A work so surreal that it initially seems absurd, but its sense of mythology, mysticism, and introspection will still give...
Two long poems on philosophy and yoga, respectively, take meditation and introspection to strange places.
In the middle of his book’s first poem, “Philosophy,” Bhattacharyya (Rise of the Native, 2016, etc.) offers a footnote-style explanation of his use of numbers in his verse: “In a nut shell, Ignorance scores as 5, Disability as 28, Contentment 9, Success or Grand Success 8.” Like much of the content of this book, this information poses more questions than it answers; are these number assignments pulled from an ancient tradition or are they completely arbitrary? Similarly, the personifications of mankind and nature that drive the first section feel like both a classic origin story and a surrealist jumble: “In a rapid move, Primal-Nature / emerges before Cosmic Man….‘I have seen her,’ one stands indifferent / ‘I have been seen,’ desists the other.” The second poem, “Yoga,” is more grounded and digestible, reading like an ontological examination of the titular practice: “Thus the initiation of yoga / When yoga regulates the mind amused / comes the moment, the Seer sees his true self / the Self for a moment exposed.” Distorted illustrations, including one that shows the outline of three ballerinas jumping from a photo of a pond, accompany the verses. Although these images contribute to the text’s serene, surreal atmosphere, they fail to ground or guide readers. Instead, Bhattacharyya delves directly and deeply into an unusual landscape of introspection, obviously inspired by Eastern philosophy, but he presents it entirely without context or explanation for a wider audience, who may wonder whether these verses are the author’s own reinterpretations of classic yoga sutras or a translation of the foundations of Hinduism. Concrete answers never arrive, so some may find the poems to simply be a disorienting mishmash of New-Age aphorisms. However, Bhattacharyya’s unusual rhythms do take on an entrancing, ethereal, and even transcendent quality the more time one spends with them, which calls to mind an early verse that he simultaneously directs to strangers, neighbors, and himself: “Every time I reflect / The less strange you appear.”
A work so surreal that it initially seems absurd, but its sense of mythology, mysticism, and introspection will still give patient readers a sense of the uncanny.Pub Date: March 22, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5234-9247-3
Page Count: 88
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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