Product Description

As this epic of the soul unfolds, we, the readers, are drawn into undulating waves of realities, at times, into almost otherworldly spaces, through the subtle art of this poet's creation. Of course, this experience is not new to anyone familiar with the other works of Antonio de Nicolas. From his acclaimed poetic translations of the Spanish masters: Juan Ramon Jimenez, Ignatius de Loyola, San Juan de la Cruz, to his own earlier collections of poetry: Remembering the God to Come and The Sea Tug Elegies and Of Angels and Women...Mostly, we have come to expect a certain mystical revelation to discreetly unveil itself within the pages of his work. But Moksha Smith takes us to an entirely different space, not of subtle mystical quiverings but of raw, exposed duende. Here, in Moksha Smith, we at last come face to face with the poet: a demiurge without a mask, a victorious hero who returns from the battle with his shield and not on it, much less behind it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1791186 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-25
• Released on: 2001-04-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 330 pages

About the Author
Dr. de Nicolas is the author of some twenty-seven books, including Avatara: The Humanization of Philosophy through the Bhagavad Gita, a classic in the field of Oriental studies; and Habits of Mind, a criticism of higher education, whose framework has recently been adopted as the educational system for the new Russia. He is also known for his acclaimed translations of the poetry of the Nobel Prize-winning author, Juan Ramon Jimenez, and of the mystical writings of St. Ignatius de Loyola and St. John of the Cross.

Customer Reviews

The Wholeness of Life
There is, as the title suggests, a fire within, a fire without, and it is also within this book. It is written in a simple and self-effacing style that does not point the way for others, but simply shares something of life lived with a great desire for the Whole of things. The rhythm of the prose poetry is not self-conscious, but rather invites us to be more deeply a participant in our own personal living. We too have had such desires to be part of a great wholeness; maybe we have forgotten them. A book like this can awaken such desires even long buried since our childhood. Professor Antonio di Nicolas writes so that the shift between personal and universal abolishes the distinction between the two. Transcendence is found in quite ordinary life where even amongst our chores we can find the love that moves the stars.

For those in search of a book which does not preach but simply shares what is probably already our own, it can be a book with light on our sometimes darkened footsteps. You can take from this book what you need without being offended.

An original epic!
Antonio de Nicolas, the philosopher and poet, has written a very original epic based on his own life experience. I recommend it strongly!

Moksha Smith is about to become a star!
It was bound to happen, an individual life bathed in glorious poetry is about to change form and become public prose as a movie. Be prepared, keep the book close at hand and memory and let others talk prose. You will carry the poetry and the poetry will carry you.