordered on pretentious at times, but managed to save it with real moments of heart. A left of centre read for anyone who likes things just a wee bit different.

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Jan 27, 2013 Katie Watson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a strange combination of hardboiled detective novel, romance, and a search for the meaning of life. The ending was a bit strange.

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Aug 29, 2012 GONZA rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this book, even if sometimes I'd have preferred the people on it to do something different, but ok, it was not my book. Anyway the plot is a mystery but my favorite part, as a psychologist of course, were the one with his clients; in Italy we have the Philosophical Practitioner so his job didn't come to me much as a surprise, anyway it's never very clear what this type of practitioner is supposed to do. Maybe, if he had showed more empathy toward a certain person he would have been shot,...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Bob Collins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hard-boiled detective-style novel, with Robert B Parker sparsity and wit and plenty of everyday, practical philosophy - what's not to like?

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Feb 25, 2012 Jill rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great premise, but it just didn't deliver. Very boring dialogue.

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Mar 01, 2013 Maryjo rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

for a completely original story it was very contrived and predictable.

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May 24, 2013 Cheya rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apr 22, 2013 Iroulito91 marked it as to-read

Apr 19, 2013 Terri Pilate marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: galley-copy

May 23, 2013 Kate marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Apr 06, 2013 Anne marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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