Thoughts of death and plans for life
Nazma Yeasmeen Haque is moved by a tale of twilight
The Council of Dads, Bruce Feiler, William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins)
A primordial song of life is sung by the author, Bruce Feiler, throughout the book, effecting a visual diary that tells us about his physical vis-a-vis mental condition in a most agonizing state. And he sings not only for himself but for humanity as a whole to live a life in perpetuity even when physically the person is no more. Life is so endearing that the author would not let go of himself from his near and dear ones and therefore delves deeply into the matter of being re-created through his language and its expressions, his voice, beliefs and convictions, his ways of life in a comprehensive way, his society and on top of everything to be projected as the kind of man and father that he has been. Thus he works in a most down-to-earth manner, bringing together a group of men, all dads, to concretize a project that he undertakes and in which he plays the role of a leader in all possible and not so possible ways. It is the story of the life of the author himself: after nearly four decades, bone cancer is detected in exactly the same part of his leg that had met with some bone injury from a bicycle accident on a high street at a rather young age. He is devastated. Nevertheless, he does not bend. From amongst the group of his friends, acquaintances and a whole lot of other people, he forms a council of dads consisting of six males who will play his role to his twin young daughters after he passes away. A unique trait in his personality is thus manifest, something that is almost unbelievable for a reader. In other words, as he almost comes by his death warrant, he still embarks on a plan to do something novel and succeeds in fulfilling his objective. Through personal contacts, regular correspondence and close interaction, a network of people who are reliable, warm-hearted and sensible enough to represent him before his little daughters from different phases of his life is formed. This gives the author much strength to fight his physical condition and also often through viewing a deadly disease like cancer as a strong motivation to work. Consumed by the thought of what kind of world his daughters will face without him, Feiler asks, "Would they wonder who I was? Would they wonder what I thought? Would they yearn for my approval, my love, my voice?" All such futuristic thoughts shape his concern, so much so that finally he opens a website for helping distressed hearts in sharing and upholding the cause he is committed to. His personal agony thus turns into an altruistic vision and translates into a great job. The Council of Dads is a new book in every sense of the term. Published in 2010, it bears an unusual title; its content is new of its kind and therefore unique. The personality of the author that is manifest through the deliberations at every phase of his illness and concomitantly the stage of progress in his work plan emerges as equally unique. A brave heart emerges here, although there are tears blurring his vision. He wears a number of feathers in his cap, which makes a reader wonder what role is he best at. As a great writer? As a social leader involving a congregation of human beings and with his empathy for them? As a great thinker who constructs his philosophy of death in a newer perspective, which is that life will live on even though it may not vibrate? Or is he best at being an understanding patient suffering from an almost terminal disease that he narrates so meticulously, in a scientific way and in seven parts that he describes as 'Chronicles of the Last Year' aiming at informing others about grasping the whole drama of his illness that may afflict anyone anytime? Not withstanding all such evaluations that a reader might naturally make of his attributes, he best presents himself as a most dutiful father visualizing how truthfully he will be perceived by his daughters later in their lives while he will remain absent physically. Here emerges a great visionary with a yearning for the permanence of an individual life through an enactment of his existence within the domain of non-existence. Feiler draws inspiration from great writers. He echoes Whitman --- "I too lived" --- that forms the central thought of his life. A great walker that Feiler was, he lost much of his ability to walk due to his bout with his disease. At this point, he remembers Mark Twain's words about the way people hurry in their lives. "Everyman seems to feel that he has got the duties of two lifetimes to accomplish in one, and so he rushes, rushes, rushes, and never has time to be companionable --- never has any time at his disposal to fool away on matters which do not involve dollars and duty and business." Keeping in line with this thought, Feiler's wise sayings are, "Don't be in a hurry" and " .. behold the world in pause." T.S. Eliot's verse on time adorns the first page of this book as if it is the preface. The lesson that the author learns from this and teaches us, the readers, as well, is that time in terms of its present, past and future is all entwined and nothing ceases to exist absolutely. A great precept that aims at saving humanity. Feiler does a wonderful job not only in his personal conviction of the matter but also through uttering words didactic import. Feiler's literary prowess elevates the narration of his disease to a magnificent piece of literature. The chapter entitled 'The Last Few Steps' that he composes on his visit to the bucolic Bonaventure Cemetery where his ancestors lie buried is perhaps the most touching of all. A blend of literature and philosophy is perceived in his expressions on life and death that keeps readers engrossed. Feiler dwells on the same subject with his six chosen male friends and his chief oncologist applying the method of catechism that brings forth invaluable insight into the course of human life. He himself is a wonderful listener, a teacher of life for all of us and a giver of hope to a multitude of distressed hearts. We need a leader like Feiler to show us the way.
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