Thought Train to Pusan

I read this book as a part of my readings for a class in art therapy fundamentals. Personally, I think that this book is more suited to those who have an interest in art therapy, or particularly like the tales of people’s personal journeys. Because that is what this book is: the recounting of Pat Allen’s personal journey once she understands what art can do for her in an emotional and spiritual way. It also lays out some exercises and suggestions as to how the everyday person might come to explore their own soul and life through creating art. But would these tactics work for everyone as profoundly as they did for Allen? Maybe for some, but definitely not for others. That is the nature of art therapy, though, isn’t it? Art is a Way of Knowing begins with Allen laying out how one can come to explore using art themselves, and as she does so, begins recounting some of the early events in her life. Things come into much more detail once she reaches discussing her time studying art, ...

A graphic novel spin-off from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series, following the eponymous Lucifer after he resigns from his post as ruler of Hell to live a life on earth running a small piano bar in Los Angeles. And yet, the business of Heaven just won’t seem to leave him alone, and the question of where he fits into the equation of free-will is present as always. The first book of Lucifer is presented as a number of seemingly independent stories, that all manage to weave and connect together in the end, and all dealing with how Lucifer essentially becomes a hired-hand for Heaven and other supernatural beings in his post-Hell career: just because Lucifer is not an angel anymore, that doesn’t mean that he can’t work for Heaven, right? And even though he represents free-will, is his rebellion still not a known part of the universe and how it plays out? The angels of Heaven have their hands in all the honey-pots, and despite not wanting to intervene in certain aspects on earth directly,...

I’m not sure why it took me so long to finish Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series, after the first volume grabbed my attention and imagination so thoroughly. But slowly, as I read through more installments, I saw that the series was scattered with highs and lows. The tenth and final volume, The Wake , is a somber affair, regarding the events immediately following the “death,” of Morpheus, the Lord of Dreaming. But just like Despair before him, his death is more of a regeneration, if you will, as you cannot kill a concept or the personification of a concept. And yet, people are affected, as are their dreams, and we see characters from all of the past volumes come forth and take part in mourning the death of the Dream King. There are three issues within the volume itself, which contain the events within the dream world, entitled: Chapter One, Which Occurs in the Wake of What Has Gone Before", "Chapter Two, In Which a Wake is Held", and "Chapter Three, In Which We Wake...