- Publisher: BookBaby (June 16, 2021)
- Language: English
- Paperback: 264 pages
- ISBN-10: 1098378997
- ISBN-13: 978-1098378998
- Genre: Deserts Ecosystems
The BookViral Review:
Gloryland Reprise is the startling tale of one man’s journey of discovery, as he confronts nature full-on, driving himself to the limits of endurance as he builds a lasting relationship with the Arizonian landscape and explores its implications.
Full of poetic resonance and deeply imaginative imagery, Drew Signor takes his readers on an unparalleled journey of discovery, as both the spiritual implications of nature and the mysteries of history unfurl around you. Marrying lyrics with thought-provoking quotes as he draws us into his world of deeply reflective walking, bringing to mind the words of Soren Kierkegaard “Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be alright”.
This is never truer than as represented in Gloryland Reprise. Through his time amongst the beauty and the harsh reality of nature, Signor finds personal strength and a strong spiritual connection-“nature is the glove a spiritual hand is wearing”-as he describes the conscious and unconscious reciprocal interplay between the Creator and the created. Through the physical, the spiritual implications of the landscape emerge, as Signor’s uncanny ability to create strong scenes for the reader, using beautifully constructed metaphor and personification, pull you along in an immersive eddy of language and meaning.
A master of alliteration, Signor‘s exquisitely crafted language places his reader solidly next to him in a full sensory experience as he expertly builds imagery in the finest detail “Their creamed coffee leaves crunch underfoot and clashes with the creek’s conversation”.
The connection between walking and writing is ever-present, magnifying the solitary but immersive nature of both, and for Signor, each one cannot exist alone but feed into the other, creating a pairing of reflection and prose.
Nevertheless, in stark juxtaposition, the hand of man is brutally introduced, a graphic full-frontal shock amongst the otherwise harmonious pairings of nature. As he walks, Signor stumbles upon “a six-foot steel wire fence (which) divides the third world and the promised land”, creating a striking contrast between the reciprocal generosity of other creations and the egotistical nature of modern mankind. This is further magnified as he discovers signs of ancient civilizations along with evidence of how they worked in harmony with the natural environment, begging the reader to reflect mindfully and appreciatively on our wonderful world and on our responsibility to preserve its wonder.
A cumulative and captivating offering, Gloryland Reprise takes a reverential and respectful look at nature and its impact on the human psyche, should we be wise enough to take the time to open ourselves up to this connection and indulge in its awe-inspiring beauty. It is a highly recommended five star read!
