Fiction – TheBreakAway

Books | Imagination

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June Book Haul 2017 | [Summer Book Haul Part 2] | #RetroReads | #SmartReads

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
July 30, 2017

“A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.”
– Carl Sagan

“If you want children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales.”
– Einstein

“Books are the mirrors to the soul.”
Virginia Wolf

This one’s a quick haul. To spice it up just a smidge, this bookhaul will only feature leatherbound books purchased early summer. Enjoy.

Dracula & Other Horror Classics by Bram Stoker

A novel that could be said to be ‘ahead of its time’. Wasn’t sure what to expect, but I can honestly now say that I really enjoyed the unique point of view brought about through the unorthodox way the story is related by Bram Stoker. Stoker employed the use of letters, personal entries, ship logs, newspaper articles, etc., to tell the story from each character’s unique point of view. Certainly this is something one nigh never sees, but which worked out rather well given its uniqueness. The story is a bit slow at times, but engrossing enough to keep you going if you’re a fan of the genre.

The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

One of the classics in Science Fiction, from one of the Big 3 in science fiction. What’s not to like?

It’s been said this is one of Asimov’s great works and I am looking to finishing it. Finished book #3 in the Foundation series, which is the first book of this trilogy three days ago. I really enjoyed the book, although enjoyed the previous prequel duet more. Still, I am looking forward to finishing this trilogy and moving on to the last books thereafter. Definitely a highly recommended series for fans of science fiction.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Since I had never read anything from Gaiman, I knew not what to expect. That said, many of my friends really enjoy his work and thought I would as well. Having read this book, I was intricately surprised at the uniqueness with which he brought about this particular story employing Gods as the foundation for various characters throughout the story. Not what was expected, but in a very refreshing way.

The Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The Wizard Of Oz, Barnes & Noble Ed. features the first five novels of the Wizard Of Oz Series. It’s a book that’s simple to read, but quite entertaining as well. I myself am only familiar with parts of the story, so thought it interesting to avail myself of the rest whenever there’s downtime around. Back when The Wizard Of Oz initially came out there wasn’t almost anything like it out there, and it made it stand out like lightning in a clear sky. That said, it has stood the test of time as a classic in literature.

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

The quintessence of the classics, The Divine Comedy was a bit harder to read given its old English writing, but it’s not anything someone can’t overcome with a little hard work and perseverance. After a while you begin picking up the language rather swiftly and it becomes nigh automatic how easy you can comprehend what’s being said. A very rewarding, breathtaking and imaginative book, especially for its time.**

The Ultimate Hitchiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Although the plot could have been better, the humor more than makes up for it. This book is downright hilarious while still offering a very novel story that holds the ship above water.

Star Trek: The Classics Episodes by James Blish & J.A. Lawrence

Surprisingly, this was a very great book. The quality of the short stories is great, and the stories within all read seamlessly, and are much better and interesting than I expected. I really hope B&N follows up with another book of later episodes.

All things considered, it’s been a busy and entertaining few weeks. Having read most of these it was a very unique experience and one glad I took the time to undertake. I am usually more fond of reading nonfiction research books, but now and again I opt to involve a dash of something different. Thankfully, all of these books delivered and a few were better than expected. I look forward to setting up more time to finish up those I haven’t read, and hopefully continue to catch up on some of the classics.

Have any of you read any of these or have any books you would like to recommend? What are your favorites? Hope all is well.

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Note**

The Divine Comedy was actually purchased two months earlier than June. Since the book surreptitiously snuck into the picture, thought it worth while to comment.
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If you find value in this information, please share it. This article is free and open source. All individuals have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and TheBreakaway.wordpress.com.
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About The Author:

Zy Marquiez is an avid book reviewer, inquirer, an open-minded skeptic, yogi, and freelance writer who aims at empowering individuals while also studying and regularly mirroring subjects like Consciousness, Education, Creativity, The Individual, Ancient History & Ancient Civilizations, Forbidden Archaeology, Big Pharma, Alternative Health, Space, Geoengineering, Social Engineering, Propaganda, and much more.

His other blog, BreakawayConsciousnessBlog.wordpress.com features mainly his personal work, while TheBreakaway.wordpress.com serves as a media portal which mirrors vital information nigh always ignored by mainstream press, but still highly crucial to our individual understanding of various facets of the world.

June Book Haul 2017 | #SmartReads [Summer Book Haul Part 1]

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
July 27, 2017

“…Books are bright because they provide lights to our dim vision, and because they clearly project a lantern light that might help us discern our way in the world, or make difficult choices when it’s hard for us to see the right ones. But they’re bright too because of their incandescent energy of thinking and creating, the blaze of consciousness that has been inscribed upon those pages.”[34]
Mark Doty, The Art Of Description, p. 34.

“A book is a dream that you hold in your hands.”
– Neil Gaiman

It sure seems summers has been flying by at warp speed doesn’t? Hope everyone is enjoying summer for what it’s worth.

Been extremely busy lately myself and it seems some personal circumstances continue non-stop irrespective of how much focus is placed on them. It matters now, though! We are here for books, and books are here for us. What follows are some of the books purchased in the latest June Book haul. Enjoy.

Henry David Thoreau (Library Of America Ed.) by Henry David Thoreau

This phenomenal book that contains Henry David Thoreau’s A Week On The Concord & Merrimack Rivers, Walden, The Main Woods and Cape Cod, is arguably one of my favorite books this year, not only for content, which we could all learn from, but for the quality of the book. Look forward on getting more of the Library Of America book series as they are very high quality hardcover books with great information.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Had never read this book (I know, blasphemy!) now I have. It has become one of my all time favorites books (dystopian or otherwise), especially given how society is currently mimicking many of the disturbing elements noted in the book.

The Smear – How Shady Political Operatives Control & Fake News Control What You See, What You Think How You Vote by Sharyl Attkisson

A book that the establishment doesn’t want you to read: what’s not to love about that?

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

The Fountainhead was a phenomenal book by Rand that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I do not expect any less from this book. How her books function at multiple levels of intellectual thought blows away most fiction that’s out there by a wide margin. For individuals wishing to read about issues that matter that are woven within fiction (or even nonfiction), Rand set the bar high.

The Complete Patriot’s Guide To Oligarchical Collectivism by Ethan Indigo Smith

This book aims to wake individuals to the perils of collectivism, brought about with wide-ranging examples that even include samplings from George Orwell’s 1984. It is a very underrated book rarely if ever talked about, even in alternative research circles.

Walden & Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Although Walden is included in the Library Of America edition of the Thoreau book above, unfortunately Civil Disobedience was not. That’s okay since this book cost slightly over $3 and it’s practically priceless in insights. I love what the book has to offer as well as how sturdy it’s made.

Secret Missions 3: Destination Carcosa by Walter Bosley

Secret Missions 3 is the third installment in Walter Bosley’s incisive and thought-provoking Secret Missions series. This book is follow up of Secret Missions 1: The Hidden Legacy Of California, and Secret Missions 2: The Lost Expedition Of Sir Richard Francis Burton, both of which were absolutely jaw dropping books in their potential implications and incredibly intriguing reads. Thankfully, Secret Missions 3: Destination Carcosa is no different, and leaves much for rumination.

Defending Freed Speech by Steve Simpson

This book is a very timely book which surveys the increase of censorship and propaganda against individuals as it sifts through different essays published over the last two decades or so. Defending Freed Speech is a veritable must-read for any individual who values freedom and is concerned about the searing censorship that continues that is rising and continues unabated.

Mind Is Master – The Complete James Allen Treasury by James Allen

This book is a compendium of the wondrous works of James Allen. If you’re looking for something inspirational and motivational along the line of the works of Napoleon Hill but more philosophical that focuses on mindset, Mind Is Master might just be for you. In As A Man Thinketh, not only were Allen’s word just like reading poetry and learning about life, but it felt like being in the presence of someone whose wise beyond their years and is a person of extreme quality and virtue.

LA Requiem by Robert Crais

Always wanted to read some of Crais’ work, and now I have a chance. A friend suggested I started with this particular volume, which is why I opted to start here rather than the first book of the series.

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Got this book as a gift, and appreciate it very much. Appreciating the depth and scope in The Fountainhead, and knowing how methodical Rand is with her writing, I am looking forward to this very much. Much shorter than The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged too!

Full Black by Brad Thor

This book was found in a garage sale – it was like finding a black pearl in a swamp! Yeah, its fiction, but so what. Everyone needs to pump the breaks and revamp their engine now and then. Why not do it with an entertaining thriller?

Defiance: Judgment Day by William Weber

This is the third installment in Weber’s Defiance series, and it delivers just like his previous two books did.

Official Stories – Counter-Arguments For A Culture In Need by Liam Scheff

Scheff’s book is recommended by Jon Rappoport (NoMoreFakeNews.com) in his Power Outside The Matrix tutorial.

I am about a third of the way through, and am finding much substance in the book. With an unorthodox approach Scheff deconstructs the mainstream narrative in many different ‘official’ stories (9/11, JFK Assassination and so on) and shows there’s much more than the predictable one-dimensional point of view that the mainstream media nigh always brings to each narrative. How Scheff brings about his analysis with much brio via his prose is also just as refreshing. A very underrated book to say the least.

The Illuminati – The Secret Society That Hijacked The World by Jim Marrs

The Illuminati, which was reviewed on TheBreakaway not long ago, sheds light into one of the most intriguing – and often overhyped – Secret Societies. Marrs is excellent at sticking to verifiably sourced material, which is priceless given that the topic of secret societies is a field with innumerable rabbit holes and fraught with much disinformation, misinformation and downright lies as well.

Churchill & Orwell: The Fight For Freedom by Thomas E. Ricks

This book not only recounts part of the life of Orwell & Churchill, but also essentially juxtaposes some of the core qualities. A very intriguing read, although a bit dry/slow at times. Here’s a review of this piece.

Forward The Foundation and Prelude To Foundation by Isaac Asimov

These are the opening salvos to Asimov’s intricate and timeless Foundation Trilogy. Given that these books were brought about after the original Foundation Trilogy was written, they do an apt job of further enlargening Asimov’s fictional world. The whole series is a must-read for any hard science fiction fan, especially if you are a fan of the classics.

Your Body’s Many Cries For Water by F. Batmanghelidj M.D.

Your Body’s Many Cries For Water is a fantastic book that takes a very outside-of-the-box view at health in relationship with water. If you want to know how much harm and disease can manifest your body by merely not drinking enough water, read this. In fact, this book should be essential reading for everyone given how most people go about dehydrated on a daily basis (myself included).

Beren & Luthien by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is a rather unique book that covers nigh all the aspects of Beren and Luthien, which was collated and brought about by Christopher Tolkien, son of J.R.R. Tolkien. Please keep in mind however, that If you are intimately familiar with the story by having read previous books that cover aspects of it, this might not be the book for you as most [if not all] of the information might be a rehash. A must-have for die-hard Tolkien fans however, especially because it finally collates all the data pertaining to Beren and Luthien in one book, rather than it being scattered through various sources.

The First Commandment by Brad Thor

Another garage sale find found for pocket change. The book is dynamite by the way!

Battlefield America: The War On The American People by John W. Whitehead

In Battlefield America, Constitutional Attorney and President of The Rutherford Institute, John W. Whitehead not only shows overwhelming evidence for the rise of the Police State in the American landscape, but incisively speaks his mind about where America is heading as a nation if the tidal wave of totalitarianism doesn’t cease. The most sobering book I’ve read all year by far.

For what it’s worth, the books this month were collated from AbeBooks, HalfPriceBooks, the Library, Amazon, Barnes&Nobles and Garage Sales, while some were gifts as well. I am fortunate to have found some glaring gems for nigh nothing, and am appreciative of the suggestions made by some of you in the department of research.

There’s still much to be done, so that’s all for now. Did any of you manage to snap up any books in the month of June, or otherwise? By all means, share your stories below!

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If you find value in this information, please share it. This article is free and open source. All individuals have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and TheBreakaway.wordpress.com.
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May Book Haul 2017 | #SmartReads

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
June 14, 2017

Though a busy and tiring month it sure was, there was still a lot of time to feed the old addiction in May.

And as addictions go, they need sustenance. What follows are my chosen literary drugs of choice, with some new literary spices to add additional flavor.

The Art Of Non-Fiction by Ayn Rand

Having read two books by Rand, and having them offer much for rumination, I got The Art Of Non-Fiction to dig deeper into Rand’s process of writing. Thankfully, book offered much to glean from, and it showed what Rand’s latitude and precision can accomplish in works of non-fiction. A review of it can be read here.

Bradbury Stories – 100 Of His Most Celebrated Tales by Ray Bradbury

Short stories are not something I usually read, although have always held an interest in. Having ruminated upon that, the work of Bradbury, which I had held in high esteem for some time, seemed like a great place to dive in. I am only a handful of stories in, but the book is vintage Bradbury in bite-sized chunks. It’s definitely a book that I will take my time reading given its colossal size.

Strange Candy by Laurell K. Hamilton

Along the same lines as the Bradbury book, this book is also features short stories. The topics of this book are considerably different – being sci-fi, paranormal, and fantasy – but still hold great interest to me.

Maximum Achievement by Brian Tracy

This book is about maximizing efficiency. Wanting to get more done on a daily basis, centering upon Maximum Achievement was a straight forward choice. The book was excellent for my tastes; here is a review of it.

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Following the notion of maximizing efficiency, this book followed the same previous thread. That said, taking a look at the title, it’s easy to be skeptical considering many books make claims but do not deliver. Thankfully, this book was worth the effort. With that in mind, there are various editions of this book, and after doing some research, for my purposes the first edition of the book seemed best given it covers the nuts and bolts process. Later editions change a bit, while also adding a lot of seemingly unnecessary information. That’s merely what I learned from reading reviews.

What I can say for sure is that the first edition offered much purchase. Some of it common sense, but quite easy overlook as well. Since adding more efficiency to my daily routine is paramount, this book was another no-brainer.

As A Man Thinketh by James Allen

The work of James Allen was unknown to me up until a few weeks ago. Synchronicity being what it is, ‘out of nowhere’ the book popped up in my radar and quickly seemed like something that I was meant to read, as uncanny as it sounds. Fortuitously, Allen’s words are not only brilliant, but they are insightful, and even poetic in a way. I have never read a writer like him.

The book focuses on mindset and the thoughts one harbors. Although overlooked by some, a lot of evidence is beginning to show that whatever intention and thoughts people hold in their mind does have a conscious effect on our environment. Books like The Biology Of Belief by Bruce Lipton Ph.D., Lynne McTaggart’s The Intention Experiment, The Field, as well as many other books cover components of this idea.

In any case, Allen merely espouses being a master of the self and of your thoughts.

A dash of his work follows:

“Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later in act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruits.”[1 ]

Most people including myself have seen this play out on a daily basis once my attention was focused precisely on it.

Beyond that, though, the work of the author was so sensible and mindful that I sought out more of his work. However, before purchasing one of his other books, I luckily stumbled upon a book called Mind Is Master. This book happens to be a collection of all of the works of the author and sure saves a lot of money if one was planning to buy all of his books. That will be featured in next month’s book haul.

Star Wars Rebel Rising by Beth Revis

Being an avid fan of Sci-Fi and Star Wars, I bought this book wanting to examine where the franchise is going considering the considerable increase in Star Wars books over these last few years. I have attempted starting it twice, and the second time got slowly into it, only to get bogged down early on. This book just isn’t as engaging as the other ones. I will read it, but after a few samplings I’m not holding my breath. I hope I am wrong though!

The Art Of Description by Mark Doty

The Art Of Description popped up within one of my streams on social media, and having liked the blurb, I got one at AbeBooks. It is short but engaging book, and having now read it I really enjoy and appreciated the author’s unique method of examining a wide array of descriptive examples. A review for this book will soon follow.

Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg

A few trusted friends suggested this book. Given my penchant for wanting to know more about history, and fascism in particular (given its considerable increase over the years) this book seemed to be a great place to go to task. Witnessing the evolving political climate over the last decade, the information in this book is becoming even more important for the future, which was also one of the leading reasons for wanting to research this further.

Fat For Fuel by Dr. Mercola

Fat For Fuel is a veritable treasure trove of information about health that’s written in a cogent and accessible manner, that also outlines the many benefits of healthy fats. Its in-depth approach helps individuals come to terms with many of the myths that have been expounded by mainstream press and Big Pharma. The book also offers some solutions for those with significant health problems such as cancer. It really is a great book, and anyone with any type of disease should contemplate on reading it. A review of this book can be seen here.

The Vanishing American Adult by Ben Sasse

This book is a dire warning of what the future holds. The author examines many of the causes that have increasingly brought about less capable younger generations than their forefathers. Not only is there a decline in education, but self-sufficiency is nigh non-existent; the newer generation just isn’t as robust as prior ones. That’s only the beginning, though. There are many other disturbing considerations. Thankfully, the author also ruminates upon some solutions as well. A review of this book can be seen here.

The Virtue Of Selfishness by Ayn Rand

As a strong proponent of individuality, Ayn Rand stands unlike none other. Rand was rather outspoken in her views of the Individual against the Collective that pushes conformity. This book examines those circumstances and analyzes them from various viewpoints. Only about a quarter of the way through the book, but it’s been vintage Rand as one would expect.

The Romantic Manifesto by Ayn Rand

In this particular piece Rand delves into what she believes are the key tenets of art and its role in life. Having never read nor found anything of substance regarding this topic in Academia, I am hoping this book leaves much for rumination. Haven’t had time to delve into it though.

Why I Write by George Orwell

This book has four parts, and only one held great interested me, which was Orwell’s insight into Politics and the English Language. The others were useful, just not as intriguing. The language part alone was worth the price, which wasn’t much. Although the section wasn’t long, it was still great on substance, like one would expect from the father of DoubleThink.

Last Words by George Carlin & Tony Hendra

Throughout his life, George Carlin was known for his no-nonsense straight forward approach to various subjects. This is one of the main reasons why I wanted to learn more about him, especially given that this approach in life is rarely seen, although it’s much needed. A review of the book will be posted sometime in the future after having read the book.

Like last month, a handful of books were found at garage sales, which cost next to nothing. This month also featured some rather fortuitous finds as I was able to find George R.R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons and James Patterson’s Beach Road for mere pocket change. There was another book, but that was commandeered by a friend. What’s up with some people? Sheesh.

All things considered, though the month had its fair share of obstacles, I was still able to have enough time to read quite a bit. I am certainly looking forward to finishing these books.

In any case, how was the month for the rest of you? Found anything intriguing and portentous lately? Feel free to share any recommendations or insights below. Be well!

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[1] James Allen, As A Man Thinketh, p 14.
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If you find value in this information, please share it. This article is free and open source. All individuals have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and TheBreakaway.wordpress.com.
___________________________________________________________
About The Author:

Zy Marquiez is an avid book reviewer, inquirer, an open-minded skeptic, yogi, and freelance writer who studies and mirrors regularly subjects like Consciousness, Education, Creativity, The Individual, Ancient History & Ancient Civilizations, Forbidden Archaeology, Big Pharma, Alternative Health, Space, Geoengineering, Social Engineering, Propaganda, and much more.

April Book Haul 2017 | #SmartReads

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
May 8, 2017

“You cannot open a book without learning something.”
– Confucius

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Another month, another book haul.

What follows are this month’s pickings. Being the bibliophile that I am, a couple of patterns will be quite evident, which thankfully led to some intriguing reads when time was available. There were even some fortuitous garage sale finds which were a pleasant surprise.

All in all, it was a solid month of reading, although didn’t read as much as I would have liked due to unforeseen circumstances. That said, life will be life, and books certainly help through the journey in myriad ways.

The Mindful Writer by Dinty Moore

Looking for a source of inspiration to summon the muse more often, The Mindful Writer seemed like a sure bet.

In similar footsteps to the War Of Art by Steven Pressfield where the author dabbles within aspects of the writer’, The Mindful Writer was even more inspiring then conceived at first blush. Not only is the book a lightning quick read, but it also features a mindfulness approach that other books could feature but do not.

If you’re looking for a book that dabbles in quotes that are thought-provoking, employs writing that is purposeful and inspiring, while echoing the Zen point of view if mindfulness, you’ll definitely enjoy this book.

Magicians Of The Gods by Graham Hankcock

Graham Hancock has been researching Ancient Civilizations for a few decades, with his landmark piece Fingerprints of the Gods which is easily his magnum opus. Magicians Of The Gods is the sequel to that touchstone of alternative history research of ancient civilizations.

Fingerprints Of The Gods was one of the first books I read about alternative history and it was as in-depth as it was thought-provoking. It captivated me for various reasons, not the least of which was the author’s methodical and thorough research of verifiable sourced materials which broadened the alternative history perspective considerably. Without a doubt, Hancock’s research set the bar high for the author’s future work, and because of that, Magicians of the Gods will be expected to deliver in similar sound fashion.

Although I haven’t had the time to read this book, really hope that over the next month or so I will be able to read it. Either way, a review will promptly follow after the book has been thoroughly read.

Curiosity by Alberto Manguel

As an avid reader, and someone who has spoken about the importance of curiosity, finding out about this book was like a child finding a gift on X-mas morning. That said, I actually have not read this book, but plan on within the next month.

Curiosity is one of those indispensable qualities that are important. Unfortunately, this s also why modern public schooling seeks to stamp it out while they wish all to conform and make individuals manageable.

As award winning teacher and 30-year veteran of the public school system, John Taylor Gatto stated in the Weapons Of Mass Instruction, the true purpose of public schooling is simply to engineer division, conformity and control. In fact, these are some of the reasons why Gatto quit teaching within the corrupt schooling system and began speaking at length about these pervasive issues.

For all those reasons, and more, I am really looking forward to reading this particular book.

The Library At Night by Alberto Manguel

Another great book authored by Manguel, this book was purchased having not only had a great respect for libraries, but also because libraries are one of those places where many unexpected and yet life changing circumstances took place. To not get this book and read it would be a crime!

I can definitely say the book was everything expected and a bit more. For what it’s worth, the review for this book just got published today.

A History Of Reading by Alberto Manguel

Wanting to do a little bit of research on the history of reading and books, this book felt like a natural place to begin that adventure. Learning the author was a lover of books simply sealed the deal. Now having read it, the book was definitely worth the time.

If you appreciate reading and books, you will love this book. The review for this book was written a few weeks ago.

The Elements Of Style – Classic Edition by William Strunk Jr. Edited By Richard A De A’Morelli

Having read The Elements Of Style 4^th Edition by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, this book seemed like a natural addition to avail myself of some writing tips.

Unfortunately, the book was a huge let down for reasons mentioned in this review. Needless to say, although the book had some noteworthy points, it was a huge fell quite short from what was expected.

Origins Of The Sphinx by Robert M. Schoch Ph.D. & Robert Bauval

This is a truly scholarly dissertation into a more precise dating of the Sphinx that makes a lot more sense than the mainstream explanation. In any case, Origins Of The Sphinx samples a wide array of data on a redating of the Sphinx – enough for the layman, and plenty still for the academic.

More can be read about this book in this review.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

In one of his recent posts entitled Ayn Rand Reconsidered, Jon Rappoport from [JonRappoport.wordpress.com] spoke at length about Ayn Rand, her characters and her work in respect to Individuality. This quickly became the impetus for me purchasing the book.

Since I respect Individuality a great deal, getting this book was a no-brainer. Read the book right after receiving it, and it’s hands down one of my favorite fiction books without a doubt. There really is no other book like it. A review of it can be read here.

How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie [Miniature Edition]

Having read this book in college, thought it practical to get this brief synopsis of that work.

Curiously, the book’s size shocked most people even though it was stated as “miniature”. There might have been some tampering with the description according to one reviser. However, when I myself read the description it was stated as a Miniature Edition, and saw nothing wrong with it, especially since the book only cost $5. I really wasn’t expecting much more than what arrived. That said, I do understand some people having wanted a larger book however, so I can empathize with their plight.

Goddess Of The Market – Ayn Rand & The American Right by Jennifer Burns

After reading The Fountainhead, I made it a point to seek out as much of Rand’s work as possible. Although a lot of what she states I am still ruminating upon, regardless, I still very much appreciate her point of views, especially about individuality.

Whether I agree with her, or anyone else, matters not. What matters is what I can learn from said individuals, and there’s much to learn from Ayn Rand.

Being able to gaze through the eyes an intellectual from decades ago is definitely something I intend to do more of, and thought it sensible to follow suit with more of Rand’s work.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser

Along the same lines as Elements of Style 4^th Edition, On Writing Well is another salvo into my self-directed learning process about writing. The book was worth every penny, and made me consider writing in ways I had not previously thought of.

Veterans of the craft will know many of the tenets, but for me, being a neophyte, it offered much for contemplation.

The Chicago Manual Of Style 15^th Edition

Mirroring the above book, this book was purchased to serve as a reference for particulars rules about writing.

This is not in any way to make writing mechanical, but to makes sure some of the simple mistakes that can be glossed over are swept away from the page before they arrive at writer’s row.

The Art Of Fiction by Ayn Rand

Having thoroughly enjoyed Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, which is a veritable crashcourse on all things individuality, and having read nothing as meaningful in fiction from anyone else with such depth, The Art Of Fiction became a natural target for my curiosities on Rand’s point of view on writing fiction.

Unfortunately haven’t read it, but will do so within the next month or so and a review will certainly follow.

Phenomena by Anne Jacobson

Having experienced some paranormal circumstances in the past prompted me to search for answers. At the time, this led me to read books on remote viewing and extra-sensory perception. After reading many significant books on the subject and finding much purchase in most of them, seeing Phenomena available piqued my curiosity on the psi phenomena considerably.

Unfortunately, for many reasons this book was an absolute failure, which can be read about here. There are much better books out there to say the least.

Battlefront: Twilight Company (Star Wars)

Needing a hiatus from all the non-fiction books I’ve been reading, and being a veritable Sci-Fi junkie and avid Star Wars fan, my sights were set on this particular book.

So far I am only a fourth of the way through the book, but it’s been rather engaging, intriguing and consistent on all areas. I might review the book if time permits, time will tell. Regardless, unless the story drops off a cliff or something unexpected takes place I cannot see myself not enjoying the book.

As far as unplanned purchases are concerned, at a garage sale, James Patterson’s Private Berlin and Max were found, as well as Robert Ludlum’s The Rhine Exchange & John Grisham’s The Whistler. All of these totaled a whopping $2 collectively.

How was the month for everyone else? Any of you read anything enjoyable and/or intriguing lately? Were there any hidden gems that shone fortuitously on your path? Feel free to share them below, for I would really enjoy hearing what other people are reading about and finding intriguing.

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This article is free and open source. You are encouraged to share this content and have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and TheBreakaway.wordpress.com.

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About The Author:

Zy Marquiez is an avid book reviewer, researcher, an open-minded skeptic, yogi, humanitarian, and freelance writer who studies and mirrors regularly subjects like Consciousness, Education, Creativity, The Individual, Ancient History & Ancient Civilizations, Forbidden Archaeology, Big Pharma, Alternative Health, Space, Geoengineering, Social Engineering, Propaganda, and much more.

Book Review: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand | #SmartReads

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
May 7, 2017

There are writers. And then there’s Ayn Rand.

Ayn Rand was a very unique individual; an individual that isn’t afraid to stand by her convictions, no matter what anyone said. That’s what made her so beloved and hated. Even more so, that’s why people were so bifurcated about her books.

Knowing that, then it isn’t shocking to realize that The Fountainhead was written with her very own ideals embedded within every page, within every character, within every thought. In that sense, she is rather unique because not only did she create an amazing story, as many authors have, but she went a step beyond and used the book with the essence of her philosophy, which was, and will always be, a truly daring endeavor for any writer.

The Fountainhead has been described in many ways, but at its core it is about The Individual vs. The Collective; about Freedom vs. Conformity.

With characters that are gripping, settings that are par excellence, and dialogue that displays incredible depth, the book is a well rounded synthesis about the nature of individualism and what it means to be human.

The leading characters all flow through their roles seamlessly, and whether you love them or hate them, you can feel the realism in them, even if at times they are the epitome of Rand’s ideal.

Anyone who values individuality will value this book. Those that seek to conform will undoubtedly hate it. That’s the nature of the beast, and always will be. What Rand did though, perhaps better than anyone else, is show both sides of the coin – Individualism vs. Conformity – in a manner that nobody else had brought about through fiction. This is why the book is so engaging, because you hate the villains as much as you love the characters you gravitate towards. It is rare when a book has you personally invested in nigh every character failing or succeeding, but this book accomplishes that in spades.

Ayn Ran went to war for the Individual against The Collective in a torrential manner in a way almost nobody does. Through her characters, Rand did a salient job of showing the wide range of latitudes within human nature. All of this was, of course, was to highlight the importance of Individualism.

As Rand herself elucidates in the following passages, the last of the three which is in her own words, the prior two through her characters:

“Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, their vision unborrowed, and the response they received – hatred. The great creators – the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors – stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great ne invention was denounced. The first motor was considered foolish. The airplane was considered impossible. The power loom was considered vicious. Anesthesia was considered sinful. But the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered and they paid. But they won.”[1]

“From this simplest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and everything we have comes from a single attribute of man – the function of his reasoning mind.”[2]

“And for the benefit of those who consider relevance to one’s own time as of crucial importance, I will add, in regard to our age, that never has there been a time when men have so desperately needed a projection of things as they ought to be.”[3]

Rand stated those words decades ago, and they apply even more so now. Given that humanity keeps snowballing down a hill in a world where morality, common sense and virtues keep getting swept under the rug, such statements and their ramifications should be pondered at length.

Whether you love the book or you hate it, it will give you much to ponder about, especially if you value Freedom and Individuality in any way shape or form.

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Sources:

[1] Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead, p. 710.
[2] Ibid., p. 711.
[3] Ibid., p. vii. Written in the Author’s Introduction to the 1968 Edition.

Book Review: The Philosophy Of Tolkien – The Worldview Behind Lord Of The Rings by Peter Kreeft Ph.D.

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
April 6, 2017

Featured within the February Book Haul, The Philosophy Of Tolkien – The Worldview Behind Lord Of The Rings by Peter Kreeft Ph.D. is quite an insightful book, in which Kreeft searches for philosophical gems of wisdom embedded by J.R.R. Tolkien within his magnum opus, Lord of the Rings.

Sprinkled generously throughout the book are extrapolations regarding Tolkien’s philosophical view, which are employed in answering some of the most vital and profound philosophical questions. The questions revolving around this regard: metaphysics (all-that is), philosophical theology (God), angelology (angels), cosmology (the cosmos), anthropology (man), epistemology (knowledge), philosophy of history, aesthetics (beauty), linguistics (philosophy of language), political philosophy and ethics.

Along with commentary about fifty of the greatest questions that have been ever asked regarding the topics above, the book features quite a few references to Lord Of The Rings as well as “three works of Tolkien’s that form the most authentic commendatory on it: his essay “On Fairy-Stories”, The Silmarillion, and The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.”[1]

To help break down those fifty questions, Kreeft presents a variety of tools “for understanding each of the philosophical issues The Lord Of the Rings treats:

a. An explanation of the meaning and importance of the question;
b. a key quotation from The Lord of the Rings showing how Tolkien answered the question (many more passages are given in the Concordance to The Lord of the Rings in the Appendix);
c. a quotation from Tolkien’s other writings (usually a letter) that explains or comments on the them in The Lord of the Rings;
d. a quotation from C.S. Lewis, Tolkien’s closest friend, showing the same philosophy directly stated.”[2]

As in his other works, Kreeft does a reliable job of not only introducing the topic to the reader and helping the reader get to ‘know’ the ghost of J.R.R. Tolkien and everything he stood for, but he also supplants that with reasonable analysis in showing why each of the philosophical questions answered by this particular book are important.

Kreeft opts to begin the book with an apt introduction not only telling the reader what the he seeks to accomplish, but also detailing comprehensive insights that tackle many of the questions the reader might have. Kreeft even goes on to state the five dimensions that make any story great, and why and how The Lord of The Rings attains all those five dimensions.

Beyond that, and perhaps, more importantly, the following is the main reason why The Lord of the Rings has appealed so much to our culture:

“The Lord of the Rings heals our culture as well as our souls. It gives us the most rare and precious thing in modern literature: the heroic. It is a call to heroism; it is a horn like the horn of Rohan, which Merry received from Théoden and used to rouse the Hobbits of the Shire from their sheepish niceness and passivity to throw off their tyrants, first in their souls and then in their society.”[3]

And in an age where authoritarianism, tyranny and fascism are becoming more mainstream, a book like this may perhaps help individuals rise out of their doldrums and help them become cognizant of the freedoms they are so quickly losing. That’s a whole different story, though.

Another great strength of this book is that it shows why both philosophy and literature are joined at the hip. This is because:

“They [philosophy and literature] can work like two lenses of a pair of binoculars. Philosophy argues abstractly. Literature argues too – it persuades, it changes the reader – but concretely. Philosophy says truth, literature shows truth.”[4]

Finally, this book also features a Bibliography, as well as an Appendix that feature countless references which address the philosophy of Tolkien.

Whether you’re searching for an engaging book that goes into the deeper philosophical outlook of The Lord of the Rings, or perhaps a book that might serve as an introduction to philosophy, or simply a research tool that features a lot of substance regarding L.O.T.R. and Tolkien’s philosophy, ruminate upon getting this book, for it does all that, and more.

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Footnotes:

[1] Peter Kreeft Ph.D., The Philosophy Of Tolkien – The Worldview Behind Lord Of The Rings, p. 10.
[2] Ibid., p. 11.
[3] Ibid., pp. 16-17.
[4] Ibid., p. 21.
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Book Review: On The Shoulders Of Hobbits by Louis Markos Ph.D.

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
March 24, 2017

On The Shoulders Of Hobbits – The Road To Virtue With Tolkien & Lewis by Louis Markos Ph.D. is a book that seeks to rediscover virtues, as they were known to be in older times. These virtues are exemplified through the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Peter Kreeft Ph.D., author of book gems such as Socratic Logic, Philosophy 101, etc. opens up the book with an apt foreword, which is followed by a salient introduction by the author Markos.

In the introduction Louis Markos outlines the fact that society needs a revived awareness regarding lost virtues which were inherent to individuals once upon a time. The author also covers why fantasy and stories, such as those by Tolkien and Lewis, are vital in showcasing these lost virtues. Along with that the author also gives us some background information on the subject, as well as what his approach will be in the breakdown of the messages and morals that he later tackles.

Although the book covers both Tolkien and Lewis’ work, a more sizeable portion will be of Tolkien’s work. In a rough guesstimate, the book is perhaps two thirds Tolkien to one third Lewis or so. This does in no way take away from the meaning of the book, but it’s something that the reader perhaps might want to know. At least for me, the book was still plenty valuable.

In addition, the reason the that the author has chosen to cover Tolkien and Lewis’ work is because “though Tolkien was not a fan of The Chronicles of Narnia, the fact remains that the two men shared the same premodern Christian understanding of good and evil, virtue and vice, beauty and ugliness.”[1][15]

Since both authors have such similar philosophies, drawing from each authors’ books is in fact a no brainer.

At the nascent stage of each chapter the author begins with a particular message and/or moral that has been overlooked by modern society, and then that particular theme is then analytically coupled to information from The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or The Silmarillion, with the information further complemented with a passage from The Chronicles Of Narnia that helps buttress the theme further.

One neat part about each of these chapters, and lessons woven and analyzed therein is that there is a variety of ways one can learn from these given the information provided. Given that the subjects of these books are so vital to healthy and robust human principles, having intriguing discussions regarding these themes should be something ruminated upon at length. Families or friends could discuss the information bouncing it back and forth in thought, or it could even be covered in homeschooling or group discussion perhaps. Heck, it would have been neat/awesome to have had a discussion about something like this in high school or college, instead other subjects that aren’t important to life.

In plain speak, what the author seeks to accomplish is help the individual learn why the works of Tolkien and Lewis are highly respected.

Each of the examples from the books of Lewis and Tolkien are quiet salient ones, and very meaningful. In fact, some of the examples provided could arguably be some of the sagest lines written by each author, at least for this book’s purposes.

For what it’s worth, the book is split up into three sections. In section one, the author’s main focus was the proverbial road – the individual journey – that each individually embarks upon which resonates with our deepest being. Markos does a very remarkable job in showing how the quest that the characters in each of respective novels follows a specific journey, and in much the same way mirrors what individual people might go through in life. Section two covers four classical virtues, while Section three breaks down three theological virtues, which contain also a fourth, which regard friendship, and was one of my favorite parts of the book. Those latter stages really exemplify those virtues in the authors’ work in a way that helps the reader realize what society has lost, and how to help reboot the road to virtue.

At its closing stages, the book finishes with a very robust and enlightening Bibliographical Essay [Appendix A] regarding J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle Earth, which features substantial additional information regarding all things Tolkien. A very notable addition for any serious fan, and will even prove useful for some casual fans that might not know where to start. As someone who’s beginning to study Tolkien more and more, this part is absolutely invaluable.

The second bibliographical essay [Appendix B] touches upon C.S. Lewis and Narnia. In similar fashion, the resources covering Lewis are discussed at length, and in rather salient fashion. Markos does an exemplary job of really going above in beyond with both essays in supplanting a veritable truckload of information for individuals – enough to keep you busy for years surely!

All things considered, this book really gives the incisive and inquisitive mind much to ruminate upon, and for me it’s undoubtedly a great book, and a worthy book to have in any personal library.

In fact, considering the topic at hand – regarding society’s lost virtues – one could even make the bold argument that it’s even a great piece of modern literature. Regarding that, perhaps Peter Kreeft said it best in the book’s foreword:

“That’s why reading great literature; next to meeting people is the single most effective way to learn not to flunk life. Life is a story, therefore moral education happens first and foremost powerfully through stories, e.g., through books.”[2]

This book in particular, not only is educational, but helps readers sensibly reconnect with virtues that seem to be going by the way side. And in an age where society’s values keep getting overlooked, a book like this is worth its weight in gold. That alone is worth the price of this book.

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Footnotes:

[1] Louis Markos Ph.D., On The Shoulders Of Hobbits – The Road To Virtue With Tolkien & Lewis, p. 15.
[2] Ibid., Peter Kreeft, Foreword, On The Shoulders Of Hobbits, p. 8.
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Suggested Book Reviews and video:

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit by Corey Olsen Ph.D.
The Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
How To Read J.R.R. Tolkien
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This article is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and TheBreakaway.wordpress.com.
______________________________________________________________
About The Author:

Zy Marquiez is an avid book reviewer, researcher, an open-minded skeptic, yogi, humanitarian, and freelance writer who studies regularly subjects like Consciousness, Education, Creativity, The Individual, Ancient History & Ancient Civilizations, Forbidden Archaeology, Big Pharma, Alternative Health, Space, Geoengineering, Social Engineering, Propaganda, and much more.

Book Review: Sherlock Holmes – The Complete Novels & Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle

A Veritable Critical Thinking Continuum Wrapped Up In Fiction

TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
March 20, 2017

Ironically, it was through the most serendipitous of circumstances that this novel was suggested to me. Following a lengthy discourse with my economics professor a long time ago in which I asked what he thought was the best way to learn logic, he, in his classic fashion, suggests not a textbook, but Sherlock Holmes! At the time, thought it was a joke myself. Interestingly enough, he wasn’t joking.

Here, now, many years later, the adventures of Sherlock Holmes were the way that yours truly was introduced to logic, and great fiction to boot, too.

Arthur Conan Doyle’s magnum opus, Sherlock Holmes, features characters that are rather unique but very believable; the setting is always top-tier and authentic, the mysteries abound, and there’s puzzles wrapped in enigmas all woven into phenomenal fiction as well. This is one of the great reasons rereading this series is so easy and serves as a fictional fall back for reading, especially when a lot of modern fiction is quite lacking.

In more modern times, there have been great mystery writers, and many imitators in countless ways, but none has truly come close to creating a fun, readable, witty, critical thinking, logical, and intriguing series in the way that Arthur Conan Doyle did when the Sherlock Holmes series. Those who attempt to follow in the author’s footsteps fall quite short, even when the authors have a template of what worked in the past. This is why, after my third reading of this series, it’s still a great as ever, and nothing really compares. And what’s more, there’s always something to learn from it, too.

Let’s boil it down. Great fiction is great, because it allows wonder, and sparks the imagination like nothing else. Sherlock Holmes definitely creates an auspicious and believable adventure upon which any curious mind would love to venture.

This fictional series does way more than that though. If it had only sparked imagination, it would have been a really good, or even great series. But even so, it offers so much more. Sherlock Holmes is a veritable crashcourse into how to critically think and employ logic, wrapped up in a fantastic fictional package that is as timeless as it is robust.

For me, this book falls within what Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren referred to as the top tier of books. As the authors note in their landmark How To Read A Book – The Classic Guide To Intelligent Reading:

“Of the few thousand such books there is a much smaller number – here the number is probably less than a hundred – that cannot be exhausted by even the very best reading you can manage. How do you recognize this? Again it is rather mysterious, but when you have closed the book after reading analytically to the best of your ability, and place it back on the shelf, you have a sneaking suspicion that there is more there than you got….In fact, you cannot put your finger on it, but you know it is there. You find that you cannot forget the book, that you keep thinking about it and your reaction to it. Finally, you return to it. And remarkable things happen.”[1][Bold Emphasis Added]

Furthermore, the authors elucidate:

“…if the book belongs to the highest class – the very small number of inexhaustible books – you discover on returning that the book seems to have grown with you. You see new things in it – whole new sets of new things – that you did not see before. Your previous understanding of the book is not invalidated; it is just as true as it ever was, and in the same ways that it was true before. But now it is true in still other ways, too.”[2] [Bold Emphasis Added]

For me, this book – all of its fictional stories – accomplishes all of the above and more.

Sure, there are many other books that offer many life lessons, and the classics are riddled with them. However, none teach the individual the foundation for critical thinking and logic like Sherlock Holmes does. This is why this stands above and beyond countless other books when it comes to those two crucial points for me personally.

If you homeschool, if you’re an autodidact, a self-directed learner, or simply someone that wants to read a great book, then read this. You will not regret it.

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Footnotes:

[1] Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren, How To Read A Book – The Classic Guide To Intelligent Reading, p. 333.
[2] Ibid., p. 333.
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This article is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and TheBreakaway.wordpress.com.
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About The Author:

Book Review: The Lord Of The Ring’s by J.R.R. Tolkien

A Laudable Landmark In Epic Fantasy

TheBreakaway
Zy Marquiez
March 15, 2017

If The Hobbit is Tolkien’s opening salvo into the world of epic fantasy literature, then The Lord Of The Rings [LOTR] is his full fledged assault on the genre cementing his name in epic fantasy’s timeless lore.

Thankfully, The Lord of The Rings picked off right where The Hobbit left off, building and expanding on Tolkien’s Universe to a whole different level.

The Lord Of The Rings is, as many of you may know, the sequel to The Hobbit, which is set in Tolkien’s Legendarium, and also plays a part in the world of Arda.

One of the simplest ways a reader may note the quality of a fantasy book is asking themselves: does it conjure magic?

Evoking literary mastery in a genre that was nigh nonexistent, and which many outright shunned, what J.R.R. Tolkien did with his entire Middle-Earth Series [check name] was nothing less than astonishing. Not only did Tolkien write a veritable milestone in literature to boot, but he did so in a time where not many souls cared to venture upon the genre of fantasy.

Touching upon this very issue,medieval literature specialist and writer Corey Olsen Ph.D. puts it in his intriguing and in-depth book, Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit:

“Tolkien was very aware of the artistic challenge he faced in writing a work of fantasy, especially since fantasy literature was far from the literary mainstream in the early twentieth century. He knew that when they encountered his story in The Hobbit, his readers would have to leave their mundane and comfortable world behind and invest their imaginations in a world that contains magic and unexpected marvels. In chapter One, Tolkien gives us a model for this very process within the story itself. We begin in our safe and predictable world, and in the first chapter, we find ourselves in a world of wizard and dwarves and dragons. In this transition, we find ourselves coming alongside a protagonist who is struggling through the exactly the same process, a character who himself internalizes the conflict between the mundane and the marvelous Our first introduction to this magical, grim, and dangerous world of adventure is also his introduction, and his reluctance and difficulty in adjusting to it give us time to ease past our own discomfort and reservations. Bilbo Baggins serves as a perfect touchstone for readers, both exploring and embodying the trickier frontier between the predictable and the unexpected.”[1][Bold Emphasis Added]

This goes to show that Tolkien wasn’t simply a savvy writer, but understood societal challenges he was facing at the time and made sure to do his best to address this notable issue. What’s more, Tolkien simply didn’t stop there.

The Lord Of The Rings shows why Tolkien’s imagination was not only gratifyingly limitless, but how it was rather robust with meaning in many ways.

In fact, the power of this book is so profound and meaningful that philosopher and writer Peter Kreeft Ph.D. said the following words of it:

“The deepest healing is the healing of the deepest wound. The deepest wound is the frustration of the deepest need. The deepest need is the need for meaning, purpose, and hope. And that is what The Lord Of The Rings offers us.”[2]

And still there’s more:

“…The Lord Of The Rings is infused with the same light that illumined the man who wrote it. And that light is true, for it reveals the reality of the world and life. And it is also good, because it heals our blindness. Like the Fellowship itself, Tolkien’s philosophy fights. It conquers what George Orwell called the “smelly little orthodoxies” of political correctness that have twisted and wounded our souls. In other words, it is like the healing herb athelas.”[3]

Such is the potentiality held within Lord Of The Rings.

Although at times called a trilogy, The Lord Of The Rings is in fact a stand-alone novel that is split up into six separate books.[4]

The mythical and expansive universe created by Tolkien is one that still ignites the imagination in a way that nigh no other books do, except the greatest ones. In like fashion, not only does Tolkien fuse fantasy with Norse myth and folklore, but The Lord Of The Rings features a plot that is robust, characters that grow and change with the plot, a setting that is phenomenal and enchanting, all woven within a seamless story that vaults the imagination into other worlds.

Throughout the book, the uniqueness and authenticity the characters echo shows the realism of the novel. For instance, temptation sinks its teeth into Boromir and Galadriel, each displaying their own set of circumstances in battling against this malevolence.

Instances as the above and many more show many examples that this particular book is chock-full of life lessons to boot.

That’s what makes this particular book great piece of literature.

On the forward of On The Shoulders Of Hobbits – The Road To Virtue With Tolkien & Lewis Peter Kreeft Ph.D. comments:

“That’s why reading literature, next to meeting people, is the single most effective way to learn not to flunk life. Life is a story, and therefore moral education happens first and foremost powerfully through stories, e.g., through books.”[5]

Why this is so is because:

“…Tolkien bequeathed to the world a new treasure trove of heroic tales and adventures with the power to reinvigorate classical and medieval virtues that our modern technological age has deemed irrelevant. Together with The Hobbit and its prequel (the Silmarillion) The Lord Of The Rings stands as a lighthouse in a world that has not only lost its way, but has lost much of its virtue, its integrity and its purpose.”[6]

In a modern age that is starving for virtuous souls from which to learn from, Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R Tolkien has much depth to offer.

For all of the above reasons, Tolkien’s crown jewel – The Lord Of The Rings – has stood the test of time and will continue to enthrall readers for ages to come. Just like the characters in it, the story grows with every new pass you give it.

This understanding is best grasped by what J. Adler & Charles Van Doren shared in, How To Read A Book – The Classic Guide To Intelligent Reading, which is the touchstone of critical reading:

Lord Of The Rings helps expand the bounds of imagination the more an individual journeys within its realm. Even better, this book helps one see whole new perspectives and ideas that one had not previously considered. Just like life offers ample opportunities for much learning, this book does as well.

Whether you’re looking for a great story, epic fantasy, incredible depth, mindful philosophy, or simply want to take a audacious adventure into a different setting, this book has much to offer.

Tolkien’s crown jewel – The Lord Of The Rings – has stood the test of time and will continue to enthrall readers for ages to come. It has enthralled readers not simply because it’s a great piece of fantasy fiction, but also because this book and the lessons of virtue woven therein echo directly into your soul. For those very reasons, this book will continue to be a touchstone for life, for not only does it teach you what happens when evil rises unabated, but more importantly, it teaches you what happens when individuals with high quality of consciousness help good conquer evil. That alone makes this book a timeless possession in an age where virtues and goodness continue to dissipate

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Footnotes:

[1] Corey Olsen Ph.D., Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, p. 35
[2] Peter Kreeft Ph.D., The Philosophy Of Tolkien, p 17.
[3] Ibid., p. 3.
[4] J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship Of The Ring, p. 9., HoughtonMifflin.
[5] Louis Markos, The Shoulders Of Hobbits – The Road To Virtue With Tolkien & Lewis, p. 8, citing Peter Kreeft in the forward.
[6] Ibid., p. 14.
[7] Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren, How To Read A Book – The Classic Guide To Intelligent Reading, p. 333.

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