Sydney Avey
Dynamic Woman — Changing Times
Book Review: Pillows for your Prison Cell
Author Mark D. Bullard
Many writers find themselves doing book reviews. I’m picky. I will only review books on my blog that advance themes that interest me. What is gained and lost in a prison economy, in both the political and spiritual sense, interests me.
I love fables. Pillows for your Prison Cell by Mark D. Bullard is a fable. In this age of confusion over what to do about a megalomaniac who has killed the soul of his people, how to deal with the sticky tangle of behaviors that threaten communities and destroy families, and who to turn to for answers, reading a fable can hit a refresh button in our brains.
A fable is a short cautionary tale with a moral. Traditionally animals are the main characters. Sadly, with so much animal behavior in our world cultures it’s not a stretch these days for fables to feature human stand-ins. (To be fair to the critters, some human behavior is beyond the pale even for the animal kingdom. I don’t think they commit genocide.)
Bullard uses two boys in an unspecified time and place to deal with a big question: I’ve gotten myself into a mess; how do I get myself out?
The brilliance in this book is in how Bullard presents the redemptive pattern. There is not a book I have written or ever will write that does not in some way reflect the cycles of behavior Bullard identifies that lead to trouble and the choices he presents that are available to us.
One implication in the moral of the story (resist present rewards for future gain) caused me to stumble, though it does not make the moral less true. In my situation as debut author I must keep my focus on the joys of the moment (I’m published!) instead of the hope of future gain (number of books sold; amount of royalties paid; increase in Facebook and Twitter followers). But then I have already broken out of prison. I know that the excitement of a spike in those numbers only feeds the desire for more. Touching one heart with a word of freeing truth is the eternal reward.
Pillows for your Prison Cell is a book to ruminate upon and to share.
Lovely post! Thanks for the reminder that to put one’s finger on the heart of another is the goal of writing–not to amass ‘followers.’
I know, Helen, what does 27,000 followers even mean? (Unless, of course, you are Jesus! Then it’s meaningful.) Thanks for your comment.
Sydney,
Thanks for your thoughtful commentary. There’s a lot of talk these days about “Platform” and the importance of having one. But if all one does from the Platform is retweet the thoughts of others, that’s not worth much. The most powerful speakers in my life took a moment to talk to me personally. That’s why I will use a Platform to get your attention, but it’s the conversation down in front of the stage that’s really where it’s at!
Mark
Conversation. Mark, I remember that! That was something dynamic and interactive that people did face to face. Then it moved to the internet and became an exchange. Then it moved to a platform and became a performance.Still, I have connected with some people I would not have met any other way, but you are right. It’s a connection. It needs TLC before it’s a conversation.