Quarter Finalist
Assessment:
Idea: Garlinger's thesis is that true spiritual transcendence comes through rejecting concepts of identity and individuality in favor of a more collective approach to being. The work is highly philosophical and requires readers to fully give of themselves to the groundbreaking ideas being presented.
Prose: As a channeled text, the prose is not conveyed through a single perspective--the author's or anyone else's. Instead the text would seem to be spoken through collective voices that espouse the ideals of living in service of greater unity and compassion. Readers desiring more concrete self-help guidance may be turned off by the conceptual framework, while others will delight in it.
Originality: A World Without Identity makes the bold suggestion that the autonomy so many individuals seek, can in fact be a detriment to personal growth and collective progress. The most freeing and productive path forward, the book posits, is through rejecting old structures and systems that reinforce separation, hierarchies, and self-serving goals. References to present day identity politics and divisions offer context and timeliness.
Character/Execution: A World Without Identity offers a highly immersive reading experience. Readers who are actively seeking a paradigm shift or a dramatic restructuring of their worldview, will welcome the lessons of this intrepid text.
Date Submitted: October 30, 2020
"Patrick Paul Garlinger has created a masterful work that touches the very core of our world's human condition. An opportunity for true freedom is available to any who give themselves to his newest book, A World Without Identity." -- Simran Singh, Author and 11:11 Magazine & Radio Publisher
"In A World Without Identity, Patrick Paul Garlinger and the Council illuminate how the fear-based patriarchal structures that have focused our attention division, separation, and difference are dying and give us the blueprint to birth a radically different world, a world of oneness that embraces inclusion and celebrates diversity." -- Janet Conner, Author of Writing Down Your Soul and Soul Vows, and Creator of Praying at the Speed of Love podcast.