Rian Nejar's Blog, page 11
December 29, 2015
Reincarnation: Truth, or an Addiction?
A hawk that visited my backyard wall yesterday
Someone talked about ‘reincarnation,’ or a desire for reincarnation in some cultures, as an addiction. Here is a response…
Perhaps only in part, for this – reincarnation – is a subject where the answer is most definitely “It depends!” – on a whole lot of things. :-) A change, an expansion, in perspective is most helpful here.
Consider energy as a foundation for all things. That can only be reincarnated into varied forms as we know it. Or matter, atoms in our bodies – say Carbon – most, if not all, have been reincarnated from other living forms, such as in the hawk in the picture above that consumes other living things, and even from dinosaurs, and plants, from hundreds of millions of years ago. Complex molecules and even structures are commonly reincarnated: offspring, to the extent of full physical form, are changed reincarnations of their parents, and carry the same or very similar DNA. Energetic life therefore involves reincarnations at almost every conceivable level. The ancients were not all that wrong in their observations here.
Now consider the symbolic (based on relationships, for example), or the abstract. The salinity of the womb, and of our blood, matches that of the oceans. Can we say that the same distinctive characteristic has been reincarnated in life forms said to have originated from our oceans? Some mental aspects – behavior (habits, traditions), and even language and culture – are often repeated or re-instantiated in succeeding generations. The curious mind – reflected in our artistic, intellectual, and technological capacities – is similarly reincarnated, with changes that facilitate a harmonious blend with changing circumstances.
Extending this train of thought, into the very essence of humanity, is the soul reincarnated? Without questioning what a soul comprises, this is the search that many cultures have been engaged in over millennia. Tibetan Buddhists, for instance, seek desperately to identify and believe in the reincarnation of their Dalai Lama. But what is it, really, that they hope for, deep within their own souls? It may well be the yearning for the constant presence of an enlightened soul alike the Buddha, one who can offer solace in a world of immeasurable suffering, uncertainty, and confusion. When they go looking for a new Dalai Lama, they may, without conscious registration, be looking for seeds of the very qualities honored over the ages…seeds that can bloom into the soul the Buddha became.
But – if you are asking for the reincarnation of a specific, belief-based, non-physical, ethereal thing, with no physical encumbrances, that nevertheless continues to think and feel all those wonderful thoughts and emotions that are known to arise only from complex physical and neural forms, now that, I can well accept, is a possible ultimate addiction!
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December 27, 2015
SP500 at Year End 2015 and Beyond
SP500 2015 One-Year Chart and Technicals
A good while since I’ve penned a market-related blog. That there has been nothing good, or of great significance, to report, accounts for it. You likely won’t like this blog either!
Earlier this year, in VIX: Calm Before a Storm, I’d thought the market highly complacent, and, much like the head of equity derivatives strategy at UBS, Rebecca Cheong, also thought that increased volatility and a tumble lay ahead. That was mid-May. Following two failed attempts to rally through a resistance level, in June and July, markets took a sharp tumble in August.
But as in the chart above, markets pulled back up all the way after a double-bottom, with the SP500 index rising to 2100 again. Again, this level proved to be resistance that the move did not break through.
So, whither next year?
In the near term, the SPX has been in a downtrend…lower lows and lower highs. At the same time, relative strength has weakened considerably, from a measure of near 70 down to 50 for a relatively small market fall, of 2.5% or so. This would indicate that the downtrend may continue…which, in a month and year that saw the FED raising interest rates, is only to be expected.
A longer-term chart is more revealing…
SPX 3-Year Chart
Does the chart deceive, or do we see the rounded top of a market turning around after more than 6 years of a bull run? Coupled with a timetable for normalization of interest rates (read that as raising from near zero at present to a level reflecting the FED’s desired inflation rate of ~2%) in a couple of years, or regular tightening in 2016 in simple words, the long-awaited, longer-term, ‘healthy’ market correction seems very likely!
Full disclosure: I hold a small long position in energy at present.
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December 24, 2015
Messages of Violence and Nonviolence
A writer’s thoughts on political trumpeting in America
In the current, highly charged political climate in America, insults and egregious conduct appear to win favors with a significant section of the public. The soundbite thoughts above relate, as may be obvious, to a loud presidential candidate who appears to pursue vote gathering for himself through what another called ‘rabble rousing.’
An essential difference must be made clear! Divisive, abrasive voices reflect violence within, while inclusive, tolerant, voices reflect nonviolence. Politicians will not hesitate to employ any tactic that will garner them votes. This may appear to only be ‘politicking,’ but inherent therein is grave danger. One cannot assume that the insults, and uncouth behavior, thrown with a complete absence of restraint, is only a politically expedient approach. That once elected, such a person will revert to a hoped-for ideal of a strong and compassionate leader. No, a bully is most enthusiastic, and effective, when bullying.
This is one of the key messages I hope to convey with ‘Humbling and Humility.’ Restraint and Social Consciousness are of far greater value to us, individually and socially, than freedom and individual pursuits of self-benefit, never mind what has been said and written into documents of old. The former qualities reflect nonviolence within the soul, while the latter, more often than not, lead to violence – upon oneself, others, and upon society as a whole.
Besides, laws cannot mandate ethical or principled conduct. Rigid enforcement of laws may largely be oppressive, punitive, and lead to greater calls for freedom, and rebellion at worst. A nation of laws, without a refined social conscience, therefore, is destined to the turmoil brought about by such extrinsic force and control.
Thoughts?
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December 21, 2015
Review: Fighting the Devil in Dixie: How Civil Rights Activists Took on the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama
Fighting the Devil in Dixie: How Civil Rights Activists Took on the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama by Wayne Greenhaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gripping, overwhelming in detail, and narrated as only a seasoned journalist can, Fighting the Devil in Dixie is a no-holds-barred recounting of the gradual and inevitable victory of conscience and humanity over selfishness and insufferable oppression in Alabama. It is a historical accounting of Civil Rights struggle in a state where a politician’s cry of “Segregation forever!” rallied the populace.
Wayne Greenhaw writes in an engaging, impersonal style. His intimate familiarity with events in Alabama, and the civil rights struggle, makes the stories lucid…to the point that reading them brings up deep and unpleasant emotions. I found myself transported into the times, the places, and at times struggled to comprehend, or even recognize, the attitudes and inhumanity of the period. I did skip paragraphs, even pages at times, for the stories are innumerable, and the hate experienced intolerable. One can only imagine the suffering of the oppressed section of the population…ameliorated gradually (perhaps far too gradually) through non-violent methods, by a struggle between the Federal and State courts of America, and by appealing to conscience and humanity. Wayne is to be commended for a comprehensive journalistic work.
Nevertheless, I did feel that the work, through its unbiased reporting, did not offer any hope of intrinsic, spiritual, transformation in populations that lived through the times, places, and events described. I wonder if anything much has changed, even in the present, as evidenced by statistics of prison populations, harsh judgments against minorities, and extra-judicial killing of African American and Hispanic members of citizenry by law enforcement of all states of the United States of America. A sense, a deep feeling, that laws and enforcement do not change hearts and minds remains ever present as one goes through the book.
For an immigrant to America, even one who has lived for nearly a generation here, there is no more disheartening message than this realization. Perhaps I am biased: my own work,
Humbling and Humility
, delves into willful corruption and discrimination in the legal system here.
I do recommend Wayne Greenhaw’s book to anyone desirous of comprehensive education in the Civil Rights struggle, the attitudes that divided people in the times and places described, and a legal and largely non-violent approach that brought about gradual change.
December 19, 2015
Year-end Gift: HnH Free 12/19, 12/20
A Christmas and year-end gift, Humbling and Humility is available for FREE download this weekend, 12/19 and 12/20, from Amazon.
A complex narrative of social flaws and learning, HnH guides you through tales of Indian immigrant families in America. Unvarnished, and based entirely upon true events, the stories take you through struggles between genders, cultures, and the devastating impact of state intervention upon immigrant and non-immigrant families in America. In the end, much like the protagonist, who goes through a state mandated re-education, you, dear reader, will be sure to emerge enlightened.
I thank you for your interest, hope that you do enjoy the narrative, and ask only for reviews from those among you who’d want to!
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December 12, 2015
Review: GENIUS INTELLIGENCE: Secret Techniques and Technologies to Increase IQ
GENIUS INTELLIGENCE: Secret Techniques and Technologies to Increase IQ by James Morcan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“Imagination is more important than intelligence,” said Albert Einstein, and this book is definitely very imaginative. Yet, there is no guarantee that imagination will lead one to any valid inference, or truth…and that maxim is also evidenced in this work.
Though written well, and often with disclaimers, this is a work that feeds and relies on speculation to reinforce the authors’ beliefs. In so doing, through inherent positive feedback, this work flies away from all rational, empirical, evidence into realms of unsupported fantasy.
Tachyons? Superluminal (faster than light) particles, emanated from microtubules in the brain (Stuart Hameroff, of
Quantumconsciousness.org
, a researcher into consciousness, will surely squirm at the mention of microtubules in combination with faster-than-light phenomena), forming a field of consciousness, the mind? Strange substances (of monoatomic element form) that are believed to repair DNA defects, and thereby rectify and rejuvenate cells? And all of this enhancing, and realizing, genius potential within the human brain? Clearly, fantasy has a way of running away with itself, forming its own world realities, and masquerading further as knowledge offered with seemingly humble disclaimers.
Conspiracy theories – or allusions to such – are also thrown in by the authors for good measure. What more evidence does one need to recognize this work for what it is? This reviewer cautioned the authors that an honest review of this book provided free of cost may be caustic if it does not pass a “BS test.” It is hard not to be hard on such frivolous work masquerading as scientific knowledge.
The authors begin with a debatable idea, that the “conscious” mind is slower than the “subconscious” mind. And with another myth, that humans only use a small fraction of their brains or their “minds.” Let’s focus on the first seemingly less controversial idea for the moment. If the authors mean that the brain’s frontal cortex is complex, with far more neurons and interconnections, and that it is therefore measured and constrained in its responses as compared with the limbic (or reptilian) brain that is instinctive and reactive, sure, the conscious, thoughtful, part of the brain is slower to react. But the authors make no such specific distinction, and rather claim that measurements in studies conducted (with NO references provided) have indicated that the subconscious mind processes information at the rate of about 11 million bits per second, while the conscious mind does so at 15 to 16 bits per second. Note the disparity: almost a
million times
slower. And this claim is made despite the overwhelming realization that this so-called division of “the mind” is a virtual partition within fundamentally the same neural matter, interconnection architecture, and electrochemical function!
Sorry, that – a million times slower – just doesn’t fly.
As for the other myth – that we use only a small fraction of our brains, say ~10% – this arises largely from very early analyses of images of slices of the brain showing activation in limited regions (neurons) for specific functions carried out. Hey – only a small portion of a slice of the brain shows activation, and therefore let’s conclude we only use a small portion of the brain. The rest is lying there unused. See how readily one may jump to ridiculous conclusions based upon minimal, early, information? No, further studies have indicated that the extreme efficiency of the brain in processing enormous amounts of information, its consumption of energy akin to an electric lamp of a few dozen candles of brightness, is very much because of this massive parallelism of its architecture, where almost three-quarters of the energy is spent in axons, in the interconnection between neurons, and only a quarter in the neurons themselves.
I won’t bore a diligent reader perusing this review with any more analysis of why this work is principally fiction, and speculation, and therefore to be read as such.
The book is, nevertheless, a collection of interesting beliefs, opinions, as well as a compendium of various known methods for improvement. These include enhancing attentiveness, learning capacity, and general intelligence through training, to use both intellect and imagination (separate functions of the right and left halves of the brain, which also has, to the extent researched, been deemed a myth), to trust intuition (gut instinct, subliminal knowledge), learning with movement (walking meditations, hands-on activity-based learning), meditation and yoga (to calm the mind, and develop greater clarity and focus), and dietary techniques. The authors leave out other important aspects of child development, such as a balance between artistic, sport, and academic accomplishments and the uniform development of all, the connection between music and mathematics, and, perhaps most importantly, the mysterious way in which vast general knowledge often contributes to specific problem solving.
This work, sadly, though lucid and interesting, is not one I can with a clear heart and mind recommend to diligent readers and seekers of knowledge.
December 11, 2015
Year End Free Book Blast!
Happy Holidays! ‘Tis the season when, once again, the good folks over at Support Indie Authors are hosting another free book event. On Saturday, the 19th of December, forty authors will be offering more than fifty books in a wide variety of genres – absolutely free! What better way to de-stress, decompress, and take a well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle of the holidays, than to curl up with a good book? Once again, all of the free books will be listed on the official Book Blast website:
As is tradition, authors participating in the book blast have told us a little about themselves. Each name links to the author’s Goodreads profile, so feel free to give them a follow if you like what you see. Below are interviews for ten of the forty participating authors. At the end of this post are links to three other blogs with the additional thirty authors. Please be sure to visit each, and thank you for continuing to #SupportIndieAuthors.
Interviews…
What is your name?
A.E. Hellstorm
What genre or genres do you write in?
Horror, Crime, Relationship drama
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Only a Sith thinks in absolutes.
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
In the Hands of the Unknown’: Miriam Goldblum is an FBI-agent, but also a member of the secretive Golden Fleece Society which deals with the dangerous supernatural aspects of our world. This book gives you all: horror, crime, and relationship drama.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Warm glögg (spiced wine the Swedish way) with raisins and almonds.
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
SPCA, because it’s heartbreaking thinking about all the abandoned animals who suffers out there and never get to know what love and safety means, to never get to feel how it is to have a full belly and a warm place to snuggle up in. https://www.aspca.org
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: http://www.hellhagproductions.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/448159125340507/?fref=ts
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Sarah Sunday
What genre or genres do you write in?
Science Fiction, Fantasy
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Nice
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
How to Stop Wildfire is a sprawling, off-beat space opera. It crosses genre lines and has an entire world surrounding it that competes with Tolkien. Humor, tragedy, drama, action, and science fiction all work together harmoniously. There is something for everything in it.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Oatmeal cookies
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: http://www.thespineoftheempire.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahasunday
Other: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SarahSunday3/about
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Rian Nejar
What genre or genres do you write in?
Nonfiction, Memoir
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Only a Sith thinks in absolutes.
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
“Humbling and Humility” is an intense, detailed narrative of an Indian-American father and husband’s struggle with betrayal by his spouse and its consequences upon himself and his children.
Including a critical view of state intervention into domestic discord in families in America, the narrative explores this father’s attempts to mitigate harm and accommodate disruptive life changes in non-violent ways, both in his family and in other families in similar predicaments.
In raw and honest discussions, with no pretense of holding back, the narrative delves into culture and gender differences, and the many challenges immigrants face in America.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Peace and quiet in a cottage in the woods by a warm seashore.
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
Goodwill. http://www.goodwill.org
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: https://riannejar.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/riannejar
Other: https://www.smashwords.com/interview/riannejar
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Nathan Wall
What genre or genres do you write in?
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery/Thriller, Action
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Nice
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
An angel clone becomes the horseman death and must fight against his inner need to consume the souls of mankind, and his change his fate as creation’s inevitable destruction. Gods of old-world mythologies are actually factions of fallen angels, living in their space cruisers, in his action packed, time-bending, Sci-Fi romp across the galaxy. Blending urban legends and creatures from Norse to Hindu to Greek to Egyptian to Judaeo-Christian mythological lore and more, Evolution of Angels is a drama-filled, non-linear story akin to X-men and Game of Thrones having a love child (actual words from a review).
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Cream cheese and marshmallow cream mixed together for a dip.
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
Children’s Craniofacial Association. They help kids and families affected by facial differences. A lot of the people they help go through hundreds of surgeries to repair birth abnormalities to help them breathe, function or just live with more tolerable pain. The affected areas aren’t limited to just the face and head, but it’s by far the most noticeable. I have a friend who was born with the disorder. He’s an awesome guy, very sharp and witty. You chat with him online and you’d never think he was any different than you or me. He’s not because he doesn’t let his appearance define him, and neither to the people involved at CCA. However, many kids aren’t as lucky. CCA does a lot of great things. My favorite is a camp they organize every year specifically for those kids to come together with people who understand and love them, so that they can see it’s their heart that matters and not their face. http://www.ccakids.com
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathanKnwsSports
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/evolutionofangels
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Joe Jackson
What genre or genres do you write in?
Fantasy
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Nice
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
Salvation’s Dawn is the debut novel of the Eve of Redemption series. It follows the adventures of Karian Vanador, who was resurrected against her will to play a pivotal role in a coming war between the gods and the demon kings. It has action, intrigue, romance, humor, and an unforgettable cast of characters.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Anything with chocolate, which I’m no longer allowed to eat.
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
The Jimmy Fund, which is part of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, is a charity devoted to support for the families of children with cancer, and research into treatments. As a new parent myself, I can’t imagine what it’s like to go through, and it’s a charity very much worth everyone’s attention. http://www.jimmyfund.org
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: https://citaria.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShoelessAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoelessauthor
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Victoria Schwimley
What genre or genres do you write in?
Literary Fiction, Romance, Teen & Young Adult
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Nice
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
My books are exciting and suspenseful. My characters are likable and interesting and will keep you engrossed to the last page.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Pumpkin Cheesecake. It beats pumpkin pie hands down, but you hear little about it.
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
American Heart Association. Hereditary heart disease claimed my father’s life, so the treatment of this disease is important to me. http://www.heart.org/
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: http://www.victoriaschwimley.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Schwimley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaSchwimleyAuthor/?ref=bookmarks
Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-schwimley-7b926957
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Aaron-Michael Hall
What genre or genres do you write in?
Fantasy, Adult Fantasy for mature readers
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Only a Sith thinks in absolutes.
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
An EPIC adult fantasy series with diverse characters. The Rise of Nazil series intrigues the readers with the mythical land of Faélondul and its inhabitants. I have never read a fantasy such as this, which is why I needed to create it.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Plum Pudding (don’t judge)
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
I donate to many. However, recently I have had the pleasure of donating books to our troops. I plan to do so with each new release.
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: http://www.theriseofnazil.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRiseofNazil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aaron-Michael-Hall-841846452589704/
Other: http://allianceindependentauthors.org/members/aaron-michael-hall/profile/
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
T.R. Briar
What genre or genres do you write in?
Dark Fantasy
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Only a Sith thinks in absolutes.
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
My book, Realm Wraith Prelude, is a short novella that ties into the events of the novel Realm Wraith. It’s meant to be a small sample of my writing to interest readers in my other works.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
While eggnog isn’t underrated, too many people I know underestimate how well it goes with alcohol.
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
I’ve always been a fan of Doctors without Borders; they do a lot of good work bringing medicine and aid to countries that desperately need it, despite the danger in doing so. http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: http://www.invertedworlds.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Briarsan
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Mary Criswell-Carpenter
What genre or genres do you write in?
Romance, Religious, Historical
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Nice
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
Katy is a widow in need of a husband. She places a mail order husband ad. She gets lots of answers but the one man she wants has made it clear he doesn’t want her! Things get chaotic as Katy juggles unwanted suitors while trying to attract the right man.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Ribbon candy
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
Pulmonary Hypertension Association https://www.phassociation.org
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: http://www.marycriswellcarpenter.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjccnevertool8
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marycriswellcarpenterhistoricalromance/
Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryccarpenterauthor
♦ ♦ ♦
What is your name?
Amanda Siegrist
What genre or genres do you write in?
Romance, Mystery/Thriller
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Nice
Tell us a little about the book(or books) you are offering.
Protecting You ~ A McCord Family Novel is a sweet, contemporary romance that may make you cry at times. Have the tissues ready, but it will also melt your heart with the love that blossoms between Zane and Ava. My other novel, Sunrise Awakening, is a romantic suspense that will keep you guessing until the end.
What is your favorite underrated holiday treat?
Hmm, that’s a hard one. Not sure if many people know about butter horns, but mmm, mmm good. My mouth is watering just thinking about having one and the sweet taste that melts in your mouth.
In the spirit of giving, tell us about your favorite charitable organization.
It’s hard to pick one, there are so many. I always make it a point to give to my church every week.
Where can readers find out more and connect with you?
Website: http://www.amandasiegrist.weebly.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/amanda_siegrist
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoramandasiegrist
Other: http://www.wattpad.com/user/AmandaSiegrist
Other Blogs
Riley Amos Westbrook, Shari Sakurai, and Stefany Rattles
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Review: Gateway of India
Gateway of India by Ken Doyle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A delightful collection of short stories, reflecting culture and simple lives around Mumbai (Bombay) in India, that the author Ken Doyle is presumably intimately familiar with. While short, these stories from Ken give a reader a pleasant, fulfilling, view of lives shaped by empathy, compassion, beauty, and, above all, simplicity.
A diligent reader will see a progression in Ken’s skills in the stories in this work. Moving from a story that concludes rather abruptly, to another that is a mite verbose, he concludes this Omnibus edition with a vivid tale filled with interesting characters and a gentle yet complex plot. While a picky editor may find minor flaws in language employed, or with linearity in narrative progression, Ken’s skill in portraying sympathetic characters, in his simple and pleasant stories, is quite advanced.
While I’m not one to regularly read short stories, I found Ken’s stories quite enjoyable, and meaningful, and do recommend them to the young and the veteran reader alike, especially those inclined to learning of other cultures.
December 3, 2015
Review: All the Light We Cannot See
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A beautiful story of highly sympathetic characters, painted with vivid imagery, albeit written with contrived and flowery metaphors, orphan events and plot threads, and strangely short chapters and a jagged timeline.
A dozen pages in, the author seemed to have a thing for flowery metaphors…I felt strongly that this takes one out of a story and into a performance.
For instance:
“The windowpanes rattle in their housings. The anti-air guns unleash another volley. The earth rotates a bit farther.”
‘Farther’ is a definition of distance. It is inconceivable that any human being senses passage of short spans of time in a distance traveled by the earth (which it does not if it rotates) – a superfluous, arguably erroneous, metaphor for duration, one that does not color the passing of time with dread or anticipation as may be intended during a bombing raid.
Besides, William Strunk Jr. (The Elements of Style) would likely cringe at the overuse of the word ‘the’ above.
Another example on that same page:
“Now the bombers are so close that the floor starts to throb under her knees.”
For a floor to throb, or pulsate at a low and discernible frequency (as in one’s biological pulse), and for this to be felt, through one’s knees of all things, large machines must pound the ground rhythmically…and with bombers droning far above ack-ack (which term I believe is the period short form, not ‘anti-air’) fire reach, this is most unlikely. A contrived, unconvincing, effort at imagery.
I confess: having encountered such metaphors early, given my strong affinity for authenticity, I began speed-reading the book, skipping most if not all such passages.
It is then that I saw how short chapters were. One and a half pages, and sometimes less? I found it hard to synchronize with the structure, the design of the book. The timeline shifts compounded this difficulty.
And what is with the gem with magical powers? What symbolic, significant, role does it play in furthering the story, and enhancing the lives and experiences of the protagonists? What did the torment of Ferdinand (or was it Frederick?) provide a diligent reader? The brief description of a protagonists sister’s brutal encounter with invading soldiers also seemed out of place and unnecessary – especially if the author intended unbiased historical accuracy in depicting horrors of war.
This is clearly a work of fiction, one that does insufficient justice to an endearing story of two very human lives, a story that could perhaps have been narrated with far greater elegance, meaning, and effect. Nevertheless, it is lucidly written, colorfully portrayed, and enjoyable in its inventiveness.
November 29, 2015
Humbling and Humility chosen by Library Journal’s Self-e
‘Humbling and Humility’ acceptance for the Indie ARIZONA module
The multicultural narrative of infidelity, empathy, compassion, and love – Humbling and Humility – was accepted for distribution to libraries in Arizona by the Library Journal Self-e team in July this year. Through this selection, HnH (in ebook form) is slated to be available on BiblioBoard Library for download by patrons in Arizona.
About
Library Journal is the most trusted and respected publication for the library community. Built on more than a century of quality journalism and reviews, LJ provides groundbreaking features and analytical news reports covering technology, management, policy and other professional concerns to public, academic and institutional libraries. Our hefty reviews sections evaluate 8000+ reviews annually of books, ebooks, audiobooks, videos/DVDs, databases, systems and websites. Our team of library and literary experts communicate with our audience through print, digital and live content and continuously strive to stay on the cutting edge of the ever-evolving world of libraries.
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