I found a book in my barn a few weeks ago.It was written by Herman Hesse and titled "A Journey to the East."On the front and back flap was a description of the author and the subject matter for the book.It read:


...Herman Hesse is generally regarded as one of the great masters of the novel.A true innovator,Hesse,whose roots are in the romantic tradition,developed a style completely his own.

His novels are great mythic structures dealing with the ultimate questions of human life,and his work can be seen as a developing position,a kind of dialogue with himself.In his famous novel "Steppenwolf",he considers the problem of despair and degeneration,but in "The Journey to the East" despair is seen as merely an individual's lack of faith and vision.

"The Journey to the East" is the story of a pilgrimage which apparently fails.As the book opens,the hero finds himself engaged in writing the chronicle of this exciting adventure,which was the central experience of his youth.It is only as the chronicle unfolds that he learns that it is he who failed and that the journey to the East continues all about him.

This is not unlike what I have tried to do here.I guess there is a market for jive peddling after all.He was about thirty when he wrote this.

I've read about twelve pages of this jive and so far it's pretty boring.If it doesn't pick up soon there Mr. Master of the Novel I won't be able to finish it.Maybe if you have it on tape I can listen to it someday and through osmosis learn something.

Realistically speaking though I am more of a "jiver" than a "jivee" if you catch my drift so I'm more interested in your approach than in the content.Some of the things I've read I already knew and even my daughter Caroline at two and a half could lend you a little insight into wordly matters.But then again she's my kid so she has an advantage.

When does everybody go back to school?I want to time the fall semester accordingly for the online version of "The College."