Book Review: Feedback by Nicholas R. Golledge

 When we stand where we are and look as far back into the past as we can, we sense something astounding. We find that our way to the present, in which we humans, the intelligent beings capable of manipulating nature according to will, stand on this blue planet, can be totally attributed to pure luck. There were billions of variables affecting this evolutionary tale at various points in time, and even if one of them was slightly altered, intelligent life would not exist today. This realisation makes us consider the possibility of the existence of an invisible hand that worked miracles and 'conspired' to bring us here. Or is it a rare accident that has a chance in billions, in which the dice always fell in our favour for millions of years? 

In his book Feedback, expert climate scientist Nicholas R. Golledge tries to solve this conundrum by uncovering the hidden connections that bind every cyclic system on earth, from plate tectonics to our social lives. He comes to the conclusion that every system that is cyclic is pushed away from an equilibrium state through multiple feedbacks, and these feedbacks ensure that the system is progressively pushed away until it reaches a point at which it breaks down. After the breakdown, the system adapts, reorganises, and rebuilds again to start a new cycle. The feedback ensures that the new cycle is more optimised and more ordered than the previous ones. I received an advance copy of this book from its publisher, Globe Pequot, through Netgalley. 

The book elaborates its concept in eight chapters, each one focusing on a 'living' system that has evolved using feedback and demonstrating an asymmetrical, sawtooth kind of cycle in which it moves forward slowly and steadily and then suddenly breaks down. Golledge demonstrates this pattern repeating in different systems like plate tectonics, the climate system, biodiversity, the evolution of humanity, human societies, and even the working of the human self. He then goes on to claim that knowledge about this concept of the self-evolving and organising nature of systems can be used to improve the prediction of future trends in most human endeavours.

The book, though comprising a little more than 250 pages, is crammed with information from varied disciplines. It is narrated very passionately, and some of the chapters ended up being page-turners, like a thriller story. It also shed light on several scientific facts. For example, I never knew there was a time period in the history of Earth where the duration of a day was just six hours! I agree that it takes its sweet time to make its actual point, and most of the conclusions felt speculative at the end. But ultimately, Feedback excels in equipping its reader with great insights into the path that we—our planet, all the different species that inhabit it, and us humans—had to take on our way up to here and now.

I am also linking a YouTube video in which the writer explains some of the fundamental concepts that formed this book. 

വിഗതാക്ഷരങ്ങൾ വിപ്ലവാക്ഷരങ്ങൾ

 ദിവസം ഓരോ പേജുള്ള ഒരു കഥ വെച്ച് മുന്നൂറ്ററുപത്തഞ്ചു ദിവസം കൊണ്ട് മുന്നൂറ്ററുപത്തഞ്ചു കഥകൾ എഴുതാൻ, ശ്രമിച്ചു നോക്കിയാൽ സാധിച്ചേക്കാം. എന്നാൽ, വ്യത്യസ്തമായ പ്രമേയങ്ങൾ കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്ന, ആദിമധ്യാന്ത്യപ്പൊരുത്തത്തോടെയുള്ള, സാമൂഹിക പ്രസക്തിയുള്ള, മികച്ച രചനാശൈലിയിലുള്ള മുന്നൂറ്ററുപത്തഞ്ചു കഥകൾ സൃഷ്ടിച്ചെടുക്കാൻ, ഭാവനയും പ്രതിഭയും വേണം എന്ന് തെളിയിച്ചു തന്ന ഒരു മലയാള നുറുങ്ങു കഥാസമാഹാരം ആണ് നന്ദകിഷോർ രചിച്ച വിഗതാക്ഷരങ്ങൾ. കഥാകാരന്റെ വാക്കുകളിൽ, 'വഴിവിട്ട് സഞ്ചരിച്ച' ഈ കഥകൾ ജീവിതത്തെ, സമൂഹത്തെ, അതിൽ അടങ്ങിയ പൊരുത്തക്കേടുകളെ, ഒന്നു വഴിമാറി നിന്ന് വീക്ഷിക്കാൻ വായനക്കാരനെ നിർബന്ധിപ്പിച്ചേക്കാം. 

കാവൽ എന്ന ആദ്യ കഥ കോവിഡ് ലോക്ഡൌൺ കാലത്തുണ്ടായ അനിശ്ചിതത്വത്തിന്റെ, ഏകാന്തതയുടെ, പശ്ചാത്തലത്തിൽ എഴുതപ്പെട്ടതാണ്. ആഗോളതാപനം, വാർദ്ധക്യം, പ്രതീക്ഷ, മറവി എന്നിങ്ങനെ പല വിഷയങ്ങൾ ഈ കൊച്ചു കഥയിലൂടെ മിന്നി മറയുന്നു. തുടർന്ന് വായിക്കുമ്പോൾ കഥകളിൽ കാണുന്ന പൊതു സ്വഭാവം മിതമായ വാക്കുകളിൽ പ്രകടമാകുന്ന ആശയധാരകളുടെ ധാരാളിത്തമാണ്. പല കഥകളും വായനക്കാരന് വ്യാഖ്യാന സാധ്യതകൾ സമ്മാനിക്കുന്നതാണ്. ഒരു നല്ല കഥ, അതിന്റെ വായനക്കാരനെ, കഥാകാരൻ പറയുന്നതിനേക്കാൾ പറയാതെ വിടുന്നതെന്ത് എന്ന ചോദ്യം ചോദിക്കാൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കണം.

ഉദാഹരണത്തിന് തിരസ്കൃതർ എന്ന കഥയെടുത്തു നോക്കൂ. ശുഭ്രവസ്ത്രധാരികളായ വിധവകളുടെ കൂടെ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ ഭിക്ഷയ്ക്കായി എത്തിയ വർണ്ണ വസ്ത്രധാരിണികൾ ഒരു മുരളീരവത്തിനായി കാതോർക്കുന്നു. ഭർത്താക്കളാൽ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ട അവർ വിധവകളല്ല. എന്നാൽ സമൂഹം അവരെ ബഹിഷ്കരിച്ചതിനാൽ അവർക്ക് അക്കൂട്ടത്തിൽ കൂടാതെ വഴിയില്ല. തുടക്കത്തിൽ കാട്ടുന്ന വസ്ത്രധാരണത്തിലെ കോൺട്രാസ്റ്റ്, കഥയുടെ അവസാനം സമൂഹ മനസ്സാക്ഷിക്ക് പുറത്തു നിന്നുള്ള ഓടക്കുഴൽ നാദത്തിലുള്ള അവരുടെ പ്രതീക്ഷയിലേക്ക് കഥാകാരൻ വിളക്കിച്ചേർക്കുന്നു. കൂട്ടത്തിൽ കൂടേണ്ടി വരുമ്പോഴും, നിരർത്ഥകമെന്ന് ഉറപ്പുള്ള പ്രവർത്തികൾ ചെയ്യുമ്പോഴും വിദൂരതയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ആ വിളി നമ്മളെല്ലാം കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നില്ലേ? 

കഥകളിലെ പ്രമേയ വൈവിധ്യം എടുത്തുപറയേണ്ട മികവാണ്. രാജാവും മന്ത്രിയും കൊട്ടാരവും നാലുകെട്ടും പ്രേതവും പ്രേമവും രാഷ്ട്രീയ നേതാവും വിപ്ലവകാരിയും കവിയും കള്ളനും പോലീസും രോഗിയും വൈദ്യനും നിർമ്മിത ബുദ്ധിയും സമൂഹമാധ്യമവും സാദാ മാധ്യമവും എല്ലാം ചേരുന്ന കഥാപ്രപഞ്ചമാണ് വിഗതാക്ഷരങ്ങൾ. പരിസ്ഥിതി വാദവും ഫെമിനിസവും ലിബറലിസവും മാർക്സിസവും നാഷ്ണലിസവും ഹിന്ദുത്വയും ടെക്നോളജിയും എല്ലാം ഇതിൽ വിഷയങ്ങളാകുന്നു. നർമ്മവും ആക്ഷേപഹാസ്യവും ഹൊററും സസ്പെൻസും പ്രണയവും പ്രതികാരവും സയൻസും രാഷ്ട്രീയവും കലയും ഇതിവൃത്തങ്ങളാകുന്നു. 

ഈ പ്രമേയബാഹുല്യത്തിലും കഥകളെ ബന്ധിപ്പിച്ചു വെക്കുന്ന ഒരു ചരട് കാണാം- സാമാന്യ മനുഷ്യരെ മാനിക്കാത്ത, അവരെ ചൊൽപ്പടിയിലാക്കാൻ വെമ്പുന്ന, സ്വതന്ത്രചിന്തയെ ഭയക്കുകയും എതിർക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന വ്യവസ്ഥിതിയോടുള്ള കലഹം. എല്ലാ എസ്റ്റാബ്ലിഷ്മെന്റുകളും കാലാന്തരത്തിൽ അപഭ്രംശത്തിനിരയാകും. അത് തടുക്കാനുള്ള ഒരേ മാർഗ്ഗം, എപ്പോഴെല്ലാം അത് വഴി തെറ്റുമോ, അപ്പോഴൊക്കെ പ്രതികരിക്കുക എന്നതാണ്. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ, ഒരു ഘട്ടം കഴിഞ്ഞാൽ നമ്മുക്ക് അതിനുള്ള ശേഷി കൈമോശം വന്നു പോകും. വിഗതാക്ഷരങ്ങളിൽ ഓരോ നുറുങ്ങുകളും ഈയൊരു കടമ നിർവഹിക്കുന്നു, അതിന്റെ വായനക്കാരനെ പ്രകോപിപ്പിക്കുന്നു, പ്രാപ്തനാക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നു. 

സമാഹാരത്തിലെ അവസാനത്തെ രണ്ടു കഥകൾ- കഥാശിഷ്ടം, ഭരതവാക്യം- വായനയ്ക്ക് മികച്ച പരിസമാപ്തി നൽകി. ഒരു കഥാകാരന്റെ ദൌത്യം വ്യക്തമാക്കുന്ന രചനകൾ. അവന് കഥയെഴുത്തില്ലാത്ത, കലഹങ്ങളില്ലാത്ത, സമൂഹം കൽപ്പിച്ചു തന്ന അതിർവരമ്പിനുള്ളിൽ നിന്നുള്ള സാധാരണ ജീവിതം സാധ്യമല്ല എന്ന കഥാശിഷ്ടം വ്യക്തമാക്കുന്നു. താനില്ലാത്ത ഒരു കാലത്തും കഥകൾ അനുസ്യൂതം തുടരാനുള്ള പ്രചോദനം അടുത്തവർക്ക് പകരുന്ന നിതാന്ത സഞ്ചാരിയെ ഭരതവാക്യം പരിചയപ്പെടുത്തുന്നു. 

Book Review: Mind Burn by Rhett C. Bruno and T. E. Bakutis

Cowan Soto, a rookie detective in the Cybercrimes Investigation Department, is assigned to help Jeb Forrester investigate the first mass shooting in years. In a future world where a mega corporation makes the rules and enforces them using PBAs installed inside human brains, in the purported utopia devoid of crimes and wars, where every imaginable pleasure is just a log in away, Cowan has to track an invader who corrupts systems to his advantage, who is capable of breaking inside human minds, turning them into puppets, and making them commit any crime. But Soto has another agenda—a secret from his past—that makes this mission personal.

Mind Burn is the latest science fiction novel written by Rhett C. Bruno and T. E. Bakutis that introduces us to an utopian future that uses mind control to establish balance. Anyone who tries to topple it will have their mind burned, making them forget their past and become a totally new person. I received an advance copy from the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, through Netgalley for feedback.

The writers have painstakingly constructed an utopian future in this novel that is seemingly plausible, though alien enough due to technological advances. The novel does a great job of describing the advanced ways in which its world works. Contrary to many other utopian novels, this is not a perfect world. It still reels from the violent ways of its past, tries hard to be perfect, but contains many imperfections and loopholes in it, thereby offering enough leeway for the protagonist and the antagonist to brawl against each other.

Most of the action happens at different levels, through which the characters glide in and out. Meatspace is our normal, physical plane. A PBA that is installed inside the brain can filter out any bad sensations, like smell or any gruesome sights, and also modify the emotional responses. It prohibits acts of violence above an acceptable level. But there is a grey market where corrupted PBA can be bought and installed by grey doctors. Sim is a simulation plane equivalent to our metaverse that can be accessed with avatars. There is an alternate Dark Sim that is equivalent to the Dark Net, where illegal activities happen.

Along with narrating an intense thriller, the novel also poses several pertinent questions concerning free will, balance, individuality, the accumulation of power, and unregulated consumption. Every character fears the punishment of mind burn, where you forget your past and your personality is entirely changed, thereby making you a totally different person. It is a paradoxical thought when you consider that instead of being punished with bodily harm, you are given a second chance for your crimes, and why should someone fear that?

The writers use a third-person narrative style from several characters' points of view. It served the fast-paced story very well and made me well aware of the complex plot from different angles. But my personal choice would have been a first-person narrative from Cowan's perspective, which could elevate the plot as he is a complex protagonist with several internal conflicts and alternating loyalties. Most of the other characters were well situated in the narrative but eventually single-noted and existed only for plot convenience.

Overall, I loved Mind Burn, a detailed science fictional novel with a complex protagonist and a racy plot that introduces its readers to a scarily plausible utopian future and makes them ponder some germane existential conundrums.

The Japanese Myths by Joshua Frydman: An Overview

The Japanese Myths: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, and Spirits by Joshua Frydman, an expert in Japanese literature and culture, is a book that examines the evolution of mythology in the Japanese archipelago. It is a nimble volume, considering the enormous breadth and depth of the subject matter. But the writer packs the book with a lot of relevant information, presented sequentially and in a concise and comprehensive manner, even finding space to include a lot of text boxes for easy reference.

The book is not simply a retelling of mythological tales but a study about the inception of several myths in Japanese culture at different periods of its history. But it contains several enjoyable sample stories that also help the reader comprehend the cultural context of mythical figures. The book, which starts with a chapter about the Japanese identity from historical, geographical, and cultural perspectives during its most significant periods, goes on to explore the tales about gods and heroes that are imbibed through various religions, records by court historians, phenomena of popular culture, and even certain political strategies.

It introduces readers to two books written around the 8th and 9th centuries, Kojiki and Nihon Shuki, that were written as genealogical records of the empire and were, in fact, propaganda to establish that the emperors were descendants of divinity. These are the oldest written mythological records available and form the basis of outsiders' knowledge on the subject. These books introduce the concept of kami, the divine beings of Shintoism, the indigenous religion of Japan, which includes gods, local deities, forces of nature, deified historical persons, geographic formations like mountains, and even antique or valuable objects. Then the books also mention many tales of brave warriors and emperors who, with the support of different kami, performed superheroic endeavours.

The book then describes the myths that were assimilated from Buddhism, which originated in India and was imported from China. Buddhist legends got many makeovers when they reached Japan and interacted with Shintoism. But we can find the influence of Chinese legends and Indian dieties in the worship systems and mythological tales of Japanese Buddhism. Several Indian gods, like Lakshmi and Saraswati, are worshipped in Japan in their altered Buddhist versions.

We don't have any records of the belief system of common Japanese folks until the 15th century. All the available literature was written by the aristocracy and was centred on the Japanese empire and their faith system. With the advent of printing and the penetration of literacy among the common class of Japan by the 15th century, they also started writing about their beliefs, and very soon mythological fantasies and horror stories became popular all over. It is from these that we get acquainted with the belief in yokai, or spirits. Every locality in Japan has its own story of spirits that interact with and affect human life. Different kinds of yokai, like oni and tempu, roamed around the Japanese countryside, wreaking havoc.

Consumers of Japanese popular culture all over the world may be familiar with several aspects of its rich mythology, as these have permeated into movies, literature, and most importantly, manga. But it is interesting to know that the tale doesn't end here, as every generation of Japanese alters, adds to,  or removes from the myths and generates a different version that mirrors the culture and existential problems of the era. New myths like kaiju (monsters like Godzilla) and mecha (robotic beings) were generated and perpetrated in the last century, and even they are being reinterpreted as per the times.

Many of us discard mythology as silly grandmother stories. But myths are essentially coded messages from the past, and decoding them will reveal countless new pieces of knowledge about history, culture, and geography. The Japanese Myths by Joshua Frydman is a perfect key for a beginner to unlock the dynamic mythical world of Japan.

Book Review: So Late In The Day— Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan

 So Late in the Day is a new short story collection containing three stories previously published separately, written by the Irish writer Claire Keegan. Keegan's preceding work, Small Things Like These, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize last year, and I am quite elated to have received an advance copy of this collection from the publisher Grove Atlantic through Netgalley in exchange for feedback. As the title suggests, all three stories in the book deal with the relationship between women and men (note the order) and address the gap that exists in them due to preconceived and prejudiced expectations.

The first story, So Late in the Day, begins with its protagonist, Cathal, desperate in his office on a Friday. We get the notion of how deeply in trouble he is when his boss offers him the rest of the day off. Then we see him go back to his lonely house to do lonely things and pet a cat, all the while remembering his ex-fiancee and his life with her. We find out how he lost her due to his clueless behaviour and the mysogenistic strain that is ingrained from his childhood and how he chooses to continue to remain so.

In the second story of the collection, The Long and Painful Death, a female writer takes up residency for two weeks in the famous Heinrich Böll cottage to write her next book. When she has to suffer from an intrusive German professor, she decides to take revenge in a way that only a writer can. The story brilliantly portrays the sense of privilege that is automatically assumed by a man while meeting a woman, even when she's a stranger.

The final story, titled Antarctica, features a married woman who decides to spend a night with a stranger. What begins as a joyful experimentation soon turns into a horrible experience of possessive might. The author uses the image of Antarctica, a strange, snow-filled, and unforgiving landmass that tries to possess and encapture the explorers who dare to conquer it, as a metaphor that captures the plight of our protagonist.

All three stories explore the relationship between women and men and try to decipher the corruption of the interchanges between them from a feminist perspective. Each story examines a specific aspect of it. In the first one, we find that the man expects her to play a certain role that is dictated by a misogynist familial system, which even he isn't aware of. In the second story, it is patriarchal privilege that shows itself in the interaction between the writer and the German professor. The third story captures the element of possession when a man decides that the woman is his belonging without any consideration of her wishes.

The power of Keegan's stories remains in their subtlety. Her concentrated and compact prose makes the reader aware of even the most subtle discontent in the psychology of her characters. Though she is economic in her language and uses no melodrama to augment her conflicts, her stories are sharp and insightful character studies that result in a lasting impact on her readers' minds.