Larry the Penguin Searches for the Meaning of Life [Paperback]

Charles W. Belser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

Larry the Penguin is often humorous, entertaining, yet deeply philosophical, satirical, iconoclastic, emotional, and a sure to be controversial adventure leading to the discovery of the meaning of life.

Larry is a young penguin on a secret quest for the meaning of life that teams up with a lost polar bear named Marsha who has walked halfway around the world searching for her destiny. Captured by a scientist, the unusual pair is transported to a zoo in Alaska where the scientist's dying six-year-old son frees them from captivity and joins their search. Readers are taken on an often humorous, yet deeply philosophical, satirical, iconoclastic, emotional, and sure to be controversial adventure leading to the discovery of the Round Song and the secret of life. This unusual novel isn t for children. Orbiting the story of Larry's search for life's meaning are a tragedy at sea, cynical religious leaders, a beauty queen, a late night ride in a hearse behind a coffin, a dead war hero, a police investigation, a married couple's mutual betrayal, wolves howling at the moon, Santa Claus revealing the secret of reality, a ghostly little girl, the death of a child, a suicide, and a song that prevents the universe from unraveling.

Larry the Penguin is often humorous, entertaining, yet deeply philosophical, satirical, iconoclastic, emotional, and a sure to be controversial adventure leading to the discovery of the meaning of life.

Larry is a young penguin on a secret quest for the meaning of life that teams up with a lost polar bear named Marsha who has walked halfway around the world searching for her destiny. Captured by a scientist, the unusual pair is transported to a zoo in Alaska where the scientist s dying six-year-old son frees them from captivity and joins their search. Readers are taken on an often humorous, yet deeply philosophical, satirical, iconoclastic, emotional, and sure to be controversial adventure leading to the discovery of the Round Song and the secret of life. This unusual novel isn t for children. Orbiting the story of Larry s search for life s meaning are a tragedy at sea, cynical religious leaders, a beauty queen, a late night ride in a hearse behind a coffin, a dead war hero, a police investigation, a married couple s mutual betrayal, wolves howling at the moon, Santa Claus revealing the secret of reality, a ghostly little girl, the death of a child, a suicide, and a song that prevents the universe from unraveling.

Richard Dawkins, author of the best seller The God Delusion, has added this wonderful book to his personal library.

Larry Searches for the Meaning of Life is not for children; it's for thinking adults who aren't afraid to question their own deeply-held beliefs. The powerful story contained within touches on the issues of our time. Scanning from the deck of his expedition's ship, Dr. Scott Price can't believe his eyes when he spots a polar bear in the Antarctic. His colleagues worry he is cracking after receiving news from home: his 6-year-old son is dying and his wife wants a divorce. Scott, a Christian fundamentalist, refuses to allow a stem cell transplant to treat the boy's illness, insisting that God will heal the child. The line between the 'living' and 'non-living' vanishes when this amazing novel shows you a unique way to view reality.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles Belser has been an advertising, technical, and editorial writer for 44 years. From 1970 through 1976, his work was syndicated to newspapers throughout the United States, Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand. A member of Mensa, he became aware of the true nature of life when, as a small boy, he discovered the secret of the Round Song. Belser's life experiences include travel throughout Europe and Japan, service as a U.S. Army paratrooper, a law enforcement officer and a public official. He lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife and two children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: Misaki Books (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 098208465X
• ISBN-13: 978-0982084656
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,532,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Larry's Compelling Indeed, October 8, 2008

By 

Steven N. Richards - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Larry the Penguin Searches for the Meaning of Life (Paperback)

Larry the Penguin Searches for the Meaning of Life is the perfect intellectual
and emotional complement to the works of Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion), Sam
Harris (The End of Faith), Christopher Hitchens (God is Not Great) and Victor
Stenger (God: The Failed Hypothesis).

Do you remember Jonathan Livingson Seagull, the little 60-page book by Richard
Bach that took the nation by storm in the 70's? It quickly became an
international bestseller, and continues to be in print today. As does Larry,
Jonathan features an independent, critical-thinking bird searching for meaning
and purpose. Jonathan's style is virtually prose poetry; it is aphoristic,
simple and sweet. Jonathan maintains a weightless tone throughout and
concentrates solely on the seagull and other animals in his world while Larry
delivers its more complex and detailed perspectives via a full-length 374-page
fantastic/realistic story in a humorous, satirical, iconoclastic, and often
outright antireligious manner. Humans, their interactions with one another, and
their emotional, psychological and spiritual needs are what Larry focuses on as
the novel leads the reader to discover the meaning of life.

I found this book engaging and couldn't put it down until I finished it. Since
then, I find myself thinking about it and talking about its concepts with family
and friends. There is some awkward writing in Larry, but most of it is
excellent and its overall message outshines and overwhelms the book's few
faults.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun, philosophical journey, January 11, 2009

By 

Paul "slee303" (Longmont, Colombia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Larry the Penguin Searches for the Meaning of Life (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book. Although the main characters are animals, it is a far cry from a children's book. Larry, Marsha and all of the other enjoyable characters draw you into the book with wonderful dialogue, coupled with vivid and imaginative detail of their great adventure through the arctic. The story-telling alone makes this book fun to read, but the author uses his characters to pose deep philosophical questions about life and religion, taking this book far out of the realm of a childhood cartoon. It is a wonderfully unique book that makes you think and entertains at the same time.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Philosphical Fantasy Marred by Shrillness, January 24, 2009

By 

midwestguy "midwestguy" (Peoria, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Larry the Penguin Searches for the Meaning of Life (Paperback)

Although part of this book is an interesting philosophical fantasy, as indicated by the other Amazon reviews, I was surprised that a major portion of it was an anti-Christian fundamentalist diatribe. Even though I am personally a liberal Christian, the type to whom Belser seems to give a "pass", the vehemence and negativity of his attack on fundamentalism pretty much ruined the book for me.

Which is too bad, since Belser certainly has an interesting viewpoint and is a talented writer. The fantasy portion of his novel are very well done, as his much of his description of the "normal" world. However, Belser deep down just doesn't seem to like people very much. I infer this from the fact that none of his major human characters--I should specify, adult human characters--are very sympathetic of likeable. Although he does try to give them life and motivation, all of them come off as somewhat cardboard. For example, the main human character is a Christian fundamentalist, but this does not seem to be something he convincingly and actually feels, but rather is needed in the story so that he can spout slogans and act in various unattractive ways. When, near the end of the book, this character changes his beliefs 180 degrees and denounces Christianity as a sham, his new beliefs are as unconvincing as his old.

Belser singles out the Book of Job for his attack on Christian religious beliefs. As do many people, he finds the setting of the story, where God bets with the devil, to be repulsive. Personally, I regarded it an unfortunate attempt by someone to put the Job story in a framework acceptable to the beliefs and the culture of the time, and I ignore it (as a liberal Christian, I am allowed to do that--that is, have my own opinion and interpretation). But he also demolishes God's famous speech to Job from the whirlwind, "where were you when I set the foundations of the world... etc." The thing about this part of Job is that it is obviously poetic and metaphorical, and, to some people, meaningful and inspiring. Belser attacks it as being ridiculous precisely because it is not factual (Job couldn't have been there when God laid out the foundations of the world, etc.). The irony is that when Belser attempts to lay out his own viewpoint, he also has to employ poetic and metaphorical language--children in a rowboat on a stream that becomes the universe--the very type of language that he found so objectionable in Job.

To repeat, Belser is a talented and interesting writer, and he certainly is not shy about taking on the big questions (life, death, and the whole damn thing). I just hope that in future he sticks to the positive, writing about what he believes and why, and spends far less time on the negative.