Looking at Philosophy by Donald Palmer

Donald Palmer presents the history of western philosophy in a light hearted and entertaining manner in this book with lots of cartoon drawings. "The Unbearable Heaviness of Philosophy Made Lighter," says the subtitle. Even so, the subject is seriously covered from the pre-Socratics to 20th century philosophers who are still living. Palmer is an excellent writer who includes biographical bits and pieces into his summary of each person's philosophy. While I don't feel qualified to comment on the intellectual quality of Palmer's work, I do believe that he takes difficult subject matter and makes it more accessible to those of us who are interested but not especially studious.

Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving

John Irving is a great American writer, but I think Last Night in Twisted River should have been edited down by about a third. It's almost 600 pages long and some of its ruminations were a little boring. The plot of the novel is more twisted than the eponymous river from which a cook in a logging camp and his twelve-year-old son are forced into flight because of a disastrous accident. They change names and locations several times during their 50 years on the run. They are wonderful characters, fully and individually drawn in a story that sometimes strains credibility.

The Book of Mirdad by Mikhail Naimy

I paid $74.00 for a used paperback copy of this out-of-print, 185-page novel. Later I learned that I could have downloaded it for free from the Internet; but this does not really bother me, because I love the book. Its central character, Mirdad, is a Christ-like figure who teaches monks the error of duality and the truth of the Oneness of all things. Mirdad teaches the same kinds of truth that my Unity Church does. It is truth that is both very ancient and very modern; it transcends creeds and formal theology.

Mikhail Naimy was a friend and biographer of Kahlil Gibran, and the The Book of Mirdad is written in a poetic style that reminds one of The Prophet. I really wish that someone would re-publish it so that I could buy and give copies to my friends.

The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

A marriage collapses in London, and the wife, Nora, moves to Venice, Italy with the intention of becoming a glassblower like one of her Italian ancestors. How she starts life over here is only part of the story. The rest concerns a mystery in the life of her ancestor who lived in a much more dangerous Venice of the 1600s. Some of the plot situations in this novel are very interesting, but it is flawed by unlikely turns of events and a silly romance. The glassblowing business is nicely described, but there are errors in language. As a genealogist, I was annoyed by the use of the word "ancestor" when the meaning was clearly "descendant." A very light read.

One Day by David Nicholls

A young man and woman graduate from college; and after a brief encounter, separate and proceed with establishing their personal and professional roles as adults. Both struggle with identity issues, make mistakes, find various forms of success, and, as they approach age 40, begin to achieve some stability. The friendship they maintain off and on over the years keeps them connected and somewhat anchored during difficult times. One Day is a superb British novel. Nicholls' writing is witty and intelligent, and the way he pulls the reader into the minds of his characters is wonderfully compelling.