The Happiness Triangle | The Equilibrist Series Vol.I
Synopsis
A magical, modern-day literary tale. Let go of the past, find inspiration, deal with loss, and ultimately live a happy, blissful life.
In Erasmus Cromwell-Smith’s magical, modern-day literary tale, an ailing professor journeys into his past to reveal a world ensconced in stories and poetry, with the hope of imparting inspirational, lifelong lessons.
From his crumpled aesthetic of a tweed jacket or cardigan to his thick British accent, Professor Erasmus Cromwell-Smith is the embodiment of the prestigious New England scholastic institute where he teaches.
But at 64, with a sudden diagnosis of incurable brain cancer, he decides to focus his intentions on living each day to the fullest and to share a lifetime of wisdom that he’s treasured throughout the years.
Through an unfolding of conversation, free-verse poetry, and letters, the mentors’ tutelage is revealed.
Over 30 thought-provoking poems and reflections are woven throughout, addressing such concepts as:
● How Hope triumphs over tragedy.
● How True Love trumps hardship and pain.
● What is the Happiness Formula.
● The healing power of Poetry and Art.
● The importance of the small details in life.
● What does it mean to live an inspired life.
● The importance of not being mere bystanders in our lives (but participants).
● What is a life wizard.
● How to win in life?
● What is true love?
● What is the power of Hope?
● Where does the magic in life resides?
“…A Touching collection that weaves poetry into a man’s life story for a tangible example of the healing power of poetry…”
“Just like Coelho’s The Alchemist, only with a magical love story.”
Reader’s opinions
“…This magnificent literary creation is a work of art. It is like someone has written the language of my soul. The poems were the stepping-stones and the story of the professor is what linked them together. The book stories were the portals, then the poems transported me to places deep, deep inside. This little great book touched me emotionally everywhere. For me it was like an inspirational box of chocolates. The love story is one we can all relate to as love is a two-sided coin and its balance rests on the edge. This book will connect with both serious, casual readers and everyone in general, even the youngest. I predict the equilibrist will become an American literary classic and it is my appreciation as a teacher, that it will become mandatory reading at the high-school level…”
“…This book is a jewel and a masterpiece. The story is a treasure trove of art and poetry, presented through poetic installments weaved with a thrilling story. It describes the nurturing of personal and interpersonal relationships. It touches the very soul of our emotions while causes introspection of our own existence. From the beginning, I felt this intense emotional connection with the story and was quickly lost for hours at a time reflecting on each sentence profoundness and wisdom. Then, every time I went back to it, I found myself reading the prior ten pages over and over again…”
Blue Ink Review
In Erasmus Cromwell-Smith II’s magical, modern-day literary tale, an ailing professor journeys into his past to reveal a world ensconced in stories and poetry, with hope of imparting inspirational, lifelong lessons.
From his crumpled aesthetic of a tweed jacket or cardigan to his thick British accent, Professor Erasmus Cromwell-Smith is the embodiment of the prestigious New England scholastic institute where he teaches. But at 64, with a sudden diagnosis of incurable brain cancer, he decides to focus his intentions on living each day to the fullest, and to share a lifetime of wisdom that he’s treasured throughout the years. In daily classes with an ever-increasing audience, the professor mesmerizes students with tales of a childhood surrounded by rare books and enhanced by his friendships with three colorful, eclectic antiquarian mentors.
Through an unfolding of conversation, free-verse poetry, and letters, the mentors’ tutelage is revealed. For example, the title poem serves as a message about balance and freedom, while “The Magic in Life” poses questions about where enchantment exists, ” … a piece of art?/ …a magnificent meal?/ …within the silence and peace of contemplation and meditation?” Over 30 thought-provoking poems and reflections are woven throughout, addressing such concepts as letting go of the past, finding inspiration, dealing with loss, and ultimately living a happy, blissful life.
The writing style is thoroughly fluid and engaging, with a nice narrative change up, as chapters often switch from third person as the eccentric professor ponders his way to class, to the first-person storytelling of his lectures that easily draws in students (and readers).
This is also a story about love. With only a few hints regarding a curious young blonde-haired woman attending his class, the professor’s legacy is ultimately brought to a surprising, honored conclusion.
The story’s premise recalls Randy Pausch’s popular memoir, The Last Lecture, yet this existential “final session” harbors a quiet magical quality all its own. In choosing to explore universal concerns within a captivating fictional realm, Cromwell-Smith II strikes an ideal balance for his storytelling.
Literary Reviews
Clarion Review
“…A Touching collection that weaves poetry into a man’s life story for a tangible example of the healing power of poetry…”
Blueink Review
(Starred Review)
“…magical, modern-day fairy tale…over 30 thought-provoking poems and reflections…a captivating fictional realm…”
Raymond N
(Starred Review)
Poetry is more than a group of words beautifully strung together. In The Happiness Triangle, poetry is used as an inspirational telescope to gaze at the wonderful universe of life.
Professor Cromwell was known to be “insanely awesome”. Realizing that his time on Earth could be cut short, he decided to live each day like his last and reveal a part of himself in each of his classes. Every chapter tells a beautiful story of his past. In addition, there are incredible verses and short stories to follow each chapter. Life lessons can be learned from every chapter, as each chapter substantially deals with an important topic. This book was written by Erasmus Cromwell-Smith, and it is the story of his father.
Before the chapters began, I was inspired. Firstly, the decision of Professor Cromwell to make his days memorable was motivating. We choose how we react to bad situations. Secondly, the author, Erasmus Cromwell-Smith II, has gone out of his way to look for his father’s writings from his students and put together this work to honor him. I found this heartwarming. The style of this book is incredible. The words are not only beautifully strung together, but they have so much depth. I found myself reading the verses over again because there was a new meaning to be understood each time I read it again.
My favorite parts of this book are the lessons I learned. It was more captivating for me because the lessons were entertaining. It was amazing how the author used very basic instances to explain life issues. One of such verses was when he talked about the song in the rain. When it rains, there’s a limit to what can be heard. However, if you can hear music through the sound of rain, then you are capable of overcoming a lot and enjoying things in the direst of circumstances. This was a very basic but inspiring analogy. I also enjoyed the verse on self-reliance. Many people confuse this concept with being selfish. However, it was made clear that out of love, you can put others first. But when it comes to dependence, you depend on no one else but yourself.
In addition, there was a painful story of love with an amazing ending, which I never saw coming. I liked that I learned lessons, experienced beautiful wordplay, and read a complete story. There was absolutely nothing to dislike about this book. I came across only a few errors, so I believe this book was professionally edited. Of course, my rating is 4 out of 4 stars. The description of this book proved to be true by terming this a magical book.
I recommend this book to deep thinkers, as they will be able to appreciate the perfection of this book. If you like poetry and spoken words, this is for you. In addition, if you want to learn some life lessons, including the happiness formula, you should read this book.
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The Happiness Triangle