The Cycle of Life

The symbol of the Kristian faith and also the Islander flag in the fantasy parallel world of our own.

The circle has always been a powerful symbol in our world, with its connotations of the eternal and also of it‘s binding quality, for good or bad. And the invention of the wheel was a huge step forward for the human race, enabling us to race at ever more blinding speeds across our rounded globe in a circular (almost) orbit around that great flaming ball of gas that is the terror of every Englishman abroad. Kafka had nothing on the Englishmen who are able to transform into lobsters en masse dressed in bathing shorts and clutching a cool pint of lager.

In the story „The Lone Dining Society: A three volume shovel“ the circle is one of the running themes throughout the frankly very silly story. There is a circular buffer zone, between the Great Bubble and the outlands, an apocalyptic no-man‘s land where Ghosts roam in their limbo and the witches hold reign.

The religion of the Island, Kristianity, uses a red circle as a symbol. Their messiah, Yassus, was crucified upon the wheel, and this symbol also constitutes the national flag.

There is also a lot of cycling action that takes place, and in particular, almost taking its role as a character, a special bicycle based upon the old Penny Farthing, a high sitting, grand contraption of bicyclic eccentricity that appears within the book’s 524 pages.

But more than just a physical representation of the circle, is the metaphorical representation through, for instance the circle of life.

Following my father‘s death over Christmas, the writing of this book has been an immense cathartic experience and the cycle of life and dealing with the agony of the loss of loved ones also runs throughout.

But I have to add, this book is meant to be funny. Although as one of my old Bavarian girlfriends „Fatty“, often said, „Ian, du bist nicht so Lustig wie du denkst!“ (Ian, you‘re not as funny as you think you are. - I even made a silk screen T-shirt).

So, if you‘re into philosophical musings, like a nice bike ride, or just want to have a little chuckle. Perhaps you might want to check this book out. It‘s only €7; and all profits will help to pay my growing legal bills and possibly stave off the delights of living under Donnersbergerbrücke.

HERE IS THE LINK - WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE?

"Ian Chapman is a clown.." Süddeutsche Zeitung

Cheers,

Ian Anthony Chapman

Creative genius, part time egotist and general clown.