Average customer rating:
- Is the Human Race This Awful?
- Not much of a sea story
- A masterpiece of American literature.
- Starts strong, then falls apart
- Useless AND Tedious
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Outerbridge Reach
Robert Stone
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
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Stone, Robert
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ASIN: 0395938945 |
Book Description
In this towering story about a man pitting himself against the sea, against society, and against himself, Robert Stone again demonstrates that he is "one of the most impressive novelists of his generation" (New York Review of Books). Inviting comparison with the great sea novels of Conrad, Melville, and Hemingway, Outerbridge Reach is also the portrait of two men and the powerful, unforgettable woman they both love - and for whom they are both ready, in their very different ways, to stake everything. As the San Francisco Chronicle said, "Robert Stone asks questions of our time few writers could imagine and answers them in narratives few readers will ever quite forget."
Customer Reviews:
Is the Human Race This Awful?.......2007-07-19
Over a period of several years I had tried twice to read Robert Stone's "Outerbridge Reach." I just made a third try and this time got further than before --- to page 145, less than half way through. It's not that it's poorly written. Had it been, I'd have stopped with one try. No, my trouble with the book is that its every character is so incredibly unpleasant. Stone would appear to think the world is made up of nasty, self-absorbed, unhappy, manipulative people.
I don't consider myself particularly optimistic about the human race, but if Stone sees his fellow humans in such an unremittingly negative light, I pity him.
Not much of a sea story.......2004-07-28
I didn't enjoy this book, even though I'm partial to sea stories. There is not a single likable, admirable character in the book. I don't think the author, Robert Stone, has spent much time sailing or knows much about the sea. I would not recommend this book to anyone interested in reading sea stories. Actually the sailing material does not play a large part in the plot and is not convincingly portrayed.
So what then is it about? It seems to be about the misery of modern American life. Stone wants his novel to be deep and epic but it is just depressing and dorky. The symbolism and ideas are mostly shallow. There's obscure religious undertones that made no sense to me. The parent/child relationships portrayed in the book are utterly banal and ugly. I found no humanity at all in any of the relationships.
And consider the title-"Outerbridge Reach." Outerbridge Reach is supposed to be an area in New York Harbor where derelict boats lie (get the symbolism?). But I think the author wanted to title his story "Outta Reach" and came up with this 'clever' twist on the title instead. Basically what the book is about is how fulfillment, love, and happiness are outta reach. If you like this kind of depressing thing, you'll love this book. I don't and I didn't.
Having said all this, I must admit that I did read the entire novel which I don't usually do if I dislike a book. The reason I read on is that Stone writes well and has an elegant and interesting prose style. He knows how to skilfully pace a story. It's a shame that his talent is wasted on such negative content.
A masterpiece of American literature........2004-05-05
I've read this novel four or five times and consider it one of the best works of fiction by an American writer. The prose is simply perfect - not a false note or glob of fat. The characters have positive and negative qualities that make them believably human - but Stone finds a mote of corruption that he spins into consequence. Owen Browne's flaw is a penchant for glib surfaces - he is a PR man - and he is undone by a boat that is PR perfect but deeply flawed; his tragedy unfolds slowly while he is isolated at sea and the ship reveals itself. Strickland is a brilliant documentary filmmaker with an unfailing instinct for "the lie" and insufficient wariness of the perils of his clear-eyed objectivity. The novel confronts American situations - the Vietnam War, American capitalism, American documentary news. And so on - to the chagrin of readers on this board who were unprepared for Stone's realism. If you don't like realism of the Balzac variety, you won't like this book. But I consider it, along with A Flag for Sunrise, to be a masterpiece of the very highest order. And Stone's other books partake of all his virtues as a writer - less impressive only because they lack the felicitous focus of these two books. Stone writes a book every five years, so his oeuvre is modest: you can pile them on your nightstand and work your way through them over a winter. But begin with Outerbridge Reach. It reaches through surfaces to the corruption underlying ideals - personal and national - as surely as A Scarlet Letter and Moby Dick.
Starts strong, then falls apart.......2003-12-08
I liked this book very much when I started reading it. The authors' characterizations of sailing were right on the money. The characters and plot start out interesting but it seems the book was rushed to a sloppy and confusing ending that left me dissatisfied and wanting more. I kept waiting for somthing to tie things together, but it never happened.
Useless AND Tedious.......2003-06-21
It took me almost a year of off-and-on reading to finish this book. In most stories, there is at least one character that you can identify with - even if it isn't the author's intended goal. In this book, they are all pathetic losers on a fast track to Nowhere Land. To call this a monumental work is laughable. The story moves like sludge until the very end, then becomes simply forgettable. If you enjoy being abused with other people's dysfunctions, go for it. Otherwise, don't bother.
Average customer rating:
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Outerbridge Reach
Robert Stone
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
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Action & Adventure
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ASIN: 0140104119 |
Product Description
In this towering story about a man pitting himself against the sea, against society, and against himself, Robert Stone again demonstrates that he is "one of the most impressive novelists of his generation" (New York Review of Books). Inviting comparison with the great sea novels of Conrad, Melville, and Hemingway, Outerbridge Reach is also the portrait of two men and the powerful, unforgettable woman they both love--and for whom they are both ready, in their very different ways, to stake everything. As the San Francisco Chronicle said, "Robert Stone asks questions of our time few writers could imagine and answers them in narratives few readers will ever quite forget."
Book Description
Four young men come of age in a time of prophecy and war....
New York Times bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole is a recognized star of military fantasy.
The Dark Glory War is a thrilling new tale set in a world threatened by an unstoppable foe....
In the sacred season of the Moon Month, four young men don the masks that herald their coming-of-age celebration, a time of testing, ritual, festival, and romance.
But for Tarrant Hawkins and his friends Leigh, Rounce, and Nay, their first test becomes a desperate struggle for survival. For they will encounter the vanguard of an invasion force poised to overrun their homeland of Oriosa, and all four will find their lives changed forever when they encounter a legendary weapon that brings its wielder invincibility. Yet the magic sword may prove more curse than blessing, signaling the arrival of a cataclysmic battle with ancient foes. And in the face of dire sorceries and terrible battles, these youths will come to manhood...or to death.
Customer Reviews:
A great start to a fantastic epic series........2007-08-15
I discovered Michael Stackpole's work through his Star Wars novels. I have enjoyed his original fantasy novels such as Talion: Revenant, Once a Hero and A Hero Born but The Dark Glory War and the rest of the DragonCrown War Cycle just blew me away. It is rare for me to go back and reread a book but I have come back to the entire DragonCrown War epic 5 times so far, and intend to do so again this Fall.
This novel sets up the events that play out in Fortress Draconis, When Dragons Rage and The Grand Crusade. Stackpole is a master storyteller and this is his masterpiece. The characters are all well established and stand out in a genre full of pale imitations. The action and suspense keeps you hanging on wanting more and the payoff at the end of the whole series is worth every minute invested in this saga.
A prelude of great things to come.......2007-02-16
The Dark Glory War by Michael Stackpole is actually a prelude novel to his Dragoncrown War Cycle Trilogy. The first book of that trilogy is Fortress Draconis, which I believe takes place 30-40 years after the events of this book. The one thing that I think needs to be said right away is that this book is written from the first person perspective, and follows young Tarrant Hawkins throughout many trials. Normally, I am not a fan of first person books; they just don't `work' for me. Yet, I found myself easily engaged in both the story ad characters. Mr. Stackpole certainly has talent for writing.
The plot of this book, especially when the book is only 402 pages, is absolutely huge. After finishing the book and looking back at everything that happens in this book it's amazing that it was all included. Being that the book is written in first person, Mr. Stackpole is allowed to make some rather large leaps with the plot and phrase it as the `author' or Tarrant, is merely reminiscing about past event, versus needing to write every detail about those events. There are some traditional pieces within this plot, such as a group of young friends becoming men within their city/village by doing deeds that separate them. The nature of the coming of age ceremony in this novel is simply amazing. I really enjoyed the twist Mr. Stackpole placed on it and the rich tradition that seemed to emanate from it was a joy to read. As I said before, the plot of this book encompasses a great deal and introduces the reader to countless things within the world, a variety of places, creatures, people, and cultures. It is quite evident that Mr. Stackpole certainly had a vision of what he wanted to accomplish, I have yet to read the Dragoncrown War Cycle but after reading this novel I fully intend to search it out and read it.
The characters in this novel are very good, and well thought out. There are several characters that are very memorable to me. From the main character Tarrant, to some of the supporting characters Leigh, Nay, Resolute, Seethe to name a few. Tarrant is well fleshed out, which can be expected since the story is his and in his words. It was interesting to read his thoughts and how he perceived some of the events that took place. The supporting characters weren't as well fleshed out as they would be in other fantasy novels, mostly because of perspective and the focus of the story. While I would certainly have liked to know about the other characters, it was just not meant to be based on how the story was written. However, even the glimpses that we are given into these supporting characters are very well written and leave the reader wanting more. To me, that's the mark of a good character, one that you ant to know more about after finishing the book. There are many good characters in this novel, Mr. Stackpole certainly didn't leave character development behind in this novel, but to fully explain that I would have to write some spoilers and I don't want to do that. Suffice it to say, that the characters are well worth reading this book.
I do have a few minor criticisms about this book however. There are a few cases where I would have liked to read some more detail about places, events, or people that Tarrant encountered. There is a balance between giving the reader too much information to where they have little leeway to make their own mental picture and not providing enough for the reader to make that image. A few instances there was simply not enough information to work with. The other thing is a few instances were Tarrant would reflect on something, an event, a secret, or something and then brush over it as if he assumed the reader know what he was talking about, however, I had no idea what was being discussed and it lost me a couple times. Maybe, these instances were simply victims of maximum word count; however, leaving the reader wondering about what is going on is not a very good habit for a writer to develop.
With all that said, I must say I did enjoy this novel a great deal. If this is a prelude of things to come, I simply can't wait to dive into the actual trilogy. For some people first person perspective books aren't there thing, I know they aren't for me, but if you are at least interested in this book I urge you to give it a chance. This was an enjoyable fantasy book and one that certainly adds to the genre.
Not Impressed.......2006-12-09
The first book I ever read by this author was "A Hero Born". I really enjoyed Hero because it was innovative and kept me interested. There were twist and turns that I did not see coming and I felt it was a good read.
I thought because I enjoyed Hero, I would give his other books a try. I decided to buy the DragonCrown War series and began with The Dark Glory War. All in all I have to say I am less than impressed with this book. The story is alright but moves at a molasses pace. The characters are average and somewhat one dimensional.
Also, I am a big Fantasy fan and one of the things that is a must to me in this genre is to be able to "pronounce" or somewhat make out the names of people and places. I understand the need to be unique, but don't go overboard as to make everything confusing. The names Stackpole attributes to places and races are so foreign and impossible to "pronounce" in your head or out loud, that I found I was lost trying to remember places and races important to the story.
Stackpole also does not give a good background into the inner workings of the world he is writing about. I always felt like I was missing something and was not sure if there were books or a book that came before this one that had more explanation of the people and places. There were several moments in the book Stackpole would write about times and places so quickly I never could quite grasp their connection to the current story. I knew they were important, but they were so nebulous in explanation that I ended up not quite understanding how they affected the rest of the narrative.
All in all, this book is under developed, confusing and boring. I have not ventured to read the others in the series and probably won't bother. If the first one was this bad, why bother with the others.
Enjoyable but Predictable.......2006-07-15
I had such high hopes for this one. I'm a Michael Stackpole fan, and while I know he's not perfect, I've enjoyed his previous novels quite a bit. In fact, his novel Talion: Revenant was my introduction to the world of fantasy fiction. Needless to say I was eagerly awaiting the first installment in his multi-part fantasy epic the DragonCrown War. After reading his surprisingly mature Eyes of Silver, my expectations rose even higher.
Unfortunately Stackpole fell back into old habits with the Dark Glory War. The book, which serves as a prelude to the DragonCrown War saga, centers on a young warrior and his friends during their transition into manhood, which occurs during a monstrous invasion from an ancient enemy's forces. While Eyes of Silver presented characters that were complex and flawed (in short, human), the characters in the Dark Glory War are 2-dimensional and quite predictable. Hawkins, the main character, is the same flawless noble hero that you'll find in just about every Stackpole novel. Only the circumstances make him any different from Nolan, Locke, or even Corran Horn. The rest of the characters are simply there to fill roles in the hero's life, such as the arrogant friend, the slow but faithful friend, the shallow enemy, the exotic girlfriend, etc. The events in the book are just as predictable as the characters.
That's not to say the Dark Glory War is a bad book. It's actually pretty enjoyable in the same way a summer blockbuster movie is. It's fast-paced and there is plenty of action, as well as some very cool creatures. The Sullanciri, despite their similarities to Tolkien's Nazgul, are a particularly entertaining group. And the idea of a society where everyone wears masks to signify who they are and what they have accomplished is a neat touch. It's a fun book, but you know after reading it that the series will never come close to that George R.R. Martin or Guy Gavriel Kay level of sophistication, intelligence, and sheer quality.
If you're looking for a series that is entertaining, the DragonCrown War will no doubt satisfy. If you want something original with real substance, you're better off reading Martin or Kay.
Entertaining, but nothing especially memorable.......2006-01-31
The story is pretty standard fare, but manages to be entertaining with plenty of action. The action can become repetitive though, but by about the time I felt this way, the book ended with a neat twist which prompted me to want to continue reading the series.
The main fault I have with this series, besides the formulaic setting, is that the characters are under-developed and have very little interaction with one another. It would be more believable if there was more backstory and dialogue with each character, explaining their motivations and creating some sense of fellowship. All too often, characters are introduced with no explanation at all, but simply exist (usually so they can die later).
Average customer rating:
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Justice League America #46 : Old Glory (DC Comics)
J.M. DeMatteis , and
Keith Giffen
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000T8YDRE |
Average customer rating:
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The Uncanny X-Men #234 : Glory Day (Marvel Comics)
Chris Claremont
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
X-Men | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000RJGFVM |
Average customer rating:
- Good Stuff But Also A Lot of Padding
- An insider's view of the world of SF, fantasy, & horror
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Why Should I Cut Your Throat?
Jeff VanderMeer
Manufacturer: MonkeyBrain Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Secret Life
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ASIN: 1932265112 |
Book Description
This nonfiction collection is an engaging look into the worlds of Science Fiction. Fantasy and Horror. This often hilarious insider's view of the genres is lively and engaging. full of sharp observations.
Customer Reviews:
Good Stuff But Also A Lot of Padding.......2005-06-12
In the last few years, Jeff VanderMeer has become one of my favorite writers of modern fantasy. His Ambergris stories in particular opened my eyes to the possibilities of the genre, and through his weblog I've found his observations on the state of the genre insightful and fascinating. VanderMeer has a unique perspective, as an outsider (published by small presses and POD) who became an insider, and so his nonfiction provides a fresh approach to the business and art of writing fantasy. Unfortunately, while there are some stellar pieces in Why Should I Cut Your Throat, the collection is padded with a great deal of material that doesn't merit compilation and preservation for the ages.
Why Should I Cut Your Throat is divided into three segments. The first, Career & Craft, discusses VanderMeer's growth as a writer and his efforts to get his work published. Of particular note is "City of Saints and Madmen: The Untold Story", in which VanderMeer describes not only the artistic genesis of Ambergris, but also his struggle to get stories set in that city published, and finally to publish a collection of these stories. The essay is a fascinating look behind the scenes of small press publishing and of the challenges that face writers outside the mainstream. The rest of the Career segment isn't half as interesting. Did we really need, for example, an interview with the artist who drew the original City of Saints and Madmen cover?
The next section collects VanderMeer's reviews over a period of a decade. Most of the reviews are the kind you'd expect to find in a periodical - a brief discussion of the book's plot and an overview of its strengths and weaknesses. In other words, not something that needs to be preserved for the ages. With the possible exception of some year's best essays and a wonderfully snarky takedown of a short story anthology, none of the reviews collected in this section deserve posterity.
Why Should I Cut Your Throat really comes alive in its final third, Criticism. The essays collected here - including retrospectives on the lives and works of Angela Carter, Edward Whittemore, Cordwainer Smith and Barry Hughart, as well as a scathing indictment of the state of modern horror - are thoughtful and erudite - the kind of essays a collection of nonfiction should consist of. They stand the test of time, and inspire readers to think about genre writing and pick up new works.
The three segments are punctuated by 'interludes' in which VanderMeer describes his experiences at various genre conventions in 1990, 1999, 2002 and 2003. The essays chart VanderMeer's progression as a writer, a fan, and a person (he's a callow 23-year-old in the first one, a married man with a teenage daughter in the last), and are a funny and touching perspective on the often bizarre convention experience.
These essays, and the ones collected in the Criticism section, deserve preservation and collection. I'm glad I read them. However, the fact remains that a full 2/3 of Why Should I Cut Your Throat is padding. VanderMeer is a wonderful essayist, but there wasn't really enough of his nonfiction to justify a collection just yet, and it's a pity his publishers decided to offer his readers substandard work instead of waiting for an intelligent and thoughtful writer to provide them with enough material.
An insider's view of the world of SF, fantasy, & horror .......2005-05-17
Why Should I Cut Your Throat?, the first essay collection by one of America's finest young authors, Jeff VanderMeer (City of Saints and Madmen, Secret Life), is part humorous insider's view of the SF, fantasy, and horror scene (i.e. VanderMeer's experience at the 1999 World Fantasy Convention), part compilation of VanderMeer's previously published reviews, and part an infectious appreciation of VanderMeer's favorite authors (one comes away from these essays wanting to hunt down the works of Angela Carter and Edward Whittemore).
Regardless of its parts, it is always brave and brutally honest (one wonders, after reading some of VanderMeer's scathing reviews, how much hate mail he has received), always compassionate and encouraging (particularly to aspiring writers in his notes on how to teach creative writing). But above all, it is a passionate, compulsively readable love letter to the imagination.
Anyone who believes fantasy is simply orcs and hobbits, or doubts the literary merits of contemporary fantasy, needs to buy this book.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Extrapolation, published by Thomson Gale on June 22, 2006. The length of the article is 2641 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Why Should I Cut Your Throat? Excursions Into the Worlds of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror.(Book review)
Author: John Langan
Publication:
Extrapolation (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 47
Issue: 2
Page: 327(6)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
One of the World's Foremost Bible Experts Offers a Groundbreaking Presentation of the Five Books of Moses
In
The Bible with Sources Revealed, Richard Elliott Friedman offers a new, visual presentation of the Five Books of Moses -- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy -- unlocking the complex and fascinating tapestry of their origins. Different colors and type styles allow readers to easily identify each of the distinct sources, showcasing Friedman's highly acclaimed and dynamic translation.
Customer Reviews:
Helps you better understand the Hebrew Scriptures.......2007-05-13
The Bible with Sources Revealed: A New View into the Five Books of Moses by Richard Elliott Friedman is a very helpful book for students of the Bible.
Friedman's opening two chapters are amazingly succinct. In a very few pages, Friedman lays out an incredibly compelling case for what is known as the Documentary Hypothesis. This is the widely accepted theory that the first five books of the Bible are a compilation of four main documents, known by the letters J, E, P, and D, which were woven together by later editors known as Redactors.
After the introductory material, the book is a translation of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
In his chapter, "Collection of Evidence," Friedman catalogs the seven main arguments for accepting the Documentary Hypothesis. They fall into these categories: linguistic, terminology, consistent content, narrative flow, connections with other parts of the Old Testament, relationships among the sources, and convergence of the evidence. I find Friedman's explanation clear and convincing.
What does it matter whether you buy into the idea that sources by J, P, E, and D form the Pentateuch? Because, if you are somewhat familiar with this concept, certain "problems" with the text suddenly become clear as you read the new English translation that follows Friedman's opening chapters. By using two different ink colors (blue and green) and a variety of fonts, average Bible readers like you and me can easily understand various contradictions and redundancies in the text. The four strands are clearly set off, thanks to the wonders of modern technology in printing.
Here's an example of how seeing the sources helps you understand what's going on in the Bible texts. The story of Noah's ark is told in Genesis, chapters 6 through 9. Both J and P originally told the story. The Redactors blended these two accounts. With The Bible with Sources Revealed, I learned that in the P version there is only one pair of each animal, whether pure or impure. See Genesis 6:19-20; 7:8, 9 15. In P, there are no sacrifices until the establishment of the Tabernacle in Exodus 40, so two of each animal is sufficient. However, J specifies seven pairs of pure and one pair of impure (see Genesis 7:2, 3.) This fits with the fact that in the J account, Noah will offer sacrifices at the end of the flood, so he needs more than two of each animal--or else his sacrifice would end a species. Friedman's footnotes clarify such differences throughout the Pentateuch.
Friedman's translation is unique because the text is so clearly marked in terms of sources. You won't be disappointed.
A Must In Biblical Scholarship.......2007-05-10
Friedman's treatment of the Pentatuech and its sources is an absolute must for any scholar of the Hebrew Bible. Even if you do not buy into the Documentary Hypothesis, it is nevertheless an indispensible resource for research and dialogue in the area of Biblical Studies. Friedman carefully separates the sources in the Pentateuch and provides notes and explanation to aid in understadning why he categorizes as he does. This is one of the most crucial works in Source Criticism for contemporary Biblical Scholarship.
more than I thought.......2007-03-17
I expected a short explanantion of the author's thinking but there was a thorough and easily understandable explanation of the way this book was set up. I expected it to be more obscure.
A deeper view of inspiration.......2007-03-05
Great resource for understanding the documentary hypothesis. I have waited many years for these books to be printed so that the sources (or best possible break-out of the sources available from the best research). I can now put away my previously highlighted Bible that followed Friedman's guidelines from his previous work, "Who Wrote the Bible".
The book allows for a richer understanding of the history of Israel. It allows us to better understand the fragmentary nature of the books and stories and get a more clear picture of the underpinning viewpoints from which the stories came.
It does not diminish the books, but rather gives a three-dimensional view of how Israel and Judah viewed God's interactions with them. God, using this process to put his word together has done what no human could ever do, synthesize God's love, mercy and wrath into a single document. We have a better and more complete view of God because of it.
An Antti Keisala Comment: The Book of Life.......2007-02-07
I haven't read "The Hidden Book in the Bible" - the Friedman that goes further and asserts for J not only much of Genesis and some parts of the Pentateuch, but also strands of Samuel and Kings - that extensively, but this volume is a treasure: Friedman's approach is beautifully nuanced and scientifically sane at the same time, making the reading experience all the more enjoyable. If you haven't read his earlier works, this volume gives a thorough enough an introduction to the subject matter of separating the Pentateuch into different strands, presumably coming from different authors.
And even without the great introduction to the subject matter, this volume is worth gold because of the actual content. This is Friedman's translation, and what it does is give us the different strands, standing out right from the text: using different colours and typeface he differentiates between J and P and E. And he gives useful textual notes. But if you know anything about this book, this is the thing you'll probably know. And it completely sold the book to me.
What I like about Bloom, Friedman and Miles so much is that they are interested in the Scriptures as a classic text to be interpreted as such. And this is also why they remain interesting, and why their interpretation remains interesting: their motifs aren't based on neither belief nor disbelief, which is why a pugnacious writer like me can immerse myself to the text completely. This is a 'new' way of reading the Bible, and compatible with not many people's ideals, but for someone adventurous enough this is a great opportunity. If you wish to read anything else about my thoughts on the subject, please do check out my comment on Harold Bloom's "The Book of J". It's scarcely useful to repeat myself.
Let's just say that these are valuable resources, and adventures to take to gain little perspective. And this is excellent in reference, in comparing the texts in different translations. And if you have the Rosenberg's translation from "The Book of J", it's nice to refer to them intertextually. There are no pejoratives, no stubborn narrative that distracts. And what it enables us with is the possibility to read the different strands individually because of the easy layout. A recommended, concise presentation, and I dare say that afterwards you'll always see of the Torah in a slightly different light: as a true work of art and source of inspiration both literary and devotional. And hopefully this is done in broader perspective.
With best regards,
AK
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