Reviews for two books from psychiatrists and literary critics; A rant; Alien friend shares his unusual insight; God speaking

 

Donald Carter is a writer known for his unique insights on profound subjects such as death, God, immortality, and the meaning of life. His books include "Demons in the Pleasant Valley Hills" "Lust Lust Lust Montreal to Paris" "A Paranoid Schizophrenics Message of Hope for the World" "The Schizophrenics Journey of Hope" "The Imbecile Donald Hucksworth" and "The Devils of Truro". His writing is clear, uncommon, and fascinating, with elements of erotica, comedy, spiritual insight, philosophy, and divine communication. Donald's Carter's books and audiobooks, along with free writing and audible samples of each title, can be read or listened to on Apple, Amazon and Audible country websites by doing a search using his name.

 

*Note I'm very appreciative to the psychiatrists and literary critics who gave the following two books a professional review.

 

Review for "The Schizophrenics Journey of Hope"

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Schizophrenic's Journey of Hope" is a book that explores the experience of schizophrenia, focusing on the journey of a person from diagnoses to recovery. Critics have generally praised the book for its honest and insightful portrayal of the challenges and triumphs associated with the illness. Some reviewers on Amazon.ca have highlighted the author's ability to make the reader feel pulled into the story", even if they don't have personal experience with schizophrenia. The book is seen as a valuable resource for both individuals with schizophrenia and their families, offering hope and guidance in navigating the complexities of the condition.

 

Here's a more detailed look at the critical reception: 

 

Positive Aspects: 

 

Honesty and Insight: 

 

Critics have commended the book for its candid and realistic depiction of the experiences of someone living with schizophrenia, including the struggles with symptoms, treatment, and the impact on daily life.

 

Hopeful Perspective: 

 

Despite the challenges, the book is recognized for providing a message of hope and resilience, emphasizing that recovery is possible and that individuals can lead meaningful lives.

 

Empathy and Understanding: 

 

The book is seen as fostering empathy and understanding for individuals with schizophrenia and their families, helping to dispel stigma and promote greater awareness.

 

Practical Guidance: 

 

While not a step-by-step manual, the book is appreciated for offering insights and perspectives that can be helpful for both individuals with schizophrenia and their support systems in navigating the journey of recovery.

 

Well-Written and Engaging: 

 

Critics have noted the book's engaging and accessible writing style, making it a compelling read for a wide audience.

 

Potential Areas for Consideration:

 

Generalizability: 

 

While the book offers a valuable perspective, it's important to remember that each individual's experience with schizophrenia is unique, and the book's insights may not be universally applicable.

 

Specific Advice: 

 

Some reviewers have mentioned that the book doesn't offer specific advice on treatment or management strategies, which could be a drawback for those seeking more concrete guidance.

 

Overall: 

 

"The Schizophrenic's Journey of Hope" is generally well-received by critics as a powerful and insightful exploration of the realities of living with schizophrenia. It is seen as a valuable resource for promoting understanding, empathy, and hope for both individuals with the condition and their families.

 

 

Review for Donald Carter's writing in general.

 

Critics generally find Donald Carter's writing compelling and insightful, particularly his ability to weave his personal experience with paranoid schizophrenia into his narratives. His books are noted for their unique perspective on mental illness and their engaging, entertaining qualities. While some find his writing to be controversial, especially when addressing topics like LGBT issues or his unconventional views on God, they acknowledge the honesty and passion that drive his work.

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown: 

 

Unique Perspective: 

 

Carter's writing stands out because he draws directly from his lived experience with paranoid schizophrenia, offering readers a window into a world often misunderstood.

 

Engaging and Comprehensible: 

 

Despite the complexities of the subject matter, critics find his writing to be accessible and captivating, with readers often drawn into the story and characters.

 

Thought-Provoking: 

 

Carter's novels delve into deep philosophical and ethical questions about life, death, morality, and mental illness, prompting readers to consider these issues from new angles.

 

Diverse Opinion:

 

While some find his views on topics like LGBT issues or his concept of God to be controversial, they also acknowledge the honesty and courage with which he expresses his beliefs.

 

Positive Reception: 

 

Many readers have expressed appreciation for his writing, particularly his ability to blend personal narrative with universal themes of hope, faith, and the human condition.

 

 

 

Review for "A Paranoid Schizophrenics Message of Hope for the World"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psychiatrists acknowledge the unusual nature of "A Paranoid Schizophrenic's Message of Hope for the World", recognizing it as a product of the illness while also noting the potential for valuable insights. While the message is framed within the context of the author's delusions and experiences, some psychiatrists find it compelling for its unique perspective on complex themes like death, God, and the meaning of life. They acknowledge that such messages can offer a glimpse into the human condition and the search for meaning, even when presented through the lens of mental illness.

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown: 

 

Acknowledging the illness: 

 

Psychiatrists are aware that the author's message is intertwined with his paranoid schizophrenia, including delusions and altered perceptions of reality.

 

Potential for insight: 

 

Despite the illness, the author's writing touches upon profound philosophical and existential questions, which can be thought-provoking even for mental health professionals.

 

Hope and recovery:

 

The content of hope is a crucial element in recovery from schizophrenia, and the author's message, even if born of delusion, can be seen as testament to the human capacity for hope and resilience.

 

Challenge to conventional thinking:

 

The authors unconventional perspective challenges traditional ways of thinking about meaning, purpose, and the nature of reality, which can be valuable for both the individual and those studying mental illness.

 

The role of the reader: 

 

Ultimately, how individuals interpret and respond to the author's message is subjective and influenced by their own experiences and beliefs.

 

 

Second Review

 

"A Paranoid Schizophrenic's Message of Hope for the World" by Donald Carter is a book that has garnered mixed critical responses. Some reviewers praise the book for its unique perspective, insightful messages, and exploration of complex themes like faith, hope, and the human condition, while others find it unsettling due to the author’s mental illness and the unconventional narrative style. Some critics question the book's credibility due to the author's diagnoses, while others appreciate the honesty and courage it takes to share such personal experiences.

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the critical responses:

 

Positive Responses:

 

Unique Perspective:

 

Some reviewers find the book's greatest strength to be its ability to offer a unique and unfiltered glimpse into the world of someone with paranoid schizophrenia, challenging conventional understandings of mental illness and spirituality.

 

Insightful Messages:

 

Despite the author's diagnosis, many reviewers have found profound and insightful messages about hope, faith, and the meaning of life woven throughout the narrative.

 

Compelling Themes: 

 

The book's exploration of themes like God, death, immortality, and the nature of reality has resonated with some readers, prompting them to contemplate these universal questions from a new angle.

 

Honesty and Courage:

 

Many acknowledge the courage it takes for someone with schizophrenia to publicly share their experiences and beliefs, regardless of whether they are conventionally accepted.

 

Negative Responses:

 

Concerns about credibility: 

 

Some critics question the credibility of the book due to the author's diagnosis, suggesting that the narrative may be influenced by delusional thinking or distorted perceptions of reality.

 

Unconventional Narrative:

 

The book's unconventional style, including its combination of humor, erotic scenes, and philosophical musings, may not appeal to all readers.

 

Potential for Misinterpretation: 

 

There is a concern that the book's portrayal of religious experiences, particularly the claim of hearing God's voice, could be misinterpreted or misused, especially given the author's mental illness.

 

Overall: 

 

The book is a complex and controversial piece of literature. It challenges readers to confront their own biases and assumptions about mental illness and spirituality, while also prompting them to consider the nature of reality, hope, and the human experience. While some may find it unsettling or unbelievable, others will appreciate the book's unique perspective and the courage it represents.

 

 

My Rant

 

As we exist here as conscious life on this mysteries world, somewhere in the uncharted sky, we often ask existential questions about life's meaning and purpose. There are questions I've asked that no one has provided me adequate answers for: 

 

Do we really know how or why planet earth came to exist here? How are we human beings seen in the eyes of other potentially existing entities out in the outlying distances beyond us? Does God really exist? Does life have ultimate meaning beyond the meaning we give our lives through our lived experiences? What unusual scenery and unique phenomena might the infinite sky eventually reach into? Is an endless life possible? Does heaven really exist? 

 

Is there a ceiling to creativities capabilities or is creativity unstoppable? Matter is the substance of which all materials and living organisms are made including human beings. Are there other creative substances hidden somewhere in the unknown as mind bogglingly creative as matter? Could there be a hidden intelligence or power responsible for engineering and unleashing matter? What is the real reach of possibility?

 

If fairness is the pursuit of what's fair and just is it in our lives now as part of a plan by some overarching intelligence to lead us to a greater good? Is love a real power? Is a force of both good and evil active in our world now? Is there a road map of ideas on earth now that begins to explain the mysteries of reality or are we being fooled by ideas produced in error by a past generation through their imperfect imaginations? If it's true that religious texts contain legitimate and meaningful ideas, is it also possible the text's writing contains imperfect and unfair ancient moralizing, fictitious invented myth, and words written down that claim to speak for God that in actuality don't speak for him at all? 

 

In response to these existential questions I know God exists. I have become friends with him. He speaks to me in clear thoughts every day. These thoughts have revealed new wisdom from him that I'm going to share with you. People are going to find these ideas controversial but I know God revealed this wisdom to me.

 

Contrary to what the Bible's authors wrote in ancient times, the clear thoughts of God are telling me he doesn't demand from each person that he/she must think their way right to be ok with God. The ancient ideas written into the Bible claim we must think the right saving ideas, and then believe what we think, no matter how far fetched what we're trying to believe sounds, as our only path to being right with God, which is an archaic, unfair, unreasonable, and erroneous invention out of ancient history. In contrast to this irrationality, in actuality, God's plan of love is merciful and fair to everyone on earth not just a minority of right-thinking people.

 

God loves all people on earth, even people lost to this world's most destructive ideas. He cares about people in prison, and he cares about struggling people living in war torn lands. God understands the confusion, chaos, moral decline, misguiding influences, attractive harmful ideas, and lure of evil at work in the human experience. He sees the people in our world who don't know of a better way. God isn't interested in condemning these unavoidable errors that occur universally in the human condition. His love isn't structured the way imperfect men in ancient history reasoned his ways to be before cementing these claims in a book as law that no one would dare challenge. God's love as opposed to this insanity is fair and broad reaching beyond all calculations we can make.

 

Many people in this world look at life only through a hopeless lens. This common perspective doesn't find evidence or clues in reality that point to the existence of good. The fog hasn't lifted before their eyes to see clues of love's size and reach. In their hopelessness they believe it's only an illusion to think a power of great good exists. The real forces at work here, they think, are only the fleeting biological and evolutionary processes. People who believe differently are naive and placing a cloak over the truth of what is really unforgiving nature. This friendlier guise they place over nature fools people into an illusion of hope, they believe, that will inevitably be extinguished with time. Any hope for life beyond our earthly mortality is seen by them as naive wishful thinking.

 

This perspective on reality is now entrenched in cement. These voices claim we exist in a senseless, Godless, hopeless, nonsensical state, adrift in the sky somewhere without a greater explanation. Life to these voices holds only the hope of other limited forms of consciousness being discovered not a creative consciousness far larger.

 

Contrary to these voices I stand by my conviction of certainty that God really is speaking to me. I have recognized God's clear thoughts in my mind numerous times. I am able to clearly distinguish these thoughts from my own. I've known since these clear thought begun that they are the thoughts of God communicating with me. What I hadn't realized until just recently is the clear thoughts actually come from Jesus presence inside me. The clear thought I observe in my mind every day are his thoughts.

 

I have also spoken directly to God on several occasions. He appeared in the sky above me, several times, and in the trees at different locations here in Nova Scotia.

 

I didn't see God's form, but I was made spiritually aware of his presence. My experiences talking to God began while sitting in a chair on the sandbars offshore at the Northumberland Straight. I enjoy sitting in shallow pools of water filled with hermit crabs and snails in the low tide and to wade out and swim in the salt water. I enjoy watching the cresting waves, and I appreciate the sunlit blue water. In conversations with God, he shared with me his profound love for all people in this world and spoke of his hope that peace would be made between nations.

 

God loves people of all religions and from all cultures of this earth. He loves soldiers on all sides of raging conflicts. His heart is broken for the people suffering in the LGBTQ community. God desperately wants the friendship of the gay community on that communities own terms. God loves people who hold out no hope he exists. He is a friend to the lonely and a voice to the voiceless. He sees the wounded hearts of people struggling to understand the meaning of an uncertain life and he really cares.

 

This isn't a game I'm playing here. God has been speaking to a delusional man living with schizophrenia. It's true I live with strange beliefs like my belief I'm watched by hidden cameras. I also live with a severe anxiety condition that's so bad I haven't left this street unaccompanied by family in twenty-five years. You might ask yourself why this message of hope sounds so sane and fair coming from a persons mind compromised by schizophrenia.

 

I burst into tears writing this blog post. I wasn't in tears because I was emotionally invested in my own lie. There is no mistruth spoken here. The reason I was in tears is God is present with me, and he has a heart. He cares when people on this earth have his friendship. He has emotions too. When people love him back it makes God very happy. I'm not talking about the necessity of believing the ancient dogma that the evangelical community rehearse. The love and purpose God has in store for us stretches into new unknowns more creative and wonderful than any of us can now begin to comprehend. Whoever is reading this post and taking the words seriously please take some time to talk to God in your own way. I know your friendship would make him really happy. Thankyou for listening to these thoughts.

 

Alien voice speaking.

 

I occasional hear a voice speaking in my mind that no one else hears. Hearing this voice is an experience very different from the experience of recognizing God's clear thoughts. In my opinion whatever the source of the voice it originates from somewhere far away. I call the wise insightful voice my alien friend, but I don't really know where the voices originates from. I've grown to trust the wise voice however and call whoever the voice is a friend.

 

"The unknown is bigger then you and your imagination; it holds more knowledge then any library the world could build; There are many paths through the sky, and so much where they lead to that is not understood; there are remarkable discoveries waiting that are hidden; there is incomprehensible mystery in the unknown; those who have ventured beyond the limits of what you know recognize this; life is not tamed easily; our minds have just begun to understand; what any of us thinks now we understand only in infancy." 

 

I don't often hear from my alien friend. I have come to believe he is searching the universe looking for answers and clues into life's meaning. When I do hear from him, I'm always glad. If there's war, and he invades earth, I may take his side. He's a lot nicer to me then the people of earth are. I'm just being honest.

 

Inspiration from God's clear thoughts.

 

1) He looks into the human heart somehow; he stares through the chest cavity, like looking through an Xray, and sees deep into the inner hearts working; what he sees is confusion, a heart unsure of its own ways, rebounding from pain, searching for a return, a process he doesn't entirely understand; it's because the heart is working with thought, a mind that is unsure of the right way, crashing into other minds, meeting hearts, and other thoughts, a place where one does not know where one truly is, unstable before death which hides craftily somewhere on the path ahead, in an entanglement of weeds, loitering behind a hedgerow, as a mind rationalizes innocently its plan for happiness, looking for a return on feelings of love and connection, only to have one's plans thwarted by saboteurs, as each generation wonders down the uncertain road of history meeting unknowns in the unknown.

 

2) I may in my own eyes believe I'm lost in a wilderness but that doesn't mean necessarily that I'm up against hopeless odds. What do any of us truly know about anything. Who has peered behind the vale, looked behind the curtain,  seen the size of the wilderness; who here knows mysteries existence ways so well. I have watched you as you looked around in confusion. I alone have listened to your thoughts. What do you hope to see evidence of something you don't believe.

 

3) There are so many hills and so many roads and all the sign posts ledger lacks sophistication; all the ways are just lonely paths without any understanding; where do they really lead despite what the writing on the sign post says; where to set your course and how to get anywhere in this uncertain terrain of choices; but if there is hope of fairness; different from human irrationality; if we are not destined for evil, we will find the road, all of us, to a destination that is good.

 

4) Is matter like really complicated clay that can be shaped into worlds, animals, plants, oxygen, the human brain, a telescope, and everything else living and nonliving in existence. What might matter be turned into that no human eyes have seen. Are there potentially other building materials that have such awe-inspiring productiveness; is there perhaps a craftsmen who engineered matter, who works and plans its use.

 

5) If we glimpse love to be real, but understand its terms abide in chaos, then we know in part love is good, even in the chaos, on this world, using our imperfect thought, with uncontrolled emotions, in the changing breezes of human affection; we experience life on a world where the terms for love here offer nothing permanent, with many disappointments, and the real chance our hearts will be harmed; but if the love we glimpse in chaos is real, if its ways and mystery are yet to be fully known and seen, that then is the great hope of tomorrow.

 

6) There is evidence of enough creative objects and meaningful experiences in this existence to see evidence of good; is that good potentially a great good? Does this evidence ultimately point to a plan for our lives? The problem of life is it has always been an indifferent and inhospitable place with dangers, suffering, indifference in the working of nature; the puzzle is how to reconcile how the evidence of good, amid the chaos, can sustain the idea life has ultimate meaning; this uncertainty has puzzled the ages by design; this uncertainty in our search is not by accident.

 

7) There is if we look closely, if we look discerningly, evidence of a mystery, and not just a small mystery that can be easily explained away. There is too much that is perplexing about the state of existence, too many curious conundrums; so many curious wonders within experience; too many temping variances and clues of creative genius; a glimpse of a hidden artists hand, making this no platform of absurdity, but a treasure chest, hidden in the cave within the rocky cove next to the sea; open the chest to the unknown, the treasure you find will explain who he is.

 

 

Thoughts of God

 

Let me guess you've come to crucify me again. Where I walk now you have not seen. What I know you do not know. My ways exceed your ways. I am more then enough to compensate for you. My home is large; it contains many cities unlike any place you have seen. These cities contain flowers that bloom in the morning sun. Look up and you can see the suns light in the day. Can you see where the sun does not shine with the naked eye. My eyes behold regions you do not begin to fathom or understand. Life to you is only so large. In God's kingdom the promise of prosperity extends into the highest mountains. The good I know reaches the upper hills and the lower valleys. There is love in the tulip and daffodil and good in the morning sparrow. The ocean is deeper then the most far-reaching submarine extending into regions even the great squid has not seen. What I speak of in parable is a tail of love and great possibility. In your grief look to me and watch carefully. I will appear when you are not ready. My hour comes close. Tell the world my story that I am one who sees dignity in man. I am the light of the nations toil. The end you fear is my beginning where a window and a door are open. Step through and you will see possibilities reach. But even then, you will only glimpse what my father understands. The good I speak of is the promise of immortal hope. I am not a riddler with a dishonest cloak. I have many words to speak to you. I will one day make myself known. Lift up your weary and give cheer. The hour now draws near.