A Grand Observation, if you'll indulge me...

 Fellow backyard philosophers, let me state a disturbing yet inarguable truth... The world is going down the toilet and no bidet is going to save it! Wars, inept and immoral leaders, natural disaster, billionaires fighting over who gets to colonize the moon, etc. The climate is collapsing, economy is pretending it's fine, and half the world thinks the other half is brain washed.

As we gather again to solve the timeless riddles of life, or at least mutter wise-sounding musings while rubbing the belly of a Buddha and drinking bourbon neat, I ask you to consider a simple truth...We are, despite our obvious superiority, cosmic background noise. The Earth is the size of our codpieces (impressive yet relatively miniscule) in the scheme of the universe. A mostly harmless rock spinning around a second-rate star, inhabited by creatures who argue about Kendrick Lamar's musical talents while weilding daggers too dull to slice refrigerated butter.

But we persist! Still lighting things on fire in the backyard. Still rubbing the belly of our Buddha for wisdom. Still floating toy miniatures in water in eager anticipation of their expansion. Still monitoring and researching the Bitcoin market. Still shopping for ceremonial cloaks and drawing our ornamental daggers, whilst chanting our ancient hummmmmmm before each meeting, because that’s what dignified men of superior intellect do!

In times like this, we seek answers, meaning, a sign from the cosmos. We want books that tell us something true, or at least books that make fun of people who think they know what truth is.

And so, it is with reverence and completely justified smugness that I reveal our next sacred text:

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

A literary work that understands how absurd the universe truly is. 

So join me, noble brethren of the fire pit. Let us once again feign superiority while staring into the void and laughing at it, as we read a book that might be the truest thing ever written about the world...even if it’s about another one.

Meeting scheduled for Friday, August 15, at 6pm.

Go forth ye seekers of the written word!

Sincerely,

Master Lieb Schmear

The Bonds of Family

Picture a landscape where the simple act of survival becomes an

extraordinary feat. Imagine a close-knit community, their lives

interwoven with the rhythms of the earth, facing the encroaching

shadow of a devastating conflict.

Our next story unfolds in a time of immense upheaval, where

loyalty is tested and the bonds of family are stretched to theirlimits. Think of a hidden refuge, a place where the echoes of

a more peaceful past linger, even as the storm clouds gather.

We are about to delve into the profound impact of war on ordinary

lives, learning of courage, sacrifice, and the desperate fight to hold

onto hope in the face of overwhelming adversity. We will be

transported to a valley, perhaps the last of its kind, and discover

the fierce determination of those who call it home.

Gentlemen, too much time has already been squandered.

Today I will take no more of it, though I will endeavor to take

us back in it. Prepare to immerse yourselves in a "compelling

narrative that stays with you long after you turn the last page."

Mark Sullivan's The Last Green Valley.

Language is courage

 Gentlemen,

“One of the most controversial and acclaimed novels ever written.”

Not an accolade to be taken lightly. First published in 1988, the book and its perceived blasphemy motivated bombings, killings, and riots and sparked a debate about censorship and religiously motivated violence.

Following the publishing of the book, the author was marked with a bounty on his head. This resulted in several failed assassination attempts on his life - including an attempt 34 years later, in August 2022 - that led to the loss of his right eye and damage to his liver and hands from stab wounds. Only this month (Feb 2025) his attacker was found guilty and sentenced in a U.S. court.

Putting the controversy aside, the book itself is about identity, alienation, rootlessness, brutality, compromise, and conformity - issues confronting all migrants, disillusioned with both cultures: the one they are in and the one they join.

Fascinating as it is complex. This novel will take the collection of our great minds to decipher. A task I know the MOP is up to. You won’t find this one on Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s book club lists!

The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.