“ The Greatest hope is that these words are nothing “ is pronounced as the last line of the 37th parable, in this collection of some 111 parables, poems, thoughts, or insights putting a name to them is a little difficult but this does not detract from their influence. And in a way he does achieve his aim, but at the same time 'nothing' may well be the point of The Shen.

The Shen (“Ring" of "eternity" and "infinity" was made from a doubled rope with its ends tied into a straight tangent line “ ) and this double looped ring is used as a metaphor in more than one of the parables. Often the the sense of an endless journey looping back on itself, or that the inner and outer are empty but free from the endless loop.

The writer of the Shen Nick Green uses the concept of nature (or Mother Nature as it is usually referred to as ‘she’) as a mentor or teacher in many of the parables, talking to her pupils about knowledge gained by quiet action.

This is an attempt to shine some light on the way we are and the futility of many of our actions, from war, to eating dumplings, and tries to encourage the reader into self contemplation, and the realisation of higher self, a oneness with nature, and in this it resembles Buddhist, or new age thought rather than the biblical; which the parable style used to convey the messages implies.

It is not the first book to hint that being at one with the universe, or becoming nothing is to become whole, and I have read better, from old Chinese proverbs to Siddhartha, but this being written in our time gives it more tangibilty, and i its style makes it easy for the reader to grasp this philosphy in small doses.

It can be quite scattered in its topics and opinions, which is admitted on the back cover introduction. This contadictory method even within the one parable, can tend to frustrate, and confuse the reader, just when you seem to be drawn into a grand insight the parable skips off on some criptic tangent. Or is it that this reader missed the more hidden meanings in some parables?

It did seem at its best when relating to real life analogies rather than the more esoteric emptiness and oneness of wisdom, which by its nature is impossible to describe. Perhaps if nothing else the reader picks up this little point, that a higher self is possible and its impossible to know without experience.

In this The Shen has achieved its goal that by saying nothing the reader may discover everything.

David Campbell