John’s Comments (group member since Jun 19, 2012)

John’s comments from the Q&A with Tahir Shah group.

Paul wrote: "hmmmm, I just got my copy of Timbuctoo from Amazon and found the first map of London is upside down. Has anybody else found this? Cock up or clue? ( It is a rather beautiful book though )"

I've not found it yet, as I'm still reading The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty, and have just finished watching the film of the same name by William Friedkin, which begins with the Islamic call to prayer in Northern Iraq and then switches to dire events in Washington DC ... perhaps a 1973 allusion to 9 11 01?

My gut instinct however would
advise you to discount all upside down speculations to do with that map (not that it matters a pin if the map is upside down ...!) and rather find a little clue in the text on page 237 (what's on page 237?) then the door may be opened to a shining thing ...

Your'e on your own Pal, Paul.

Greetings good people, I'm John from London, a sound technician who writes verses, or a writer of verses who works with sound ...

I came to Tahir's books via The Octagon Press, and to The Octagon Press via Mullah Nasrudin, after finding an old Dutton Paperback Original of Nasrudin tales by Idries Shah among my books at home - though I don't know how it got there!

Many years ago I had the good fortune to visit a peaceful Afghanistan. The experience has stayed with me all this time and I've deepened my knowledge of the region through many publications from The Octagon Press, as well as from the films and books of Saira, Tahir, and Safia Shah.

My favourite book by Tahir Shah is In Arabian Nights. Oh, I am a big fan of stories!