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Letters from a Nameless Village
After failure in ambition and in love, a man leaves the city and settles in a nameless village, where he finds peace and meaning among its simple inhabitants. He writes a series of letters to an old friend detailing his experience, but there are flickers of madness and doubt upon the pages, leaving one to wonder the truth behind his letters.
84 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2019
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310 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 27, 2020
I'm glad this "story" was only 80 pages and was a giveaway. The author needs to stick to his art (he got 2 stars for his cover) because he is not a writer. This was confusing and read like the ramblings of a mad man that was given acid, a pen and paper. Definitely not recommended.
March 8, 2020
~80 pages. Thought this was a quick fairy tale read. Missed it by a mile. It is so much more! If someone took the great thinkers and philosophers and distilled the search for the human soul into approximately 80 pages, this is the culmination. This one sits in my library next to Kafka, de Saint-Exupéry, Dr Seuss, Socrates, Comte, Sarte, Nietzsche, Freud, Judaism, Christianity, Buddism, et al. This is far and away my #1 read.
February 13, 2020
Won this book in a goodreads giveaway. The book started off with almost philosophical ramblings & then just took an odd turn. I was left feeling a bit confused after forcing myself to finish it.
July 2, 2020
Letters from a nameless village is a short book written about a man who writes letters from there to a friend about his experience. The village people live in a straightforward manner, and as the protagonist explains his days in the first-person narrative, he takes the reader with him on this journey of penmanship.
Although the book is short, it contains philosophical and in-depth thinking about the world and what is around us. Its short-read literature takes not long to finish but leaves thoughts in your mind afterward.
The literature questions your own existential dilemma, and above all, it is written in the classic style. The reader may sometimes feel lost or not understand what is going on. Everything about the story is short and sweet.
I particularly enjoyed the deep thoughts and the way the book was like a diary of letters. The cover is amazingly attractive and really complements the content. I would recommend it to people who like a fast read and like such musings.
Although the book is short, it contains philosophical and in-depth thinking about the world and what is around us. Its short-read literature takes not long to finish but leaves thoughts in your mind afterward.
The literature questions your own existential dilemma, and above all, it is written in the classic style. The reader may sometimes feel lost or not understand what is going on. Everything about the story is short and sweet.
I particularly enjoyed the deep thoughts and the way the book was like a diary of letters. The cover is amazingly attractive and really complements the content. I would recommend it to people who like a fast read and like such musings.
February 14, 2020
Fantastic
If you like to question life or want questions to guide your own existential crisis this is the book for you! I found it a relaxing read, another world completely without it taking place in another world at all. An absolute joy to read.
If you like to question life or want questions to guide your own existential crisis this is the book for you! I found it a relaxing read, another world completely without it taking place in another world at all. An absolute joy to read.
March 1, 2020
"I am filled with such musings these days, my friend, and I am anxious to hear your thoughts. Some days, I feel like a sage embarked on a quest of enlightenment. And on just as many days, I feel like a lunatic in the woods, laughing at the clouds."For a 82 page book it took me quite a while to get through, even when the first evening I finished the first third of it. It reads as a classic, and that is not something I think contributed to my reading speed or enjoyment - in fact, it is one of the things I found enjoyable in this reading experience.
The whole story is told through letters, and as the description suggest, we should see flickers of beginning madness and doubt. This is where my praise for the book starts to fall apart, because the interesting premise I was intrigued by I saw nowhere near its culmination. I should think that I have missed it while I was getting bored with the subplot about the man reminiscing of his old love, and meeting new people in the village who had a chance to challenge his picturesque view of his new home - alas, it seemed to me none have left a lasting impact of him, and he continued to be revert back to his philosophical musings about the human issue of existence.
Was he ever mad, he most likely had been the whole time. Except for the very last letter, I have not seen true cult mindset in his letters but a constant celebration of an idyll: description of rustic life suggesting a mood of peace and contentment.
It finally boils down to: town bad, village good. Capitalism bad, communism good (not really, but equal distribution of labour and trading in kind are praised well). Ambition and trying to appease to a woman has sullied the man's mind, and his only true liberation comes through simplicity in life that is spend in fair labour and meditation.
Yet such unopposed life,
...which is not a bad message per se, if only it was handled in a more stimulating way.
Thank you, Reading Deals, for presenting me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
May 27, 2020
***3.5***
In simple words I was not expecting what I read,it's not an eye opener but neither something "meh",it's definitely worth a try,as no two readers are the same.
At times the unknown character seemed overly sensitive over petty things,philosoph-lysing absolutely random tasks and objects. (No offence) But the character doesn't seem to be schizophrenic rather a random human who thinks his narratives are superior then others,just because everyone is living in a consumerist society and delve into indulges constantly then they are the mad flock.
Some of the philosophical ideologies in the books are super cliche.
On a positive note this book has some amazing writing style which I really enjoyed,one way or another this book provides an interesting look at simplistic lifestyle,religion and materialism.
I would say that too many philosophical thoughts were kneaded together in a small bowl-which is already holding overflowing amount ingredients i.e lack of explanation or building upon a different topics like: happiness, heart break,consumerism,living in remote place,living in the absence of complex civilisation,shedding away the various factors of city life,love & hate,religion and many many more.
I believe this book should certainly be thought in schools or to young adults in order to educate them about different aspects of one's being. This book does the job efficiently by removing the heavy classics which are written in an era long before. The book provides vocabulary, food for thought and interesting writing style,making it a perfect blend for us Youngsters to read and learn great things without indulging into really old books where the important lessons are lost in trying to translate old to the new and meeting deadlines.
Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with the free e-book in an exchange for an honest review.
In simple words I was not expecting what I read,it's not an eye opener but neither something "meh",it's definitely worth a try,as no two readers are the same.
At times the unknown character seemed overly sensitive over petty things,philosoph-lysing absolutely random tasks and objects. (No offence) But the character doesn't seem to be schizophrenic rather a random human who thinks his narratives are superior then others,just because everyone is living in a consumerist society and delve into indulges constantly then they are the mad flock.
Some of the philosophical ideologies in the books are super cliche.
On a positive note this book has some amazing writing style which I really enjoyed,one way or another this book provides an interesting look at simplistic lifestyle,religion and materialism.
I would say that too many philosophical thoughts were kneaded together in a small bowl-which is already holding overflowing amount ingredients i.e lack of explanation or building upon a different topics like: happiness, heart break,consumerism,living in remote place,living in the absence of complex civilisation,shedding away the various factors of city life,love & hate,religion and many many more.
I believe this book should certainly be thought in schools or to young adults in order to educate them about different aspects of one's being. This book does the job efficiently by removing the heavy classics which are written in an era long before. The book provides vocabulary, food for thought and interesting writing style,making it a perfect blend for us Youngsters to read and learn great things without indulging into really old books where the important lessons are lost in trying to translate old to the new and meeting deadlines.
Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with the free e-book in an exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2020
Letters from a Nameless Village by Muhn Sihn is composed of more questions than answers. A man seeks meaning to his existence by running from his failures and seeking refuge in simplicity. His letters to ‘my dear fellow’ contemplate his life in the form of questions. Despite this presentation of thought, few answers or even speculations follow. I did like the following quote, however. “Everything lives at the expense of something else.”
The book can be completed within an hour, as it is only eighty-four pages. Still, I believe this time is better spent in meditation. There is no clear direction to Sihn’s characters. The book is a compilation of ramblings with no cohesive thought patterns. In the end, I was left wondering what its purpose was. Yes, the main character discovers that a simplistic way of life is more fulfilling than his previous life in the city, but the beauty of simplicity is never identified or described. The way a bird’s song is orchestrated by nature and not confined within the four walls of human design. Or the kiss of a breeze caresses the arm in comfort when most needed. The author’s main character provided no threads of connecting to the reader. I was grasping at straws.
I had hoped Letters from a Nameless Village would pull me into its simplicity, giving enlightenment where none previously existed. Instead, it left me confused and disappointed. It is a mish-mash of thought.
The book can be completed within an hour, as it is only eighty-four pages. Still, I believe this time is better spent in meditation. There is no clear direction to Sihn’s characters. The book is a compilation of ramblings with no cohesive thought patterns. In the end, I was left wondering what its purpose was. Yes, the main character discovers that a simplistic way of life is more fulfilling than his previous life in the city, but the beauty of simplicity is never identified or described. The way a bird’s song is orchestrated by nature and not confined within the four walls of human design. Or the kiss of a breeze caresses the arm in comfort when most needed. The author’s main character provided no threads of connecting to the reader. I was grasping at straws.
I had hoped Letters from a Nameless Village would pull me into its simplicity, giving enlightenment where none previously existed. Instead, it left me confused and disappointed. It is a mish-mash of thought.
February 1, 2025
(Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.)
What is the moral worth of truth?
Does truth have any value outside of it being true?
Coupled with the unattainable nature of absolutes, it often becomes an object that drives people to madness, reflected in a history of wars fought over dubious ideologies and religions. Reflected in the reality ruled by vanity, amoral hedonism, and general apathy, standing at odds with new and old institutions of rigid, aforementioned ideological or religious fanaticism.
The nameless lady is the personification of this truth.
Hailed as a goddess by our protagonist, and also as a virgin whore.
And what does the nameless village symbolize?
It symbolizes the fantasy that is the ideal.
A lie born from what seems to be a cold harsh reality, the truth that seems to mirror the void of nihilism.
It is a step towards accepting the existential claim that we build our own truths, purpose, and meaning.
Reflected by the core message of the book that what matters most is not what is true, but what we choose to believe in.
Which leaves the reader wondering if the letters are from a reliable narrator.
Could it be that both the village he speaks of and the recipient, the dear fellow, he writes to are both imaginary?
And more importantly, would that matter? Would the truth detract from his message?
That's the gist of my analysis without spoilers.
What is the moral worth of truth?
Does truth have any value outside of it being true?
Coupled with the unattainable nature of absolutes, it often becomes an object that drives people to madness, reflected in a history of wars fought over dubious ideologies and religions. Reflected in the reality ruled by vanity, amoral hedonism, and general apathy, standing at odds with new and old institutions of rigid, aforementioned ideological or religious fanaticism.
The nameless lady is the personification of this truth.
Hailed as a goddess by our protagonist, and also as a virgin whore.
And what does the nameless village symbolize?
It symbolizes the fantasy that is the ideal.
A lie born from what seems to be a cold harsh reality, the truth that seems to mirror the void of nihilism.
It is a step towards accepting the existential claim that we build our own truths, purpose, and meaning.
Reflected by the core message of the book that what matters most is not what is true, but what we choose to believe in.
Which leaves the reader wondering if the letters are from a reliable narrator.
Could it be that both the village he speaks of and the recipient, the dear fellow, he writes to are both imaginary?
And more importantly, would that matter? Would the truth detract from his message?
That's the gist of my analysis without spoilers.
April 27, 2020
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Well, it was beautifully written. Many philosophical ideologies were prominent and well crafted as well but I felt the themes themselves were conceptually a little bland. I found a lot of common ones here that didn’t really dig much deeper than the questioning itself. Meaning ideas like "what is good without the existence of bad?" were presented. Then, an analogy or metaphor would be given as representation. Only to lead to the next question, neglecting to delve into the thoughts of forming these ideals. Some were revisited and some were deeply moving and thought provoking but overall I was met with a lot of surface level questioning. As for the story, the core plot of a man’s decent into madness felt a little flat delivery wise to me. Less of a build into it, more of a fall. I think the writing style however, was marvelous. Fluent and artistic. This author has a very genuine, poetic flow that I found was what I enjoyed most in reading it. I felt as a story and in philosophy themes, it was less creative than I would have preferred but the writing was very well versed and for that I think this author is someone I would try again and still did enjoy reading overall.
Well, it was beautifully written. Many philosophical ideologies were prominent and well crafted as well but I felt the themes themselves were conceptually a little bland. I found a lot of common ones here that didn’t really dig much deeper than the questioning itself. Meaning ideas like "what is good without the existence of bad?" were presented. Then, an analogy or metaphor would be given as representation. Only to lead to the next question, neglecting to delve into the thoughts of forming these ideals. Some were revisited and some were deeply moving and thought provoking but overall I was met with a lot of surface level questioning. As for the story, the core plot of a man’s decent into madness felt a little flat delivery wise to me. Less of a build into it, more of a fall. I think the writing style however, was marvelous. Fluent and artistic. This author has a very genuine, poetic flow that I found was what I enjoyed most in reading it. I felt as a story and in philosophy themes, it was less creative than I would have preferred but the writing was very well versed and for that I think this author is someone I would try again and still did enjoy reading overall.
May 18, 2020
This novella ends with the words 'what do I mean with fiction? The conclusion is dumbfound: if the reader hasn't the notion what matters (in fiction), the author fears that his 'letters' are lost upon the reader.' A rather blunt statement, considering this very disjointing story is about everything, and nothing and anything in between.
Seemingly, it appears to be a lament about keeping up appearances, about the injustice in the world,
when later it is concluded that the world operates on opposites, and so everything is justified, concluding that he tries to explain what cannot be explained.
For me, it's more or less a story about how a fool sees things differently than the wise man sees.
Maybe I am the Fool here, but this didn work for me at all. As much as I love the cover, the story itself is sheer madness. I was annoyed by the use of the pedantic use of 'my dear fellow..' (Sherlock Holmes) as well as the derogatory use of language later on.
Unfortunately, a good example of how not to pour all the big, heavy questions about life, love, God, existence in a story. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry knew how to. Muhn Sihn unfortunately is completely out of his depth here.
Seemingly, it appears to be a lament about keeping up appearances, about the injustice in the world,
when later it is concluded that the world operates on opposites, and so everything is justified, concluding that he tries to explain what cannot be explained.
For me, it's more or less a story about how a fool sees things differently than the wise man sees.
Maybe I am the Fool here, but this didn work for me at all. As much as I love the cover, the story itself is sheer madness. I was annoyed by the use of the pedantic use of 'my dear fellow..' (Sherlock Holmes) as well as the derogatory use of language later on.
Unfortunately, a good example of how not to pour all the big, heavy questions about life, love, God, existence in a story. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry knew how to. Muhn Sihn unfortunately is completely out of his depth here.
March 8, 2020
Excellent book!!!
October 8, 2020
I liked the cover but this story was boring to me. I just couldn't find the plot in the letters. I couldn't stay interested enough to finish it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews