In Which I Review the Review in RALPH

Francisco I. Madero

My latest is one very strange book— or rather, two strange books for the price of one with —bonus!— the painting of "Gerbara and Eye" by Kelley Vandiver. Of late, I've been getting extreme reactions (though none hostile, yet, which is funny, because, come on you fundamentalists and conspiracy mongers, anyone notice the logo of the dancing, um, goat?). The reactions have been either:

(1) A taut black-out curtain of noninterest because:

(a) noididntseethesupercreepyeye

and/ or 

(b) Religious stuff? BO-ring

or: 

(2) Ardent embrace of one or both sorts:

(a) Esoteric / metaphysical / philosophical

and/ or 

(b) The crunchiest of poli sci let's rewrite the textbooks 

Seems we have a (1b) having segued into a (2a + b), with a wild cherry sense of humor on top, now that Carlos Amantea has reviewed Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual for The Review of Arts, Literature, Philosophy, and the Humanities (that's RALPH to aficionados).

"Suspend your disbelief, dear reader, and spend a few moments with the Spiritist Manual. After its introduction by Mayo, I started in on it, expecting to be bored silly as I usually am by most ritualistic spiritual manuals— excluding writers like Blavatsky...and what some now refer to as the "Neo-Modernist Buddhists:" Jack Kornfeld, Mark Epstein, Jakusho Kwong Rosh, Alan Watts, and the late prison guru, Bo Lozoff. Despite my affection for these writers, it was with heavy heart that I embarked on the pages of The Metaphysical Odyssey. But, I am here to tell you: they were, if you pardon the expression, a revelation..."

A cyber shower of jpeg lotus petals upon you, don Carlos. I am sincerely honored.

+ Read the complete, super-crunchy review in RALPH here

+ More reviews

+ Excerpts from the book

+ P.S. Hey, y'all, I will be presenting this book in Austin this Sunday October 26, 2014 @ 11 am in the Capitol for the Texas Book Festival together with my amiga, M. M. McAllen, author of the excellent narrative history, Maximilian and Carlota: Europe's Last Empire in Mexico. 

COMMENTS always welcome.