Athena Press Readers Report

This is an extremely unusual and enormously personal book; but it is a personality that will resonate with many a reader. Some publishers would despair, because they could not categorise it; is it a memoir, a self help book, or, for Heaven’s sake, a book about scuba diving?

Well, whatever. It is a serious book written with a light hand, or a comedic account that delves into the most solemn and serious areas of our confused lives, and tries to make sense of it; and, in good measure, succeeds.

If we were publishing it, as I hope we will, we would double list it; as a memoir, and as a self help book. The general area of self help, self discovery, self awareness, self knowledge, is, as is generally known, a huge and fertile field for the writer and the publisher.

Perhaps this is a phenomenon of the post-Christian era; where once we had the priest, the imam, the rabbi or the shaman to inform our lives and our conduct, now, unless we adhere to revealed religion – and, arguably, even then – we must fend for ourselves among the raucous cacophony of our world, and to that, we need help, the help to see into and exploit our own natures. Richard Mounce has lived, and as he has lived, he has observed, and listened; and now he is able to share his experience; from life, says Plato, comes wisdom.

This is not in any way a new literary area – Smiles’ Self Help was published I think in the latter part of the nineteenth century, and a little later How To Make Friends And Influence People; I just opened my American diary to prove my point, and on one page I find an exhortation from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, and on the opposite page something from Vince Lombardi, the feared coach of Notre Dame, if I remember correctly.

But – seriously – guide posts through life have a great and noble purpose, and I think this book is such a guide; not exclusively, but with other factors, it must help to create a POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE and that is the best tool, realistically, that any of us can have to get through our days; the “can do” approach is just so important. This may sound enormously simplistic but it is true. And the relatively lightly autobiographical format that Richard employs personalises and emphasizes the underlying message, just as the long letters emphasize the element of advice.

This book is about this, and it is about meaning and purpose. The examples, incidents, references and resonances are well chosen and relevant. Without working too hard at it, it is inspirational. Mounce has another tool in his armoury; he writes well; his narrative flows and communicates.

There is a strong market for books like this (not that there are many; this is something of a one-off), in the UK and the United States, so if we progress this project, we will publish both in the UK and the USA (and their various associated territories). The title is good; it is strong and evocative.

We will be pleased to offer a publication proposal.

Mark Sykes

Editor-In-Chief

Athena Press