Monologue. This is the style of writing in this book and everything herein is told from the perspective of an artist. His friend, a critic, asks him to do his portrait and travels from London to the small island where he’s been staying for four years. It’s a short book, barely 220 pages but one thing is for sure, if you are curious to know how the artist and critic fell apart-then read to the very end, and you’ll be surprised. (Buy the book here)
“We are young and agile; established and comfortable; dead and decayed. Hope, fear and peace. There are only three ages of men, not seven.”
“Even kings must rot.”
“Artists see farther, so their ambitions are greater. They want the world to bow down before them, not just in this generation, but in the generations to come.”
About the book: Israel Armstrong is a passionate soul, lured to Ireland by the promise of an exciting new career. Alas, the job that awaits him is not quite what he has in mind. Still, Israel is not one to dwell on disappointment, as he prepares to drive a mobile library around a small, damp Irish town. After all, the scenery is lovely, the people are charming–but where are the books? The rolling library’s 15,000 volumes have mysteriously gone missing, and it’s up to Israel to discover who would steal them…and why. And perhaps, after that, he will tackle other bizarre and perplexing local mysteries–like, where does one go to find a proper cappuccino and a decent newspaper?
One thing is certain, I love books but I wouldn’t want to be Israel Armstrong, not when it seems that everyone and everything is set to show you that you do not belong- and worst of all fifteen thousand books are missing and no one wants to say what they know about it.
There is something about Israel, that he comes off as passive-as a pushover, and I could not empathize with him or find myself rooting for him. His encounters with the locals was fun to read. I cringed at some and cherished a few towards the end, but all in all, this was a much needed break from a busy morning work schedule.
“It’s definitely easier said than done, finding fifteen thousand missing library books, by yourself, in a place you don’t know, among people you don’t trust and who don’t trust you, and in clothes that are not your own…”
Anyone who has read the previous books in the Decision Series would love this! I haven't and this is the first time I am coming across the author, and even accessing this book-yet there was one resounding message that I got throughout the book 'this is about the maximized entrepreneur going all in and forward.'
If you've been an entrepreneur for a while, gone through the gist of it all, then this book is the final push on how to consciously commit to consistently and proactively maximize on your entrepreneurship.
2. Composition by Junious Ward:
If ever poems could be displayed in a gallery, as a mural, or on a billboard then I hope America posts the poems in this book.
However, one thing is certain that the conversation on bias, prejudice, race, slavery, colonialism is one that everyone comes ready to prove a point rather to hear each other out and accept mistakes...it's more tantalizing to use hashtags, catch phrases or protest for a while just as the author shares in the piece, 'Language of Composition,' for words do bruise souls, labels undermine human dignity.
If you read earlier on, there's the connection of fathers and sons of what black legacy looks like and the narratives passed on to young men. Then there is the poem titled, 'We learn in halves,' where he talks of how we gather stories and compares it in the very beginning to how we define baskets by what they gather- and neatly wraps up the collection with 'Inheritance.
I love button poetry and I've often been called out on my biases and prejudices and sometimes even enticed by some of the books I've had the privilege to read. This one here goes back to the very beginning, to laws, newspaper clippings, images, calligrams all displaying what black is, how black is perceived, understood, consumed and burdened and it got me thinking of the number of times in job applications, university scholarship applications where I shaded black under the 'ethnicity' question.
3. Profit with Presence by Eric Holsapple:
This book, in my understanding, focuses more on mindfulness in everything we do-and more so bringing that to the places we work, to the people we interact with at work.
The author shares twelve pillars beginning from something as basic as being present through to being curious and each pillar in the chapters comes with exercises ranging from journaling, breathwork, yoga, meditation, communication and listening-all to improve and be more consistent in our mindfulness.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to improve on the quality of relationship at work- and engage others without utmost judgement.
While reading this, I learned something new that I had never thought of, but upon reading it-could reflect on having experienced it. It's called 'The Precession Effect.' This means the side effects of an intentional action are often the main event.
Nilichosoma 