Review of Source of Light

[Justin Christensen]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Source of Light" by Dritan Alpha.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Source of Light by Dritan Alpha is a very interesting and unique book. If I had to summarize it in a single sentence, I would call it a collection of the author’s philosophical musings. That summary, however, does not really do it justice. This book contains philosophy, poetry, mathematics, and music. It purports to provide answers to life’s great questions and attempts to use logical reasoning to boil down our reality to its most basic elements.

The first portion of the book is a short philosophical exploration of the duality of being in the moment (NOW) and dwelling in the future or past (thought/mind). Dritan opines that it is impossible to be in the NOW while also being in thought, and thus that all of humanity is either in the NOW or in thought. He exhorts the reader to strive for the NOW and theorizes that living in the NOW leads to a higher plane of existence.

The next section of the book is a collection of poetry on related topics, followed by a larger philosophical exploration that makes up the majority of the book. This larger section covers a wide range of topics, including identity, reality, the nature of the mind, and the infinite loop of suffering. The ending of the book was quite a shift, tonally, from the rest of it. It was very unique and honestly difficult to explain. You’ll have to read it yourself to see what I mean.

The beginning of the book and the groundwork for much of the philosophy put forth therein is a quote, attributed to Albert Einstein, about reality being a persistent illusion. My first, and largest, complaint with Source of Light is neatly illustrated here, as this quote is assertively listed as being from Einstein without citing a source. I was unable to find a clear primary source for the quote, and I did find some sources claiming that this quote is often misattributed to Einstein. This unsourced direct quote begins a theme, which Dritan follows throughout the book, of irregular and unsatisfactory sourcing and citation practice. The book includes a small bibliography at the end, which comprises mostly Google searches and Merriam-Webster definitions of individual words.

My second, more minor complaint is that the logic Dritan uses does not appear at all times to be sound. I return to the same Einstein quote as an example. The quote in question is “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” From this quote, Dritan draws the conclusion that the universe and the mind are both illusory. Half of this interpretation seems to me to be in direct conflict with the quote. If the mind is an illusion, then what precisely exists to perceive the illusion that is reality? Confident leaps of this nature are sprinkled throughout the philosophy presented in this book and cause me to hesitate to accept some of the bolder claims.

I must say that in spite of these complaints, I did enjoy reading this book. The concepts themselves are interesting, and I would love to spend an evening debating and discussing with Dritan. I would recommend that the author spend time building out a more substantial bibliography and evaluating the arguments for areas where his claims are not strongly supported. I would rate this book three out of five stars, deducting one star for each of my complaints. If you enjoy philosophy and theorizing about concepts beyond what our senses show us, I think you will enjoy it.

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Source of Light
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[Joe Alex 2]

According to your review, this book seems like an intriguing mix of philosophy, poetry, and deep theorizing about reality and existence. I’m particularly interested in the author’s exploration of the NOW versus the mind, though I agree that the unsubstantiated quotes and some logical leaps might make me hesitant to fully embrace some of the arguments. It sounds like a thought-provoking read for those into complex ideas, but the lack of solid sources is definitely a concern.

[patricia MGBEMENA]

I would love to understand the concept of the duality of being in the moment and dwelling in the future or past. I like the effort Dritan had put into writing this book and I appreciate it.

[Shaniz Tobiaz]

This is a great review you have written, this a must read for me.

[Luiza Adela]

Source of Light sounds like a fascinating and thought-provoking read! I love books that challenge conventional perspectives on reality, identity, and the mind. While I understand the concerns about sourcing and logic, I still find the blend of philosophy, poetry, and even mathematics intriguing. It seems like the kind of book that sparks deep reflection and debate.

[Mark Lazarus]

The philosophical exploration sounds intriguing, especially with its focus on the concept of living in the present moment versus dwelling in thoughts. I appreciate books that challenge perspectives and offer a mix of poetry, philosophy, and even mathematical reasoning. However, the issues with unsourced claims and leaps in logic would probably frustrate me. I prefer philosophical works that are well-supported and carefully reasoned. That said, I might still give it a try, particularly for the poetic elements and the opportunity to reflect on the author’s ideas, even if I don’t fully agree with all of them.