Sunday, July 26, 2009

Eclipse by Richard North Patterson

Hi Everyone,

Have you ever read a book that caused you sleepless nights after reading it? Every once in a while I’ll pick up one that has me tossing and turning with thoughts of it piercing my mind.

Just recently, I read Eclipse by Richard North Patterson, one of my favorite authors. His story has been in my head ever sense. Patterson drew me in gently, and then without warning he possessed my mind, pierced my conscience while shattering my heart. This is a story of man’s inhumanity to humanity. This story is about our dependence on oil and the monster it has created because of greed.

It’s about a gentle man who wants peace and environmental rights for his people, and he is willing to stand up for them at the cost of his life and others around him. Eclipse is a sad story, but there is hope in it along with a most certain fatalism.

Even though Eclipse is a work of fiction the origin for this story is Nigeria fifteen years ago when an environmental and human rights activist was hung by a corrupt dictator. The corruption, including oil bunkering, still goes on today in the Niger Delta and the environmental despoliation has continued. Patterson simplified the law for the lay persons like you and me, and it was easy for me to read and understand what went on during that period.

How much blame we must shoulder in the Western hemisphere is up to each individual. Myself, I believe our reliance on oil and all other oil dependent countries have created these fiends. My judgment is we should not buy oil from a country where the people don’t reap the benefits, but a corrupt government does. The ethnic group who lives in the Niger Delta is being murdered on a daily basis. It’s genocide pure and simple, and the land is without any law controlled by the lawless.

There is a love story in this story and Patterson weaves it in magnificently. He is a master storyteller who has managed to weave both fact and fiction throughout Eclipse. I recommend this book to both men and women to read. Just remember you may never get the descriptions out of your mind.

We as a people need to know that the basic human rights that we all take for granted have to be fought for, and if we ever stop fighting for them we’ll lose them. Nigeria is still fighting, but with a corrupt government it is an uphill battle.

After reading Eclipse I felt horrible shame for all we have at the expense of others. Do we really have that right? It’s a good question for all of us to ask of ourselves, but only after reading this story.

This is a thinking person’s book, and it is very worth reading.

Have a great week.

Sandy

18 comments:

J Hali Steele said...

The book sounds excellent. If only we lived in a perfect world.

A very thought-provoking post.

K.T. Bishop said...

We, the people in the United States, should realize how blessed we are to live in a country of freedom.

Anonymous said...

Gosh, this post makes me want to go out and buy this book! Sounds like a great story, I love the ones where the characters and the story stay with you for a long time.

Laura Iding

Anonymous said...

Guess I should have added, that I agree with KT that we are blessed to be here in the US. I too hope I can write as well, someday.

Laura

Sandy said...

Thanks, J. Eclipse does make you think.

Sandy said...

Unfortunately, K.T., we take it for granted.

Thanks for coming by.

Sandy said...

Laura, thanks for stopping by.

Eclipse sounds like the perfect book for you.

Sandy said...

Laura, you're so right. I agree with K.T., too. Keep writing and you'll get there. Smile.

Anonymous said...

It is sad what goes on in the world around us and what does get taken for granted.

I'll have to add Eclipse to my must read list.

Thanks for the review.

Great post!

Liena~

Sandy said...

Thanks for stopping by Liena.

What is really sad is that we don't pay attention to what's going on in the world.

Cherry said...

I don't usually read this kind of book but this sounds like worth reading.

Sandy said...

Cherry, it was worth reading. I like the author, but I don't know if I would have read it if I had known it would effect me so much.

Thanks for coming by.

Linda LaRoque said...

Sounds like a deep read, Sandy. I do like those on occasion so will check on Eclipse.

Linda

Sandy said...

When I first started reading it, I just thought it was espionage or mystery, but the farther I read I remembered some of the events. I just knew there was a lot of facts in the story, and when I got to the end I read the acknowledgements and knew why so much sounded so familiar.

Thanks for coming, Linda.

Marianne Stephens said...

Great insight, Sandy. We need to find a better replacement for oil. We're too dependent on it and greed does rear its ugly head.

Anonymous said...

Hi, great review, you really have grabbed my attention with this one. It does make you think how much we take for granted.

Hope you are well,

Sandy said...

Thanks for stopping by. Great comment, Marianne.

Sandy said...

Thanks for stopping by Angie.

Just remember to get lots of sleep before you start reading it. It will have you thinking way into the night.