What do you think?
Field Trilogy #2
Next Best Thing: The Field Trilogy
Book by Saul, John Ralston
241 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
John Ralston Saul
56 books234 followersJohn Ralston Saul is a Canadian writer, essayist, and public intellectual best known for his provocative works on themes such as individualism, citizenship, democracy, globalization, and the role of the public intellectual. His books, widely translated and read around the world, challenge conventional economic and political thinking and advocate for civic responsibility and ethical governance. A celebrated critic of technocratic and corporatist ideologies, Saul is often recognized for his passionate defense of the public good and his deep belief in the transformative power of engaged citizenship.
Born in Ottawa, Saul was educated in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. He holds a PhD from King’s College London, where he focused on the modernization of France during the Algerian War. Early in his career, he worked in both the corporate world and in diplomacy, notably serving as an assistant to André Malraux, the famed French novelist and minister. These experiences informed his understanding of the interplay between power, culture, and politics, which would later become central to his writing.
Saul first gained international attention with his 1988 philosophical novel Voltaire’s Bastards: The Dictatorship of Reason in the West, a critique of how rationality, while necessary, had been distorted into a cold, managerial ideology disconnected from ethics, culture, and human values. The book, and subsequent works like The Unconscious Civilization and The Doubter’s Companion, positioned him as a leading voice in what he called “responsible humanism”—a worldview that values reason but insists it be balanced by intuition, memory, and imagination.
His 2008 book A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada argued that Canada’s political culture is deeply shaped by Indigenous values, particularly egalitarianism, negotiation, and mutual respect. The book challenged traditional Eurocentric narratives and emphasized the need for a new national conversation built on inclusion and reconciliation. This work reflects Saul’s long-standing commitment to Indigenous issues in Canada, which has also shaped his public advocacy.
Saul served as president of PEN International, the global writers’ organization, from 2009 to 2015, where he championed freedom of expression and supported writers under threat around the world. He is also the longtime companion and husband of Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada, and served as her close advisor during her tenure from 1999 to 2005.
His many awards include the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, the Pablo Neruda Medal, and the Canada Council Molson Prize. Saul is also a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.
Through his essays, novels, lectures, and international work, John Ralston Saul has established himself as one of Canada’s foremost thinkers—a defender of thoughtful dissent and a persistent voice for a more just, inclusive, and imaginative society. His work continues to influence debates on democracy, culture, and civic engagement both in Canada and abroad.
Born in Ottawa, Saul was educated in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. He holds a PhD from King’s College London, where he focused on the modernization of France during the Algerian War. Early in his career, he worked in both the corporate world and in diplomacy, notably serving as an assistant to André Malraux, the famed French novelist and minister. These experiences informed his understanding of the interplay between power, culture, and politics, which would later become central to his writing.
Saul first gained international attention with his 1988 philosophical novel Voltaire’s Bastards: The Dictatorship of Reason in the West, a critique of how rationality, while necessary, had been distorted into a cold, managerial ideology disconnected from ethics, culture, and human values. The book, and subsequent works like The Unconscious Civilization and The Doubter’s Companion, positioned him as a leading voice in what he called “responsible humanism”—a worldview that values reason but insists it be balanced by intuition, memory, and imagination.
His 2008 book A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada argued that Canada’s political culture is deeply shaped by Indigenous values, particularly egalitarianism, negotiation, and mutual respect. The book challenged traditional Eurocentric narratives and emphasized the need for a new national conversation built on inclusion and reconciliation. This work reflects Saul’s long-standing commitment to Indigenous issues in Canada, which has also shaped his public advocacy.
Saul served as president of PEN International, the global writers’ organization, from 2009 to 2015, where he championed freedom of expression and supported writers under threat around the world. He is also the longtime companion and husband of Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada, and served as her close advisor during her tenure from 1999 to 2005.
His many awards include the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, the Pablo Neruda Medal, and the Canada Council Molson Prize. Saul is also a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.
Through his essays, novels, lectures, and international work, John Ralston Saul has established himself as one of Canada’s foremost thinkers—a defender of thoughtful dissent and a persistent voice for a more just, inclusive, and imaginative society. His work continues to influence debates on democracy, culture, and civic engagement both in Canada and abroad.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 3, 2021
O carte de aventuri ce face parte dintr-o trilogie si care poate fi comparata cu Indiana Jones insa la un nivel mult mai slab.
Subiectul cartii il reprezinta cautarea de comori si il avem in prim plan pe James Spenser, un colectionar de arta fascinat de tot ce este frumos, autentic si valoros. El calatoreste in Birmania pentru a pune mana pe 20 de statui Buddha din orasul parasit Pagan. Problema o constituie drumul pana acolo, unul dificil, iar oamenii care pot ajunge acolo nefiind de incredere.
Desi jurnalistul John Field il avertizeaza sa nu se imprieteneasca cu Blake, un tip periculos cu multe probleme in trecut, James il va insarcina tocmai pe el cu aceasta misiune. De asemenea James este intrigat si de frumoasa companioana a lui Blake, Marea.
Descrierile sunt interesante, mai ales pentru cititorii care nu au calatorit in asemenea locuri indepartate, exotice si diferite de cultura noastra. Localnicii sunt fideli traditiilor lor, curajosi, incapatanati iar femeile sunt supuse si exotice.
Marea problema a romanului este ca pe la pagina 200 am obosit si oarecum m-am plictisit de multitudinea coplesitoare a detaliilor, incepand sa sar peste paragrafe pentru a termina cartea.
In ceea ce priveste traducerea si editarea, acestea sunt un fiasco. Aproape ca nu exista pagina fara greseli de exprimare, gramaticale, dezacorduri, linii de dialog puse unde nu trebuie sau litere mancate. Inclusiv coperta a patra este plina de greseli, cea mai vizibila fiind numele lui Buddha scris cu un singur D. Am gasit chiar si numele protagonistului scris intr-o alta varianta, "Spence", care nu apare nicaieri in carte. Persoana care a scris scurtul rezumat de 3 propozitii de pe spatele cartii, fie are o alta meserie, fie se afla intr-o stare avansata de oboseala. Sau poate ca pur si simplu si-a atins limitele talentului.
Nu inteleg nici strategia de marketing a editurii sau ce i-a indemnat sa puna pe coperta a patra un fragment total nepotrivit in care se vorbeste despre 'un inceput de erectie'. Dupa parerea mea, un asemenea text nu are cum sa convinga pe cineva sa cumpere cartea ci mai degraba sa o evite.
Inchei cu cateva citate pe care am reusit sa le retin din acest iures de greseli:
"Mintea mea este unul dintre putinele lucruri pe care le mai posed si nu doresc sa renunt la ea."
"Moartea, asa cum o stia Spenser, putea fi doar un soc violent, ceva la care nu exista raspuns."
"Magicul creatiei lipsea - irationalul, neasteptatul, neobisnuitul, spiritul care putea face din sculptura mai mult decat un simplu obiect."
"Traiesti in Nirvana, dar valul eului tau propriu te orbeste."
"Evadarea de lume trebuie sa fie un act constient, nu o retragere lasa intr-o pestera neagra."
Subiectul cartii il reprezinta cautarea de comori si il avem in prim plan pe James Spenser, un colectionar de arta fascinat de tot ce este frumos, autentic si valoros. El calatoreste in Birmania pentru a pune mana pe 20 de statui Buddha din orasul parasit Pagan. Problema o constituie drumul pana acolo, unul dificil, iar oamenii care pot ajunge acolo nefiind de incredere.
Desi jurnalistul John Field il avertizeaza sa nu se imprieteneasca cu Blake, un tip periculos cu multe probleme in trecut, James il va insarcina tocmai pe el cu aceasta misiune. De asemenea James este intrigat si de frumoasa companioana a lui Blake, Marea.
Descrierile sunt interesante, mai ales pentru cititorii care nu au calatorit in asemenea locuri indepartate, exotice si diferite de cultura noastra. Localnicii sunt fideli traditiilor lor, curajosi, incapatanati iar femeile sunt supuse si exotice.
Marea problema a romanului este ca pe la pagina 200 am obosit si oarecum m-am plictisit de multitudinea coplesitoare a detaliilor, incepand sa sar peste paragrafe pentru a termina cartea.
In ceea ce priveste traducerea si editarea, acestea sunt un fiasco. Aproape ca nu exista pagina fara greseli de exprimare, gramaticale, dezacorduri, linii de dialog puse unde nu trebuie sau litere mancate. Inclusiv coperta a patra este plina de greseli, cea mai vizibila fiind numele lui Buddha scris cu un singur D. Am gasit chiar si numele protagonistului scris intr-o alta varianta, "Spence", care nu apare nicaieri in carte. Persoana care a scris scurtul rezumat de 3 propozitii de pe spatele cartii, fie are o alta meserie, fie se afla intr-o stare avansata de oboseala. Sau poate ca pur si simplu si-a atins limitele talentului.
Nu inteleg nici strategia de marketing a editurii sau ce i-a indemnat sa puna pe coperta a patra un fragment total nepotrivit in care se vorbeste despre 'un inceput de erectie'. Dupa parerea mea, un asemenea text nu are cum sa convinga pe cineva sa cumpere cartea ci mai degraba sa o evite.
Inchei cu cateva citate pe care am reusit sa le retin din acest iures de greseli:
"Mintea mea este unul dintre putinele lucruri pe care le mai posed si nu doresc sa renunt la ea."
"Moartea, asa cum o stia Spenser, putea fi doar un soc violent, ceva la care nu exista raspuns."
"Magicul creatiei lipsea - irationalul, neasteptatul, neobisnuitul, spiritul care putea face din sculptura mai mult decat un simplu obiect."
"Traiesti in Nirvana, dar valul eului tau propriu te orbeste."
"Evadarea de lume trebuie sa fie un act constient, nu o retragere lasa intr-o pestera neagra."
April 10, 2025
Felt like he got bogged down in the action of the mission and wanted to flex all of the geographical research he must have done to paint a compelling setting, but woefully underdeveloped the main character. Did he just like have a statue fetish? Cool ig
September 15, 2013
If John Ralston Saul did his research, then I learned quite a bit about smuggling and the dangers it puts the thieves in. But is the protagonist in this story truly a thief? That's something let to the readers to decide in this book that takes place in Thailand, Burma and China. It involves the smuggling of some very old and potentially valuable statues of the Buddha. Quite an intriguing read, but it is a little slow going in some parts. Yet, I did enjoy it and would recommend it to my friends.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews