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About the Book |
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An aging high school dropout challenges the myth of social/academic responsibility. A must read for every adult. An important recalibration of the twentieth century.
B orn of a high school dropout’s unyielding drive to illustrate civil accountability, The Layman’s Petition is the astonishing social statement destined to change the tone and direction of cultural/political thought well into the twenty-first century. Designed originally as a single act live reading, the first-time author distils the essence and paralysis of his generation’s cohesive diffusion into a single and compelling message of hope, contemporary integrity, respect for the past and a globally framed forward-looking enquiry into the very nature and divisive product of thought itself. ‘Where does the human equation go from here’? ‘At what point does our collective cultural innocence, concerning the nature of human consciousness, become obscene’? These are the troubling questions folded uniquely into this intensely personal account of growing up in Canada immediately following the 1960s. Described as ‘poetry,’ as ‘a love song,’ as ‘an expansive painting,’ The Layman’s Petition took over fifteen years for the former high school dropout to write and edit and represents thirty years of sustained and deliberate reflection on the subject. Whether an accomplished scholar, educator, unschooled labourer or marginalized member of society, The Layman’s Petition delivers a ground level and dignified look into the mechanism behind civilization’s single most divisive aspect and offers an insight into the fundamental makeup of the individual through which the door is opened to a whole new level of social and global interaction. Seniors will find this book an unexpected joy and revelation to read; middle-aged adults will welcome its startling clarity, and, although deliberately designed to discourage younger readers, mature young adults filled with the drive and inner resolve to secure their future, will help to articulate the developing discussion toward its logical and constructive expression. Although at times a strongly worded critique of society and its methods of socialization, the author urges all students at risk of direct social/academic marginalization to remain within a school or learning environment for as long as humanly possible. The author urges all other students, parents and educators to acknowledge the disruptive and unsustainable nature of an educational system that fails to recognise either the fundamental purpose or the medium itself – as it relates to human consciousness and the role of dignity in a healthy and just society. Sentimental nostalgia or defining historic moment, The Layman’s Petition offers a refreshingly pleasant and thought provoking read that can be enjoyed at any level.
The Layman's Petition
98-page full edition (pdf format, 593KB)
51-page paper-saving edition (pdf format, 543KB)
abridged-retitled 'An Honest Discussion'
(A portion of proceeds donated to The Canadian Cancer Society)
(A portion of proceeds donated to The Canadian Cancer Society)
95 pages; quality trade paperback; Trafford catalogue #07-0164; ISBN 978-1-4251-1701-6
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