Review of Threads of Understanding

[Melisa Jane]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Threads of Understanding" by Alan J. Ernst.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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When we were born, we found a system in place. Society has imposed a system that dictates how we think and behave. This results in a virtual prison that denies us the freedom to free-thinking and acting. If we're going to make any progress, whether scientific or not, we should all strive to be free. Let's realize that everyone is a free force with unique tastes and talents. Threads of Understanding: The Journey Home by Alan Ernst is a non-fictional book that attempts to open our eyes so that we can realize the prison the society has put in place, and ensure that we find our way out through free thinking.

This is a very short book; it only has 60 pages. Although short, it is divided into 4 parts. The parts have no subheadings. However, within the pages, there are several subtopics that tackle distinct yet interrelated subjects. Although the author mainly talks about liberation from societal bondages, he tackles a vast number of topics, including religion and science.

As I mentioned earlier, this book is divided into 4 parts. However, I'll only summarize the first two parts in this review. In the first part, the author urges the readers to look beyond the fortress built by society. He does this by urging the readers to ask themselves several questions, including what the world was like before the big bang, and why society has to follow a predetermined path of thinking and behavior. He encourages everyone to think the unthinkable. It continues to ask deeper questions such as what makes "me?" Is it the body, the mind, or the spirit? The second part introduces the concept of "God." In this part, the author explains to the readers how people created a god and what constitutes "God." He further explains the concept of right and wrong by insisting that every action has its consequences. He finishes this part by condemning those who are judgmental and asks everyone to be compassionate.

The only thing I liked about this book is its premise. The author urges people to be creative and ignore what society expects of them. If everyone takes this piece of advice, we will have a society with creative thinkers and, therefore, amazing inventions. Since I only found two grammatical errors while reading, this book was adequately edited.

This book has two flaws. First, I didn't like the author's writing style; he uses so many words even when fewer words would have sounded better. He especially likes to insert the phrase, "that which" when referring to different objects, hence making the sentences unnecessarily long. For instance, on page five, he wrote, "I, on the other hand, took to heart the words of that song as a personal mantra and quest forever looking for that which I still have yet to find in the physical form." Second, his writings were ambiguous and repetitive. He uses so many examples to explain very simple concepts. This left me confused most of the time.

In conclusion, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. I didn't rate it higher because of the aforementioned flaws. I recommend it to everyone who advocates for free thinking. Anyone who likes clearly and unambiguously written books may be disappointed.

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Threads of Understanding
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[Nkgchidimma080]

As a free spirited person I think this book would be a great help to me in mastering free thinking, nice review.

[Gabriella1997]

I love the fact that the author was versatile in covering a whole lot of topics I would like to add this to my book shelves, beautiful review.