4 out of 4 stars
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The Place of Knowledge, by Philip Alan Shalka, is a short story which befalls under the “fiction" genre. As the name suggests, the story is focused on the author’s quest for knowledge and the resultant gest to learn more. The author and his dog “Sabre” delve into a hidden world to explore the ancient place of knowledge. Thereafter is their account of expedition and the saga of learning.
Notwithstanding the introduction and author’s note, the story is prima facie divided into two parts, extending to a total of 28 pages. The narrative is simple in nature and keeps the dialogues fluent. It never deviates from its focus and takes the reader(s) along into the imaginary world within seconds. The core derives from Aristotle’s philosophical context which explores the quest for knowledge. The editing is nearly perfect and the literature is of premium quality.
To the people unaware of Aristotle’s philosophical context, it primarily dwells on the issue of rational thinking, political questions and logical observations. Although a difficult concept to master for people of different age, the author explains it with an utter simplicity. Something which even the genius of minds find difficult to explain.
Taking cues from the story, it is rare to find someone explaining the concept of uniqueness and accomplishing things in one’s own way. The world spun by the author is an interesting place, we just have to look deeper and garner the ability to question things around, be rational and not accept things blindly. The author has rightly explained that simplicity is a form of logic, and something that he excels at. The story is a second person narrative who accompanies the Author on his journey to explore the magnificent town and seek answers. It asks the readers to remain curious and not let their thirst for knowledge fade away.
Despite the positive connotation used in entirety, the author does not fail to point out the negatives in the present world. The fact that people bereft of rationale and logic are the decision makers, while the people who seek the same are full of doubts and questions. Yet, as they say, everyone has different abilities and not every is suited for exploration or discoveries.
The best thing about the story is its decisiveness in providing insight into the characters, their traits and personalities. Unlike other short stories, it remains true to its genre. I rate this story 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to everyone. The wisdom in these 28 pages is more than something that people garner in their lifetime.
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That Place of Knowledge
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