THE MYSTERION DYNASTY

Debut author Wells delivers a philosophical investigation of the inner workings of the human mind.

At the outset of this extensive work, the author describes the human mind as a series of TV monitors. According to the author, the mind is largely concerned with communication and images, so it’s natural that humans process thoughts through television screens. The most important one, he asserts, is a flat, tablelike monitor, on which the mind places “every person and object important to us in our lives, and if the image is altered, it brings happiness or distress.” Wells goes on to address many other topics, ranging from the golden rule to the importance of working with one’s hands. All of these subjects, however, relate back to the central conceit of the mind and its monitors, and how happiness is generated when “all the information on the monitor is seen to be complete.” If it all sounds slightly perplexing, that’s because it is. As the author admits, “Describing the mind is not a quick and easy task,” and a number of his tangents tend to distract from the main argument. However, they also provide insight into the author behind it all. Bits and pieces of his life are sprinkled throughout the material, as when he describes his desire to paint portraits, or his admiration for craftsman Von Dutch, or the fact that he once swallowed a chicken bone and was ill for four years as a result. Taken as a whole, the material is unapologetically dense and repetitive—the word “monitor” appears so much that it tends to lose meaning, for example. However, it’s also heartfelt and full of intriguing imagery, as when readers are asked to imagine “a million people mowing grass at the same time.” Likewise, the author’s positive tone helps personalize the work; he encourages the reader more than once to “Enjoy your life,” which finally comes across as one of the main messages of the book.

An invitingly strange meditation on the mind.