About this Event
Douglas J. Penick will speak about and sign his new book, The Oceans of Cruelty: Twenty-Five Tales of a Corpse-Spirit: A Retelling, on Wedesday, January 22nd at 6:30pm, at Boulder Bookstore.
About the Book:
One of the oldest books in the world, The Oceans of Cruelty is a sequence of twenty-five tales from India whose central theme is the dark power of storytelling. At the start, a young king falls into the hands of a wicked sorcerer, who orders him to find a vetala, or corpse spirit, to serve him; the young king must do as he is told, and soon enough he is also under the sway of the no less malevolent spirit. Like a bat, the spirit hangs from the branches of a tree, and the king is condemned to bear it on his back through a dark forest as it whispers a riddling story in his ear. These are tales of suicidal passion, clever deceit, patriarchal oppression, and narrow escapes from death, and as long as the king can resolve the problems they pose, his bondage continues; the vampiric creature goes on commanding his attention in the dark. Only when the king is out of answers will he at last be free, though when that comes to pass—well, that’s when the whole story takes a new turn.
Douglas Penick’s re-creation of this ancient work brings out all its humor and horror and vitality, as well its unmistakable relevance in a world of stories gone viral.
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IMPORTANT TICKETING AND EVENT INFORMATION
*Tickets are $5 (plus a small processing fee).
*A coupon good for $5 off a copy of The Oceans of Cruelty, or a purchase on the day of the event is included with your ticket. You will receive this coupon at the event.
*Please note: our events are held on the second floor. To request a reasonable accommodation or discuss your needs, contact [email protected].
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl Street, Boulder, United States
USD 6.24
