I of the Sun
A Journey into Southeast Asia and the Heart of Consciousness
Published on 1. June 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-1-78088-175-1 (ISBN)
Description
In terms of your place in the world, it's your actions that define you. Every moment of your life you are always, necessarily doing something. And so the question is - why do you do what you do?
A young man travels on a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia to find out, in search of freedom and everything that comes with it. Free from responsibility, free from others, free from himself. He discovers paradise islands and electric cities, and gets hooked on crazy liquor, cheap pills, loose women and easy living. Navigating through a jungle of butterflies and ladyboys, socio-narcotic minefields, hustlers, mafia, mad men and mystics, he surfs the line between reality and imagination, sanity and madness, and life and death itself.
I of the Sun also voyages through many areas of philosophy, science and history, to discover whether or not we truly have free will - and if we do, then how do we control ourselves?
At turns hilarious and horrifying, beautiful and ugly, Richard Arthur's debut novel takes you on an epic journey following the Sun around Southeast Asia and into the very heart of human consciousness, in this literary and philosophical tour de force. It will appeal to fans of travel writing, particularly male readers who enjoy a party lifestyle.
A young man travels on a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia to find out, in search of freedom and everything that comes with it. Free from responsibility, free from others, free from himself. He discovers paradise islands and electric cities, and gets hooked on crazy liquor, cheap pills, loose women and easy living. Navigating through a jungle of butterflies and ladyboys, socio-narcotic minefields, hustlers, mafia, mad men and mystics, he surfs the line between reality and imagination, sanity and madness, and life and death itself.
I of the Sun also voyages through many areas of philosophy, science and history, to discover whether or not we truly have free will - and if we do, then how do we control ourselves?
At turns hilarious and horrifying, beautiful and ugly, Richard Arthur's debut novel takes you on an epic journey following the Sun around Southeast Asia and into the very heart of human consciousness, in this literary and philosophical tour de force. It will appeal to fans of travel writing, particularly male readers who enjoy a party lifestyle.
Reviews / Votes
'Compelling prose and refreshing honesty fashion the whole into one of the best books of the regional backpacker trail... In the sense of having overlapping layers of fiction, travel non-fiction, science and philosophy, I of the Sun is also reminiscent of WG Sebald's The Rings of Saturn.' -- Bangkok Post 'Funny, thought-provoking, absorbing and refreshingly provocative, I of the Sun makes you laugh out loud and inspires you.' -- South East Asia Backpacking MagazineMore details
Edition
UK ed.
Language
English
Place of publication
Market Harborough
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Troubador Publishing
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 138 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-78088-175-1 (9781780881751)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Richard Arthur graduated in Management Studies and Philosophy, before travelling in Asia. He has lived in Thailand for most of the last 10 years, working as a university lecturer amongst various other jobs. He has travelled extensively around Southeast Asia.