Review by jimthorne2 -- That Place of Knowledge

[jimthorne2]

[Following is a volunteer review of "That Place of Knowledge" by Philip Alan Shalka.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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A boy and his dog share an adventure into the land of knowledge according to Philip Alan Shalka in The Place of Knowledge. Even though this is a short story, it has a significant impact on the reader by way of the imaginative power of description the write exhibits. The subject of knowledge is introduced and personalized resulting in an adventure of thinking well worth the effort.

The adventure starts with Sabra, the puppy, telling the story of how he and his master, Philip, encounter Aristotle, the philosopher. Jumping into a swimming pool is a characteristic of a foolish young man and the puppy follows right along. However, the adventure begins at the bottom of the pool where a path leads to an unusual encounter with ancient Greece, and one of the country’s most prestigious philosophers. Two episodes describe the encounters with active dialogue between all three characters.

I like the way the writer describes each scene with vivid places and people interacting on a single theme of knowledge. The conversations are realistic and show a good understanding of Aristotle’s philosophy. The write elaborates on the different types of personalities people have and how that relates to knowledge. A perceptive reader will learn much about them as well as the intellectual world of the author. As a short story, the book does not provide much variety and the twists and turns of a traditional piece of writing. The story ends rather abruptly causing the reader to wish for more.

The author writes from a narrow, focused perspective with an excellent rapid pace of action. He exhibits good thinking and adequate writing skills to convey an interesting subject. The added touch of a meal with the philosopher is enlightening and instructive. The Greek scene is well constructed and historically accurate. All in all, this is an engaging book which would introduce anyone to the practicality of philosophy and the value of reading further into the subject of epistemology although that term itself does not occur.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It is appropriate for young adults as well as others who have an interest in knowledge as a subject. I recommend the book because the writer has done an excellent job of speaking to an important topic in a well-crafted short story. It can extend into a longer novel with the introduction of other philosophers to the dog and the boy.

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That Place of Knowledge
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[Izesicle]

I wished for the same thing as well, more conversations between Philip and other thinkers. Please feel free to check out my review of this book. I rated it 3 out of 4 stars.

[jimthorne2]

Looks like we are on the same page, Izesicle. I agree that the book can be expanded and hope the author is encouraged to do so.

[kdstrack]

Great insights in this review. I also hope this author will continue this story. Even though it is a short book, the author gives us a great deal of material to digest. Hopefully this will just be chapter one of a larger work!

[jimthorne2]

It's always nice to encourage an author to keep on writing. Perhaps our comments and reviews will do just that for a young/old author with help from others. Cheerio!