Title: The Philosophical Practitioner Author: Larry Abrams Publisher: Telemachus Press, LLC Genre: Contemporary fiction I don’t read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I’m a sucker for philosophy so the title of this book grabbed my attention. A philosophical practitioner is a kind of counsellor who emphasizes reason but doesn't slight emotions. I don’t know if there really is such a profession, but Eric is one. He doesn’t have patients, he has clients, and the idea seems to be that he helps people sort out how they view the world. They come to him for advice on how to live their lives. The book is more of a character study than anything else. We watch as Eric talks to his clients and tries to get back together with his rich and famous girlfriend. Their goals and lifestyles are very different, thus providing a philosophical juxtaposition of two different world views. On top of this, his father is nearing the end of his life which, of course, raises more questions of philosophy, and … [Read more...]