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A review by John Ambrosini
Huntington, NY

Michael Watt’ novel ‘Lovers Own the Silence’
Published by Red Penguin Books

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“Mankind's strugglin' hard to see the light, to hear the voice of the spirit in the night, to lay down his heavy burden and pick up his soul power and build a heaven on earth hour by hour by hour.”

 

These lyrics from American singer/songwriter/producer Todd Rundgren nicely capture the meaning and message of author Michael Watt’s new novel ‘Lovers Own the Silence’. This cleverly written book speaks to the reader on two levels: those of the body and the soul. While reading it, I was reminded of Robert Pirsig’s “Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance”; how a road trip entertains us with stories told – by a father to a son, along the beautiful mountain passes of the American landscape, we hear heady philosophical diatribes on Kant, Plato, and the profound meaning of ‘Quality’. Michael Watt accomplishes something akin to this: he introduces us to his world worn characters. The smalltown heroes and heroines of Massapequa, Long Island – and, through their foibles, and trials we are taught the deeper meanings of Christian and eastern metaphysics. Using a subtle writing technique, the author interweaves the drama of their many, tiny hells with the wisdom of their inner heavens. What the Buddhists know as: Samara and Nirvana – side by side, so to speak.

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We read of the normal workaday routines, slogging through life and the office politics, resentments, deceits, petty grievances, everyone struggling to making a buck, while

speeding together on the same superhighway with existential, philosophical discussions of Christian philosophy, eastern studies, modern day mystics, and pursuit of inner peace.

 

Reading this makes one feel, all at once, tired from the daily drudgery of life yet hopeful and, well, peaceful. All this keeps you turning page after page, curious to see how this all ends!

The book begins with intrigue. A stealthy intruder steals a paper file from an unnamed office, trips over ‘girly’ magazines haphazardly stacked (falling and bruising his ribs) and, upon confirming he found the mother lode, he whispers “thank you baby Jesus”. And during this fumbling office break in, the author craftily warns us of a power struggle ahead “because when you take a swing at the champ, you sure as hell better knock him out”

 

This mixing of human frailty and theft, and heavenly gratitude – and a connection to a higher power, sets up the novel’s tone nicely.

 

The novel is told as a story within a story – a nested tale. It felt to me like a Russian doll; with layers leading to other layers, characters leading to characters, and meditations on the meaning of life leading to the pursuit of inner peace and internal silence. Much like Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ where the tale is told by the narrator to his companions on the boat.

 

Early on, we meet college student Catherine Tebow as she meets with Professor Zahler about an assignment and the discussion of her thesis: the role of ego in running a successful business enterprise. He directs her to meet with the intimidating Professor Kamoosi at his home. And the layers begin to unfold.

 

He amuses her with the story of a suspicious death of a powerful Long Island businessman, grieving and bickering heirs, double crossing interlopers, resentful

mistresses, backstabbing employees, business improprieties, tax evasion, unspoken love from afar, drug addiction, prison, bank robberies, Viagra, corrupt local politicians, and lots, lots more. There’s also 1970’s television stars and references to ‘The Munsters’ as well as multiple Todd Rundgren references and lyrics. The author adds some pop culture gems too like ‘Homer’s Drool’ – a Simpson’s reference, revealing a love of modern American cultural icons. But there are also Christian mystics, and discussions of the ‘Christ within’, and the importance of meditation and silence….and love.

Professor Kamoosi tells Katherine the long and winding story of three people, a holy trinity of sorts: Billy Bate, Melinda Bate, and Grace Duffy.

 

As a reader I was very impressed with the authors’ skill in wedding the banal and the beatific. At center is a successful small business – which is the source of the jealousy, greed, lust, envy, and all manner of excesses, and is named ‘Carpe Diem’. Siezing the day, is a profound reminder, perhaps, to the working schlubs who are just trying to make the paycheck last as long as the month!

 

Billy’s wife Melinda is a beauty queen and trophy wife, who plays the part of devoted companion, but the reader is never quite sure where her loyalty will lead her. And Grace – aptly named as one who is close to God, (perhaps?) is pursuing a purer, more honest life; struggling to leave behind than the messy, corrupt, business dealings of which she has allowed herself to be entwined. Grace, in her ever-present self-talk, truly battles with her conscience. As we all do – the author suggests.

 

Overall, this is a very fine first novel. One that simultaneously entertains the reader with a salacious tale of a possible murder plot, insatiable excesses, sex and drugs, infidelity,

deceit, tax evasion, and all seven deadly sins (except for sloth!) together with Christian and eastern metaphysical discussions on love, the Christ within, meditation, and how to embrace silence. Silence becomes a language all its own. A respite and a practice that delivers a tiny bit of heaven amidst all the noise that human frailty creates.

 

At the same time the author warns against using silence as a weapon – against oneself and others. Grace Duffy keeps secrets and hopes some of the powerful and unsavory characters in her life – who know her embarrassing details, stay silent. Silence is a form of currency. And like money, it can be used for ill or for good. Thus, silence is subtly portrayed throughout the novel as a type of ‘Janus’, a mythological symbol of duality. The hope of beginnings and the dread of endings.

 

Many times, while reading this book I witnessed the characters acting out emotionally, sexually, and violently, mostly because they simply lacked the ability to “sit quietly alone in a room”.

I recommend this book as it reveals the writings of an author who has rigorously studied several philosophical disciplines, and theories of mind, yet is also dying to write headlines for the New York Post. (I.E, ‘Headless Man in Topless Bar’!)

 

The reader is introduced to several esoteric spiritual writers and mystics such as Karen Garvey and

Neville Goddard, of the Imaginist movement, Neale Donald Walsch, the author of ‘Conversations with God’, Don Miguel Ruiz’s ‘The Four Agreements, Teilhard de Chardin, and of course, the enigmatic, iconoclast Todd Rundgren.

 

This is my kind of book: a well-scribed page turner that unabashedly displays the nasty underbelly, downright silliness and pettiness, and low-grade hunger of human beingsvlonging to be part of something bigger than themselves, all while silently preaching the importance or remembering to tune out the noise, enjoy the ride and check out some stillness.