The Five Books that Changed my Life!
The Power of Literacy and Life Stories
>Wayne Stein, Ph> Doc “ Munching on a Nacho Book” Nirvana>
5) “The Autobiography of Malcolm X”
Once I read this book, I became obsessed with Malcolm X. I have all of his speeches too. Why? I was captivated by how his mind thought. More importantly, it was about his life stories about how he became awake after being asleep and lost in a delusion: books saved him.
One day I was sitting eating my lunch, and I noticed that all the black students at the school were also eating with me at one table. I never noticed this before, but it is because I, too, am a minority. I am Asian, Latino and other races.
They often were my best friends, and I knew their mothers and siblings. I slept at their home, and they slept at mine. So I discovered Malcolm X from one of my friends.
I like the way Malcolm X thinks and how he freed himself by reading when in prison.. . It inspired me to read. Yummy!
Scroll down to uncover the other four books!
4) “A Personal Matter” by Kenzaburō Ōe (大江 健三郎) NEXT
The Hell of Learning to Read in English
I struggled with school, with friendships, and with relationships. For example, editing this takes a lot of time. I use the wrong articles and prepositions. Forgive my mistakes. I think in Korean, my first language.
I am sort of lost: depressed, sad, yet hyper. So I found the most fulfilling past time ever to occupy my time, I opened my heart and read books!
I still have my books that I read and collected since childhood. Thousand and thousands of books.
When I travel around the world, where do I like to visit the most? Libraries, newspaper stands, and bookstores. California has some of the most amazing bookstores. I remember getting on the bus and going to Japanese town to visit their bookstores and eat soba noodles. I grew up in Japan.
Growing up, Japanese literature remained my favorite. My Japanese uncle took me there before and bought me a bunch of books. The best day of my childhood.
I loved Yukio Mishima and read all his books. He committed suicide and in his last book was about how to die by suicide with honor. He probably would have won the Nobel Prize had he lived.
I grew up in Japan, so I was always curious about it. I read about people who shared their life stories and hardships.
I understand what it means to struggle, to work overtime and not earn much, to not go to the doctors because you don’t have health insurance, and to help your mother out and send her monies when you have bills to pay and bill collectors trying to find you. I understand.
You are an IDIOT! . . . a DUMMY!
I was told I was stupid growing up because I struggled in school. Yes, I could learn, but school made me cry because it seemed pointless. My dad had a terrible job, my mother didn’t make much, and we seemed to always be poor.
I had very bad grades. However, I learned to teach myself.
What are my favorite books of all time? Let me think.
Food for thought!
If I could, I would eat my books if that is how one could become wise. Just eat them. Add salt and seasonings, and deep fry them or bake them. So I dreamt of eating books. I have a habit of hiding money in my books.
When I am broke and hungry, I search in my books, so I can eat. I always put aside money for my broke future self.
Even when my cancer medical bills started to come in, I found money in my books to help. Sadly, not enough. Thank you younger Wayne for loving me!
This has paid off. My mind enjoys the moveable feast of literacy. I earn multiple degrees at universities because I love to read.
4) “A Personal Matter” by Kenzaburō Ōe (大江 健三郎)
I think I have many mental problems. I had learning disabilities growing up. So this semi-biographical work about having a son with many problems struck home. I read this book a lot.
At the hospital, he was told to abort his son and give up. For a few moments, he considered it. However, he didn’t and couldn’t give up his only son, for he valued life. This was more than just about love because he suffered raising his son, yet he did everything to help his son.
It was about his life stories, about doing what is right and sacrificing your life and giving all you can for someone you love.
Kenzaburō represented the father with vision and the mentors with heart that were missing in my life.
Indeed, I predicted the author would win a Nobel Prize in literature and in 1994, he did. I was so happy for him.
3) “Sula” by Toni Morrison
To me, this book struck at the deepest core into my heart, as I cried reading it and rereading it. Being part Asian and being bullied made me love this book. The author is a master writer who was an editor for years.
She writes about racism with a style that pulls me in. I read the novel wanting to learn about Sula Peace, the protagonist who earned a place in my heart treasure. It was part of her life stories about how people struggle to be loved and find peace within the heart.
Indeed, I love this writer. I also predicted she would win the Nobel Prize and in 1993, she did. What I like is the simple but powerful writing style. It is not easy to write like that. She is a master at her craft.
Hemingway created this short style, but he sucked at it. I can’t stand his novels, but he changed literature forever. I think of him as one of the best short story writers ever because he was able to revise his revision of an edited tale, rewritten. He shot himself dead probably because it made him crazy to revise.
2) “Dictee” by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha
It is hard to describe this book. It is about martyrdom in a postmodern fashion. My mother was born in North Korea, so this book about Korea and women makes me think of my mother who died young. I read this book several times a year.
The creative structure continues to confound and confuse me. It contains nine chapters, but each is like a puzzle, almost not connected.
There are French dictation lessons or events that seem out of place. I have read it over 100 times, and each time, I discover a different meaning. There is no book like this book. NONE!
I required it in my Asian American literature class. I even was interviewed by a filmmaker who did a documentary on Cha because I have written scholarly articles about the book.
To me, the book is an alchemical search for meaning in nature. The nine parts represent the infinity of liberation from Chinese wisdom of neidan. It represents the emperor’s magical number. Go to the Forbidden City in China, and nine is key! We are everyone and anyone.
Sadly, the author herself was raped and murdered and became a martyr herself.
Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Here is a powerpoint I did on my favorite book.
1) “Autumn of the Patriarch” (“El otoño del patriarca”) by Gabriel García Márquez
This remains my most loved book of all time. I read it over and over. Try! It is not easy to read. I have even presented on it at conferences about why he is to so meaningful to my heart.
In the book, the reader enters the mind of a psychopathic dictator, but the reader does not judge the despot but starts to understand why he became crazy. This is magical realism at its highest form.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. True, but it also mutates his sense of vision as how he sees a mutated world that is a projection of his own spiritual death. The madness that I have experienced in my own life seems to allow me enter the mirror of madness that has doomed the protagonist.
This was about life stories, but it is the life stories of all Latin American people, who struggle with poverty, punishments, and in the pure pain of daily slavery because of psychosis of such despots.
The reality of madness from animal humans who rule by consuming our souls to pay for their excesses. They run for president every four years.
I teach Magical Realism in my world literature course, but I would never pick this book because I doubt my students would finish it or even understand it.
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Restful Night Sleep
I often read before I go to sleep, so I can explore ways to exist the labyrinth of the mindless mess of my lost life. My sleeping habits are not good, so I have learned to use my books like a key to unlock the prison doors of racism, hate, insanity, and pain, like Malcolm X did.
Literacy has freed my soul. I am Doc Nirvana!
I often read non-fiction, and Asian metaphysics which are my favorite keys to freedom. I prefer dark books about dystopian worlds and strange tales of horror because I want to help them escape.
I dream of holding their hands and running with them to another land full of beautiful lives, wonderful liberties, and infinite love. Together we jump up and fly away, high up into the sky!
Heaven is for everyone! Yes?
I will share my other favorite books in another entry.
Finally: Mastering Writing
A few years ago, I literally had publishers contacting me weekly wanting me to write for them, for I had created a magical academic prose style that became addictive.
However, something happened that destroyed my cognitive abilities: chemo treatments of cancer. Chemo literally kills brain cell. Painfully, I am slowing returning to my prose style.
Forgive me this entry is not flowing well. I will edit it in the future. This is how I think. HAHA! This is a draft. . .
Self-love is the most important love. If you love yourself, you will love others more compassionately. My North Korean mother taught me that. Read more to be more.
Thank you my “eomeoni” (어머니), mother, dearest. I miss you so much, “umma” (엄마)!
Thank you!
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