A special thank you to Grady Harp for this thoughtful review of my latest and final work, Straw Shoes.
‘The humble earth may outlast defiant rock’ – An eloquent journey in time
“Mathias B. Freese earned his degrees from Queens College of the City University of New York and Stony Brook University, and is a teacher, a psychotherapist, and a writer who has authored ten books – THE i TETROLOGY, DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA, THAT MOBIUS STRIP OF IFS, I TRULY LAMENT: WORKING THROUGH THE HOLOCAUST, TESSENTE: A MEMOIR OF TWO SUMMERS, AND THEN I AM GONE: A WALK WITH THOREAU, NINA’S MEMENTO MORI, AGAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN: AWAKENING INTO AWARENESS, IN THE THROES, and now STRAW SHOES. Offering insight into this new novel, Matt offers ‘I have incorporated my abiding interest in Eastern thought into my life and my work, leading workshops on experiential and psycho-spiritual approaches to inner awareness.’
STRAW SHOES escorts the reader from China’s farm land to the Gold Rush era of San Francisco through the life and experiences of Ah Ling, as the opening lines suggest: ‘Sky and earth merged at the far reaches of Ah Ling’s land, an insignificant parcel of Taishan, China. As he walked the fields, he spoke to his shadow. “When does it begin?” he asked. “And where does it come from?” His fingertips trolled through the heads of grain as he queried himself. Beneath a gnarled ginkgo tree, he sat down upon the moss-backed earth and leaned his head against the trunk. There was nothing in his mind except the sky and earth hemmed in by distance. The susurration of the leaves caressed his ears. Nothingness calmed him, and his mind was still – for the moment.’
Having read and been continually impressed with almost all of Mathias’ books, it is refreshing to enter his thoughts anew in what may just his finest work to date. Reading this fine novel reminds us of the profound depth of intelligence that is Mathias Freese. His eloquent words are never presumptuous or distancing, but instead invite us into the sphere of his insightful mind, a jurisdiction that becomes a golden opportunity to engage and be in his moment. Mathias is wise, thoughtful, inspiring – and a very fine writer.
This is a gentle masterwork!”
Grady Harp, author of WAR SONGS, is an Artist Representative, Gallery Owner, writer of essays and articles on Figurative and all Representational art for museum catalogues and for traveling exhibitions. His passion is for Figurative painting and in that role he gladly accepts the opportunity of introducing both experienced and inexperienced eyes to the joy of the visual arts. In painting and sculpture, in music, and in literature he is ever on the alert for the new and promising geniuses of tomorrow. He feels the future of the arts is in the journey toward finding Beauty.
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