Planet Walker

The Ragged Edge of Silence     John Francis     272 Pages    2011

Planet Walker     John Francis     288 Pages    2008

A BOOK BLESSING  -For Reading Aloud-

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M  ay we be blessed to know the silence which comes in calm and collects in twilight all the musical notes of joy filled up and rolled home into one, dropping at the doorstep of one step then two step, which can so step you too, cross a continent to come crystalize many empty walls of communication with bright light watercolors wordlessly flavored in rhythm and rhyme of an action which knows the golden silence which follows all action acted upon.  When our words do not speak the action we speak of we will be met with silence, when our silence speaks into our action we will be met with faith.      

WHAT'S IN IT  - In Summary

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S eventeen years of silence.  Twenty-two years of walking.  Thousands of watercolors painted.  Millions of steps taken.  Hundreds of hearts inspired.  I am overjoyed as the writer, to know how much little speaking I will need to do after writing such statements.  But here we have it, Dr. John Francis.  He has a PhD without speaking, and continental travel without jet, jetpack, or native 4 wheel steel.  If that wasn't enough to give to the world we as fortunate readers have his auto-biography.  And Mr. Francis still has his banjo, which he also carried.  

W hen John Francis witnessed an oil spill in San Francisco in the 1970's he decided now was the time to act.  He wanted to do enact gifts of peace toward the environment, and so he did.  In a brief few moments he made the decision to no longer ride in motorized vehicles.  This lasted 22 years.  Several weeks after his decision he decided to make an experiment of silence, he was tired of debating others, and desired to see if perhaps indeed his silence was more effective.  This lasted 17 years, and lead him into an inner journey of joy, peace, and listening.

I must admit to a great deal of captivity in reading his journey, to the point that I simply read through into his next book, after reading through his first book.  They are both listed above, and both highly recommended for proof of the power silence speaks and listens, breathes and glistens.  He is also a great practitioner of the Haiku, which was a star gazing moment of enjoyment.  A final admittance must be that while I do occasionally ride in vehicles, for nearly the last year I have not owned a car, simply choosing bicycle and walking step by step.  Thus I found a great friend and inspiration in Mr. Francis writing.

I f you like Irony, and being flabbergasted by how much stranger life can be than fiction.  You will thoroughly enjoy in awed exclamation what happens the day after Mr. Francis breaks his vow of silence.  In fact it is just pure awed wonderment like the kind that could sculpt the Pyramids and tip a world axis. 

TAKE FIVE  -Book Samples

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PW pg 116 - Observe the moonrise and the sunset long enough and you will be able to predict a lunar eclipse.  Watch the clouds gather and listen to the songs of birds and you will be able to foretell the weather.

PW pg ? -  In the Evening sky

                     New moon makes a sideways smile

                     Above the River

TRES pg 41 - When I began writing from silence I started by describing the weather.

TRES pg 51 - Silence...dwells between our words and sentences.

TRES pg 51 - When we listen closely, the silence lays a fabric to clothe our thoughts.

PAIRS WELL WITH  -Further Resources

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1. Stillness
2. Gordon Hempton on Silence
3. John Francis TED talk