{ "item_title" : "Tempest in a Teacup", "item_author" : [" D. R. Bell "], "item_description" : "I'll put it upfront: if you're looking for an easy read, there're more suitable books out there. And, due to the subject matter, some scenes are explicit; if that's not your cup of tea, you probably won't like the book.How does one exist in the world: do you live your life according to a single ideal or by trial-and-error, seeking a diverse spiral of experiences? This dichotomy plays out everywhere and especially in human relationships. In Tempest in a Teacup six characters, each with a different way of being-Destiny, Great Love, Power, Obligation, Pleasure, Beauty-come together in a series of events revolving around a corporate function. As the characters collide, the viability of each way is questioned in their alternating viewpoints. Each narrator is unreliable - but then which one of us is ever a reliable narrator?The idea for this story was born out of Dictionary of Misunderstood Words in Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being. From the day I first read him, I was fascinated with Kundera's characters representing different how-to-exist-in-the-world ideas. But as I tried to fill these existential characters with flesh and blood and guilt and longing and all the internal cracks that make us human, another influence crept in. I love Leonard Cohen's songs and poetry. I don't know anyone who expressed the pain and the healing power of our relationships as well as he did. On the surface, these two men couldn't be more different: a cool, humorous, almost rational dissection vs. broken, passionate, spiritual longing. And yet I saw more similarities than differences: from separate viewpoints, they shone a light on both our alienation and the grace of connections that eclipse our selves. They don't need my homage, but I wanted to thank these remarkable artists for giving me shelter and light when all other lights went out.From the BlueInk review: Bell's characters are genuinely enjoyable, and the themes - love, art, passion, identity - are thoughtfully and provocatively explored in a work that offers many rewards.", "item_img_path" : "https://covers2.booksamillion.com/covers/bam/9/79/847/640/9798476401537_b.jpg", "price_data" : { "retail_price" : "13.88", "online_price" : "13.88", "our_price" : "13.88", "club_price" : "13.88", "savings_pct" : "0", "savings_amt" : "0.00", "club_savings_pct" : "0", "club_savings_amt" : "0.00", "discount_pct" : "10", "store_price" : "" } }

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