The book is autobiographical and discusses my quest to answer the difficult questions of life through biography, poetry, and personal insights. I have managed to glean from my extensive readings in philosophy, Religion, and classic novels working answers to the impossible questions of existence for myself and for anyone who wants to explore on their own. Answering these questions is intensive and intimate to each one of us, and while my answers work for me, I invite you to produce your own solutions so you may have a working meaning of life that comforts you in the years ahead.
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Top review from the United States
Howard S Posner
4.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing account of one man’s journey through a difficult life
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2022
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The author describes himself as “a librarian in search of questions.” This autobiography reveals him to that - and so much more! He is a philosopher, a student of religion, a poet, a practitioner of library science, a devoted family man and, above all, a superb story teller. Describing a difficult childhood and adolescence, and culminating his story with the unfortunate ending to his chosen career, the author nevertheless often displays a whimsical touch and provides compelling descriptions of a large cast of characters. Interwoven into his lengthy narrative are musings about organized religion, the meaning of life, parent/child relationships, the Vietnam War, and so much more. As deep - and frankly exhausting - as this book is, I could not put it down and finished it in a day. It was definitely worth the investment in time.
Plot/Idea: 7 out of 10
Originality: 7 out of 10
Prose: 6 out of 10
Character/Execution: 6 out of 10
Overall: 6.50 out of 10
Assessment:
Idea: Bosco’s work is far-reaching and ambitious. Despite its many merits, the memoir elements are somewhat overwhelmed by philosophical musings and questioning.
Prose: If at times verbose, Bosco generally writes in a lyrical and enjoyable style.
Originality: Bosco’s text is highly unique in the combination of memoir, poetry collection, and self-help.
Character/Execution: Despite beginning the narrative as a memoir, with some powerful emotional moments included, Bosco descends into side stories that are not always integral to the narrative. While individually compelling, the sections of the work do not fully coalesce into a meaningful whole. The portions directed at guiding readers toward their own answers to philosophical questions, result in an awkward juxtaposition.
Date Submitted: January 26, 2022
Review of A Walk in the Twilight
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Post by LinaMueller » 14 Jan 2022, 13:07
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Walk in the Twilight" by John J Bosco Jr..]
4 out of 4 starsShare This Review
A Walk in the Twilight by John J Bosco Jr. is an autobiographical book that, in addition to telling the author's story, deals with some existential issues and problems experienced by him. All things considered, the subtitle couldn't be more enlightening when it says, "a librarian searching for questions." Or maybe it should be "looking for answers"? The truth is that the intellectual humility found in Socrates is present in this book, and to find true wisdom, you must focus on the questions.
The book has several parts. The first part is the largest (more than half of the entire work) and discusses the author's biography and accounts of the lives of important people in his life. Some poems discuss topics ranging from wars, existential issues, love, dogs, and so forth. The author also discusses whether wars fought by the US were justified or not and briefly answers at the end of the book some existential questions he posed at the beginning of the book.
One of the aspects that sets the book apart is the author's comprehensive culture that permeates every page of this work. John has had contact with the most diverse people throughout his life, including hardcore Catholics, secular Jews, racists, conservatives, and many others. After having studied in several schools with different approaches, the author showed himself to be a person who uses reason and logic to reach his conclusions. And he tells in detail his intellectual evolution and what made him abandon some dogmas that were so vital to him in his youth.
While reading the book, I realized that the author had placed too much emphasis on telling biographical aspects of his life. More than half of the book recounts various details of his life and those close to him. It was even natural that he would tell his life, but there are chapters about the life of relatives and even a dog. By the end of the book, however, I understood that these accounts were important for understanding the poems and the author's beliefs. For that reason, I can say that I didn't find anything negative in this book.
A Walk in the Twilight is a well-executed work that masterfully describes the life and existential questions of an American of Italian origin. I found four grammatical errors by carefully analyzing this work that includes misspelled words, incorrect punctuation, and missing hyphens. Other than these minor grammatical errors, the book is professionally edited. It is pretty much flawless and deserves four out of four stars. I recommend it to those interested in existential and philosophical questions. The author is an average Joe who discusses these issues in an easy-to-understand way.
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A Walk in the Twilight
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