Great Gift, The

Out Of Print ... This book is designed not only to give a very full account of William Arkles paintings, but also to convey the understanding which he is trying to express in them. This is done through explanations of the individual pictures, through poems and through a series of essays. These essays, which are edited versions of talks, give a more informal insight into Arkle's thought than his previous book, 'A Geography of Consciousness', could do. The latter was a carefully built up system of philosophical understanding, while these more intimate talks approach the salient points of the message of Arkle's work over and over again from differing points of view. He is at great pains that we do not allow the simplest but most profound attitudes to pass us by, and he is thus constantly directing us to try and feel how a Creator would feel towards the object of His endeavour, His family of children to whom He wishes to give The Great Gift of friendship. The essays are completed with a longer work called Letter from a Father which is written in order to convey this attitude by the simple expedient of writing a letter to one of these children as though from God Himself. This is the work which Colin Wilson refers to in the introduction of 'A Geography of Consciousness', and which he found so remarkable. Finally there is also a brief explanation of the music which William Arkle composes and plays, and which he considers to be an intrinsic part of his communication.