If you’re coming to this blog post without having read the other entries – that’s okay. Without giving too much away, I’ll tell you the answer to the question.
Seven Ways to Disappear: The Book within the Book is a work of fiction that lives inside of an unpublished novel about four friends in Los Angeles the days leading up to September 11, 2001. The title of the unpublished novel is Seven Ways to Disappear hence the subtitle “the Book within the Book” to reference the smaller work of fiction you have discovered. Confused? It’s okay – stick with me.
The ‘Book within the Book’ is written by a fictional author who outlines seven ways that we metaphysically, symbolically and literally disappear from our lives, which includes:
1. Reinvention of self
2. Withdrawal into Yourself
3. Drugs & Alcohol
4. Isolation
5. Sleep
6. Invisibility
7. Death
The characters in the novel pass the book around and share their thoughts and ideas about the book until they are faced with the catastrophic events of 9/11 that causes them to turn to the book to decide how they will disappear.
Seven Ways to Disappear: The Book within the Book is a novelty book of sorts that’s been described as ‘thought provoking.’ It’s the kind of book that you leave on the coffee table and wait for a guest to ask you about it, to which you would tell them that it’s a conversation starter. And it’s something most of us can relate to. It’s also a way in which to frame how we, as humans, maneuver through our lives and deal with the pain and upsets that life gives us. It is not a self-help book, nor is it a how-to guide, or anything of the sort.
What it is depends upon what it means to you.
To find out more about the book, I suggest you give it a read and see for yourself. You can come back to this blog that will give you a bit of background and further context for the book.
Also, you can check out an article written by Catherine Daleo of Millennials in Motion Magazine.
You can purchase the book at Amazon, at the Archway Publishing bookstore, or at Bookshop.org to support a local bookstores.
Thank you in advance!