E-Mails from (Over?) The Edge 25
| E-mails from (Over?) The Edge? | |
| author | Nick Woolsey |
| pages | ? |
| publisher | Wolly Hat Publishing, 11/1999 |
| rating | 9/10 |
| reviewer | Miss Erin |
| ISBN | 0968611001 |
| summary | The struggle of one geek |
Every so often a book comes along that speaks directly to a reader, and this is one that spoke directly to me. Nick Woolsey has created a work for our time, but also a work for anyone of any age. Woolsey is in his mid-20s, Canadian, and painfully honest. "E-mails" details his experiences over a period of time in a variety of places (both mental and physical). It is comprised of e-mails to and from his best friend, accounts of miscellaneous travels, musings, poems, stories, and even conversations had by some men in his head who seem determined to make his life hell. I'm not exactly sure how to even classify these experiences he has, but I believe that spiritual is probably the best word I could offer. Woolsey gives an account of his own realizations about himself, his place in world, personal responsibility, and the responsibility of others. He isn't kidding when he calls himself a "cyber-visionary;" his ideas really are quite visionary (but a bit too complicated for me to explain here - to understand more, go to www.thevenue.org, which details their vision, goals, and plans for the future). Throughout the book, he describes his surge of fairly brilliant ideas, coupled with lack of funds/losing it, and the effect of all of this.
We are invited to follow Woolsey on his various endeavors, ranging from the Yasodhara Ashram to tree planting, and from the Oregon County Fair to launching several communications revolutions. As he meets an assortment of interesting people (some wonderful, others on the brink of insanity), we too experience these individuals, and are even reminded occasionally of people we know ourselves. At times Woolsey may feel like he's going to lose it, and we worry that he will as well, but somehow he manages to make it, and thank goodness he did.
Woolsey articulates his personal troubles and the sorrows of his generation with honesty, sincerity, and simplicity. He is a sympathetic and forthright voice during a time when it seems like most twenty-somethings are publishing whiny monologues about an excess of sex, drugs, and mental illness. Although all of these elements are present in the book, Woolsey maintains dignity and humor despite the struggles he faces. His honesty about mental illness is particularly striking; rather than dwelling on the pain at hand, he trudges on, hard as it may be, until there's a little bit of light. In modern culture, this sort of attitude is nearly extinct, so to read about a real live person who didn't immediately check himself into a hospital, go on psychiatric drugs, or commit suicide, is a very refreshing perspective. Woolsey turns to prayer, meditation, some fantastic friends, and himself - doing the polar opposite of what so many other people his age do when life presents adversity.
I'll agree that Woolsey's struggles are similar to those of much of his generation - uncertainty, doubt, fear of the future, depression - and also similar to many other people in the general population. However, his unique voice sets him apart, giving the reader hope rather than wanting to disappear into oblivion. He's humorous and wise beyond his years (at least I think so, not that I've attained those years - but he certainly seems wise to me). Though the prose itself is somewhat scattered (as illustrated in the section after a particularly awful discussion with Becky, his sometime-girlfriend, about three-quarters of the way through the book), there is something refreshing and strangely comforting about his style, which flips between e-mails, journal-ish entries, musings, conversations, and rants. For his subject matter and in this era, his voice is right on. We live in an age where technology is being incorporated into virtually every sector, so why not have e-mails in books? Why not embrace the technology and implement it into other areas?
In short, anyone should read this book, but particularly people struggling with their lives, their futures, uncertainty, and general doubt. Woolsey offers hope to those of us who think that we really will spend our lives wandering from place to place, never quite sure of where we're supposed to be or what we're supposed to be doing. His attitude is so positive, even when you're certain it really can't get any worse for him, and you can't help but wish you'd been one of those people to help him out along the way. His honesty and humor in relating the story of his own experiences bring flat-out laughter and a great deal of sympathy, and anyone can connect with his search for meaning in a pretty crazy (but sometimes pretty surprisingly fantastic) world.
Property of Miss Erin @Bluescript
The most important thing is to not stop questioning -Albert Einstein-
Listen to a recording on MP3.com.
Pick this up at TheVenue.
Re:Boycott this book! (Score:1)
Boy, this review is setting slashdot on fire... (Score:2)
OK, I'll take the plunge. I read the first two chapters.
Maybe it gets better after the first two chapters, but they seemed to me like the ramblings of a guy with no direction in life. I mean, "do we each see the same color" is not particularly earth-shattering, highly original philosophy. I guess I find people with laser-focus direction much more interesting, because (agree or disagree), I can learn something from their point of view.
It might be just me, since I've never been able to relate to the shallow, coffee-house, ponytail, "Whoa man, I never thought about the sky being orange!" crowd.
It's hard to judge a book by two chapters, but it just didn't grab me.
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Hey, Hemos! (Score:2)
Even well before the Andover deal, you guys must have been aware that Slashdot was a big deal, and that you we're likely to do very well out of it. Apart from the money, I would have imagined that it would have also kept you very busy, and been a lot of fun too (hopefully still is)... So if this is true, then how come when you're rolling merrily along with things looking so rosy, would you be so doubtful of the future?
Moderate this shit down! (Score:2)
A more intereting question would therefore be what's the deal with the slashdot guys and thepope, since that names seems to come up from time to time...
Struggle (Score:1)
I just found this quite amusing, Woolsey's struggles seem similar to those experienced on slashdot:).
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A good book or a good author or neither? (Score:2)
Lemme make it a bit more clearer about what I am going to say further by noting:
1. A good author and a good product of literature are different and their sets may seldom intersect.
2. Everyone has the potential for ONE great book, the book about his own life. A good author is one who can go beyond that one book.
Now on to my classification on what a good book is. A book with the only credential that it does not contain the word "e" maybe a piece of classic to some but to me it is just a class one exercise.
A book with the only credential that its content looks something like :
"I saw a man walking...walk, the activity to move your leg, leg, leg- the part of the body used to walk, through the heavy traffic, heavy as heavy as the oil spills that cover some of the oceans of this world, a world we pride to call our own, by the ego that is all prevelant......."
is pure bullshit to me. Oh ya to get a mention on
But I have to agree with Hemos about one thing. The book brings to life the decay and uncertainity facing youth of today. But
Trala La Trala La.. I am thinking..
Re:Boycott Navigator, IE, and ... (Score:1)
Many people think that websites should not redirect quickly, but since mostly you would like to go directly, I think browsers should not keep redirected pages in the history list. Then the BACK button would always work. Probably too much to hope for that Mozilla will correct this? It's not released yet...
Re:Struggle (Score:2)
Heh... "similar to those of much of his generation - uncertainty, doubt, fear" ...versus other generations, which grew up with certainty and confidence.
More evidence that the current generation is one of the most spoiled in history. No generation has ever had it easier. But perhaps that's why there is such uncertainty and doubt. Without any sort of meaningful, obvious struggle, how do you know what needs to be accomplished?
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Re:Struggle (Score:2)
So what exactly is "this generation" - are you referring to the book's authors, the Gen Xers? Or are you referring to the generation after them, today's teenagers now finishing high school and college? (Of which I am one) Or are you referring to people like some of my friends in high school?
I don't think any one generation has it easier than the other - the challenges simply change. Look at a friend of mine in his freshman year of high school; you wouldn't believe the backlash from Columbine. He is honestly afraid to speak his opinions about literature, religion, etc. and that's a fate far worse than any I can imagine; to not be able to speak his mind freely among his peers. I swear, walking in his school feels like reading 1984 again.
I think of Waiting for Godot (excuse me if don't get the quotation exactly right) - "Let us not speak of any generation then, for they are no happier or sadder than any before. Let us not speak of it at all.
Never Mind The Book...What's Up With The Review? (Score:2)
Some of the responses on this thread have disparaged the book under review as meandering and unfocused. They may be right. I don't know. The problem is that the review was itself so meandering and unfocused that I didn't feel the slightest inclination to look into the book.
What, exactly, does the author of the book do? Miss Erin makes a tantalizing reference to stimulating "communications revolutions", but what, if anything, does that mean? If the book is autobiographical, and I gather that it is, then what is so fascinating about the author's life and pursuits that should compel me to look into it?
The trouble is that the reviewer does not appear to have the slightest idea how to review a book. She has forgotten that the readers of the review have not all read the book, and she produces a rather aimless summary that practically requires us to have read the thing in the first place in order to understand a word of it.
If Slashdot is going to publish reviews, let it at least publish good ones.
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Re:Struggle (Score:2)
He is honestly afraid to speak his opinions about literature, religion, etc. and that's a fate far worse than any I can imagine; to not be able to speak his mind freely among his peers.
All right, let's put it in perspective.
Vietnam generation: In fear of being drafted to die in a war they don't understand.
WW/II or WW/I generation: In real danger of the entire world being taken over by a madman. Or worse fears if you happened to be Jewish in Europe.
First part of 1900s: Real fear of contracting disabling Polio. Did you know all the churches in the US rang their bells when the cure was announced? That's how much fear people lived with. Or how about the Smallpox epidemics? Those were fun. How about life before antibiotics? Do you realize how little fear of disease you have compared to previous generations?
Any time in Europe before the 20th century: Real danger of your country being invaded by its neighbors.
Eastern Europe in 1945: An iron curtain descending over the rights of individuals (talk about 1984!)
Being black in the South during the 40s-50s.
Being black in the South during Slavery.
So let's compare that to your situation: Negative side: You have some minor, temporary overreactions by some teachers. Positive side: You are getting a free education. Your opportunities have never been more limitless with student loans available to put you into almost any college. You live in the richest country in the world, with the greatest freedoms (occasion blips notwithstanding). You have access to the most advanced health care in the world.
Still think your life is as hard as previous generations? Please. That's not to say that things are always easy, or that there aren't challenges, but keep some perspective. Things can -- and have been -- far, far worse.
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Re:Hey, Hemos! (Score:2)
I didn't review it - the reviewer is listed in the box up at the top.
Re:Struggle (Score:2)
fear of international terrorism
fear that the computers that do all this making-life-easier stuff will crash and die on January 1st (gone now, but valid)
fear of hep b, aids, ebola, anthrax
fear of another stock market crash (our economy looks a lot like 1919 -- granted, this is unlikely, its looked this way for a few years)
fear that trends will continue, and antibiotics will get less and less effective
potential humanitarian wars w/US involvement (clinton doctrine) in chechnya, iraq, kosovo, etc..
there's plenty to be worried about. one nobody mentioned was the fact that progressing generations seem to experience more and more transient, material happiness, and less and less genuine, internal happiness.
"generations" don't have problems, people do. lets use the bitching back and forth energy to fix them.
Re:Struggle (Score:2)
I think it's worth pointing out that every fear you listed is completely theoretical, and none are an imminent danger to you. I mean, Ebola? Come on. Do you really want to compare that risk to the Jews' situation during WW2? Even terrorism, while getting a lot of press, it incredibly unlikely to happen to a particular individual.
The only one that has any validity is maybe AIDS, and even that is not that difficult to dodge if you engage in safe behavior.
Notice how deep you have to dig in order to find something that's an immediate danger to you?
I think there is some validity to many people believing that the reason that progressive generations seem to have less happiness is exactly because there is less and less misery. It seems to be the case that humans need adversity in order to grow into well adjusted individuals.
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Alpha males are homosexuals... (Score:1)