The Opposite of Art: A Novel

The Opposite of Art

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He didn't illustrate it, but battered it. It's shocking to me I can have so good of an outlook on one book by Dickson, and then have this disdain for this book; I have to wonder if this is the same guy. Jesus is the only way, and if you read the KJV, you can see all the truths this book didn't show you. This book is the exact 'opposite,' of the Bible.

Aug 13, JoAnna rated it liked it Shelves: This was good until the end, it left some loose ends and left me confused. All in all, I still found it very worthwhile reading. Apr 13, Victor Gentile rated it it was amazing. Before Athol Dickson became a master storyteller he was a master architect. It takes great creativity, imagination and "smarts" to design a building that will fit within the specified acreage and have all the required components and still be spectacularly beautiful.

Dickson tells stories he utilizes all the skills he developed in building buildi Athol Dickson in his new book, "The Opposite Of Art" published by Howard Books brings us into the life of Sheridan Ridler, a master painter. Dickson tells stories he utilizes all the skills he developed in building buildings to build stories for us. Sheridan Ridler, master painter, was also a selfish drug-user until a hit-and-run plunged him into the Harlem River.

For several minutes, Ridler's heart stopped beating. While he lay dead, he saw a beauty that for the next twenty-five years he'd wandered the globe trying to capture on canvas. His daughter, Gemma, who he did not know he had, when she heard he might still be alive, begins an active search for him. Gemma is not alone in her search. The man who thought he killed Ridler twenty-five years ago is also looking for him and this time he intends to make sure he succeeds. When Athol Dickson tells a story he builds it like an architect, start with the foundation and then each floor goes up methodically after the previous floor has been built.

When we finish an Athol Dickson novel we are left with a hugely satisfying sigh because we have enjoyed ourselves immensely. But "The Opposite Of Art" also has beautiful themes such as can a person change? What is the importance of a father to a daughter?

I liked this book and recommend this highly! If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and business professionals please go to www. To listen to 24 hours non-stop Christian music please visit our internet radio station http: I received this book free from Glass Road Public Relations. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Oct 25, Mary Ann rated it liked it.

Within the first few pages I found myself debating if I should keep reading. I committed to review it It certainly isn't your typical christain novel, but it does accurately portray a person in search of Someone greater than himself. It is true to real life This is the story of one such person. That being said, it was pretty mild.

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No need for an 'R' rating, it just has more of a secular tone. The christian issues aside Athol Dickson did an incredible job of writing with such great detail that I had perfectly vivid images in my mind throughout most of the book. On occasion I felt as if the author has given a bit too much information, but when I reached the end of the scene, I was left with no doubt as to what he was trying to portray.

His words were like that of a painter. The characters are a very colorful cast. Ridler, the tormented painter Suzanna, the girlfriend he left behind Graves, the man who sold his paintings while robbing him blind The story is well written.

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It becomes very intense at times as you feel the torment and anguish of Ridler as he continues his quest for the Glory even though he isn't quite sure what the Glory is. The story will take you all over the world with action and adventure and gives you a strong sense of what the characters are feeling. It isn't a quick read. At times it seemed a bit much I think I'm going to try another Athol Dickson novel.

Oct 28, Megan rated it liked it. First of all, what a great cover.

If you cannot tell, it is the back of a canvas piece of artwork. I didn't pay much attention to it when I first got the book, but when I finally looked at it, I thought it was really clever! In the book, Sheridan Ridler is a brilliant artist whose life is cut short too early, or at least that is what the world thinks. When Ridler is thrown into the Hudson River, everyone thinks that there is no way he could survive; but he does survive. Over t First of all, what a great cover. Over twenty years pass while most of the world thinks he is dead, and he travels the earth searching.

He searches for what he calls "the Glory," the image or experience he had when he falls off the bridge into the river. He is desperate to paint or recreate "the Glory," and while all of his attempts fall short of his memory--they never fail to move those who see them. This is an interesting book. The prose is beautiful with clear and unique imagery. The story is intriguing, and the characters are well-developed. As a Christian who know the Truth, the story made me really think about certain things. For example, I believe the word "glory" can only be used to describe the Lord and His creation which brings Him glory.

I saw in Ridler the searching heart that all of us have.

Some of us try to fill it with other things; some search their entire lives, trying other religions, occupations, just as Ridler did. Besides searching, there were other themes, of love, hope, and dying to self. I feel like the book could be confusing to "seekers" in that it never really directly points to Jesus. I love the one and only scene that Jesus is mentioned though! I think some of the surrealism could be confusing for someone who does not know the Bible like Esperanza.

Overall though, I would recommend this book to other Christians, but probably not new believers. I received this book from Glass Roads Public Relations in exchange for my honest review. Oct 25, Christy Lockstein rated it it was amazing. The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson is a thought-provoking look at art, faith, and love.

Sheridan Ridler is a great artist, and unfortunately, he knows it. He views the world as created for him and lives only for his art. When his girlfriend Suzanna walks out on him because he refuses to respect her faith, Ridler follows her into the night. During the chase, he is captivated by the image of a building in flames and begins to run to see the image better in order to capture it.

But while Ridler chases Suzanna, someone else chases him, and as he crosses the bridge, his pursuer takes the opportunity to hit him with a car, knocking Ridler into the river below. When Ridler emerges from the water, he is desperate to regain the image of Glory he witnessed, and he begins a twenty-year quest chasing it around the globe. He travels from one holy place to another in hopes of capturing this Glory and making it his, but the harder he tries to grasp it, the more elusive it becomes.

Finally after twenty-five years, word slips out to the world that Ridler is alive, and his daughter Gemma tries to track him down, but the man who murdered him desires for him to stay dead, so once again while Ridler chases his art, he is pursued. The novel is impossible to classify into genre; it is literary, suspenseful, and romantic. Dickson fills his novel with grotesque characters similar to Flannery O'Connor, and the story is written at times almost like a fairy tale.

It feels like a story birthed in the oral tradition of storytelling with a sense of fantasy mixed with realism that makes it impossible to know whether it is true. But it feels true, because Dickson has captured such powerful and real emotions, like the tortured thoughts of a woman first meeting her father. This is a beautifully told story that will captivate readers' senses while making them consider the lesson Ridler finally learns as well. Oct 20, Laura rated it really liked it. Ridler loves painting and he is good at what he does. It all falls apart when Suzanna decides s Title: So, she refuses to pose nude for him anymore.

And then, she walks out. But, instead of finding her, he is hit by a hit and run driver, and presumed dead in the Harlem River. Fifty years later, rumors begin to circulate that Ridler is still alive…and two people are hunting for him. One is the daughter he never knew existed. And the other is the man who wants him dead. Althol Dickson writes like no one else. Some things I found confusing.

Other things disagreed with everything I believed. Dickson had me firmly in the grips of this story and I read it start to finish in one day, neglecting my own work. If you have never read any books by Mr. Discussion questions and an author question and answer are included at the end of the book. There are books that strive to hit a deeper chord, and it can be a difficult thing to achieve when you're struggling to convey in so many words the complexity of humans.

Athol Dickson take on the task of showing the intricate way a man's mind works after losing love, and seeking faith. A man who is supposedly been declared dead is still alive, but has disappeared in a search for faith. His lover from the past, and an old friend receive messages supposedly from him that lead them in a search for There are books that strive to hit a deeper chord, and it can be a difficult thing to achieve when you're struggling to convey in so many words the complexity of humans.

His lover from the past, and an old friend receive messages supposedly from him that lead them in a search for him. This book deals with deep topics from unrequited love, to exploring different faiths. This book catches you from the beginning, but somewhere along the way it begins to drag. The story itself never becomes boring, but there is so much description, and pondering that you get lost in what exactly the author is trying to convey. The words are beautiful, but I felt the story kept disappearing under them. The circus scenes could have been much better had the descriptions been clearer.

As I said though the underlying story is great. This book, which is based in Christianity, features topics that are still considered taboo to mention. The man in the novel openly explores his faith, and we are exposed to the inner workings of someone who is completely trying to make sense of believing in something. This book doesn't hold back on what it is willing to share. There are a few scenes where the character openly reflects on his sexual escapades, and how much he enjoys the beauty of a woman's body. It's a very honest book for it's genre.

If you are someone who isn't looking to ponder beyond the book too much then this may not be the best read, but if you're looking to evaluate your own life, or a more complex love story then this might be your thing. I felt the book was good, but it left me hoping for more. This book was provided by Glass Road Public Relations in exchange for a review. Oct 25, Melanie rated it really liked it Shelves: In love with Suzanna, he is unable to verbalize how much she means to him.

He chases after her and ends up in Harlem. Sheridan awakes after being unconscious on the bank of the river, after basically being dead, and see the Glory of God before him. He never realizes he was hit by a car, let alone by Talbot. Pronounced dead by the world, Ridler paintings skyrocket in value. Over the years he ends up in a variety of countries, trying to find it within Buddhism, Islam and Judaism and Christianity. All in search of the Glory he saw that he cannot shake. Excellent descriptions of different religions and how Sheridan was unable to find the Glory in them until he found the True God.

It got a little dry for me at times, not as fast paced as I like. Artists will appreciate Sheridan and his internal struggles. I received a copy of this novel from Glass Road in exchange for an honest review Oct 24, Carly rated it it was amazing. There were some places in this story that felt a bit slow and rambling, but the story is complex and spans a long time, so I felt like it kept it from feeling rushed. I was fascinated by so much of the story and the place Ridler went and how he came to be where he was. The Opposite of Art is not like any other Christian novel that I have read, at least not that I can recall.

I love seeing this type of Christian book because we see a different side of life not often seen in Christian fiction. Athol took some chances with this story and I applaud them because an author who challenges his or her readers is doing them a service. Oct 31, Noah Arsenault rated it it was amazing. I am astounded by this book. First, it really surprised me and made me really apprehensive. Also, the main character, Sheridan Ridler, travels around the world, exploring religions from Buddhism to Judaism.

This is not unlike Solomon's Biblical journey searching for something meaningful. He did many sinful things, indulged in many wrong acts, and found they were empty. Ridler eventually works his way t I am astounded by this book. Ridler eventually works his way to Christianity as well, the rest being shown meaningless.

Thus, take these events with a grain of salt. In the last few chapters, The Opposite of Art really goes deep. This is what made the book worthy reading to me. I wouldn't put it on a pedestal with Bunyan or C. Lewis, but it was good. I had to read it a few times before understanding even relatively well what it was saying. The characters were well-developed. They were their own style, not reminiscing another author. The villain, especially, was quite unique.

You'll have to read the book to find out why. I consider this a book that may strengthen your faith, actually. This book was provided free by Glass Road Public Relations and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own. Dec 09, Rene rated it really liked it. The story is creative and original, the writing is rich and intriguing and the characters were each complicated and real.

From the first chapter, I was drawn in and committed. Most importantly, this book got me thinking, philosophizing and feeling my faith Faith is a powerful thing, a personal thing and there are people in the world like myself who try for half their lives to stuff their faith into other peoples religions in order to categorize their faith. Non-believers who have enormous faith, but don't believe in the context of religious dogma and therefore, feel lost in a society or world even, of religion. The wine on Gemma's sleeve, the sand in her shoes from her painting daydreams. Esperanza and the whole circus But, in truth, and in the book, the searching, the need to understand, the need to label, the need to proudly display that label Love is my religion and the magic that falls into our peripheral, are just road signs to love, and I have unshakable faith in that.

Apr 04, Katie rated it it was ok. As I said before, this book was not what I expected. Coming from my mother, I knew it would be a Christian novel. As I glanced, for once, at another review, I would have to agree that it certainly doesn't read like a Christian book especially in the first chapter if not a few of the chapters following.

It hits its stride slowly I cannot say I was in love with this book, but I wanted to finish. I did want to know how it ended. That seems a compliment to any author that something As I said before, this book was not what I expected. That seems a compliment to any author that something about the book was compelling. Perhaps it is simply because I puzzle over the non-Christian mind works simply because it is not my perspective, and I do want to understand.

As a lover of art and all it evokes, something very beautiful does transpire within the cover of The Opposite of Art.

Can books be compared with works of art?

Parts leave something to be desired. Parts certainly made me smile.

Having been a traveler of the world, much of what was described as the protagonist's if you could call him a protagonist, the wimp issues and observations were familiar to me. Athol Dickson should be affirmed as being able to capture dialogue and natural-seeming human responses, emotions, and reactions despite a colourful array of characters.

Read it or don't. I don't think it is a life-changer by any means, but it was enough for me to say, "Huh. Sep 26, Tonya rated it it was amazing Shelves: My first Athol Dickson. I really liked the descriptions, but then the cover wasn't much, so I didn't pick it up for forever. Yesterday, 12 hours ago. And haven't been able to put it down except to do a few life chores! Now I am in no way, shape or form really one to say really literal things about books.

Deep, me not so much. This book is not to be read lightly, just skimming through. You will want to read, ingest, reread each s Amazing! You will want to read, ingest, reread each sentence, savoring it. Some of the descriptions, like the sky was being pregnant, bloody brilliant in my book! Once I really got into the book, I enjoyed each chapter, viewing the world from a different person's eyes. Was she right to wait for him so long, and so passively?

What does the novel have to say about religion?

What does the novel have to say about the nature of God and our relationship with God? What does the novel have to say about the nature of art? The purpose of art? The source of art? What do the words lacuna, esperanza, and graves mean? At its most fundamental level, all great art is an attempt to communicate truths beyond words. Even the classic novels are considered great because of something deeper than mere words. God is the most fundamental ineffable truth, yet very few artists have tried to communicate their impression of God directly in their work.

Only a few have addressed themselves to God directly, and they almost universally anthropomorphize their conception of the divine, usually rendering God as an old man with a long beard. How was the process of writing this book different from your previous books? Actually, it was much the same process as all the others. I began with the idea of a great painter who wants to capture God on canvas, and then began to think in terms of settings, characters, and events that might support that idea. What motivates this person? What stands in his way? Why is he the way he is? What are his strengths and weaknesses?

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What do I like about him? What do I hate about him? As I asked these questions, the decisions I had to make to answer them began to fill in all the blanks, until eventually I had a story. There are several people that help Ridler along the way and shape his faith and religious experience, including Bob Feldman, al-Wasiti, the rabbi Jonathon Klein, and Esperanza. How have others helped you to develop and further your own faith? Of the characters you created in The Opposite of Art, who do you sympathize with most? I am all of them at different times. I have great sympathy for Abu al-Wasiti, whose religion has been hijacked by evil, because my own has often suffered the same fate.

I sometimes long for a different history, as Gemma does, and I sometimes demand access to the secrets of the universe on my own terms, as Ridler does. Your writing incorporates inspirational themes into plot-driven stories of intrigue, suspense, and mystery. On your website, you write that your bookcase is full of suspense and mystery novels. Which authors have influenced your work the most? Another difficult answer to narrow down. The list is very long.

Thornton Wilder gave me permission to inject myself into the story now and then. Doctorow, and Umberto Eco taught me to appreciate the power of history in forming mysteries. As one of the most celebrated artists of his day, Ridler seems to experience the world more intensely than other people: In your experience as a classically trained artist and architect, do you think artists really do experience the world differently than others?

An artist is different only in his ability to communicate part of his experience in ways that speak to others at a level beyond words. For example, I think tourists at the Grand Canyon come in three basic types. We can ignore them. Second, there are those who are present in the moment to some extent, but feel a need to document the experience usually with a snapshot. Finally, some are so completely present they lose track of themselves within the experience.

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