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"Teeny
and the Whale" Acclaimed "The
Teeny stories are remarkable tales, both funny and intellectual. Slade
is a very understanding man and captures the reader with humor and art.
I give it ten stars." "Schuster's
work is amazing! He is wise beyond his years, and that's high praise." "Teeny
and the Whale" is a masterpiece plumbing the ocean-depths of the
human psyche." "Mr. Schuster's
droll wit and Mike Sooy's artistry make for a raucous romp through adolescence
and the unconscious." "Slade's
combination of wry humor and sound moral instruction make his volume worth
twice what I paid for it!" |
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Critical Reviews of Teeny's Travels "This
fantastical world of Zander-snitches, horrid harpies, and blimple stones
will be a source of pride to heroic teenagers everywhere . . . as long
as they have a dead ear for irony." "Oh,
the droll, drooling days of adolescence! What exactly are these minds
we are concerned to mold? Slade lays it all before us. Here you have
it, Dude!" "A
terrific poem describing a typical, modern teenager (I think it's Brett
Wallnutt) on the symbolic journey of life, the same journey we have
read this year in ancient tales." "Teeny's
Travel's" is an exhilarating, verse tale delving into the adventures
of an average, nutty teenager, probably Brett Wallnutt." "This
is one of the greatest works of our times. Teeny is a complex, intricate,
fascinating hero . . . as am I." |
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Readers Rave for "Teeny!" Teeny is an
hilarious character, portrayed perfectly to relate to young adults. Well
worth reading! Very clever! Very funny! Finally, a
story that lays open the truth about adolescence: materialism, power,
and sloth. Things come to closure, Chaucer. The curtain is closing, Shakespeare.
Move over, Freud. Slade is here! This is why
Schuster's Teeny Series is so critically acclaimed. A comical tale
of teenhood and the complete idiot's guide to Christian selflessness. An exemplary
tale that warns teens of the "hockey" generation to be cautious
when touching "pastry." It will grate the nerves of the boorish
adolescent, but touch the heart strings of "special" students
who interest themselves in literature. |
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The Legends Teeny's Travels reprises the "wasteland theme" which informs so many ancient, medieval, and modern tales, including Oedipus and Hamlet. In this story line, a youthful hero on a spiritual quest enters a strange land wasted by a plague afflicting vegetal, animal, and human vitality. The hero visits the castle of the doomed country where he finds an ailing king. The king's infirmity is the source of the plague (king and country being magically one vitality), and it is the hero's task to restore the king's vigor by curing or replacing the ailing king. The king, though infirm, is wise and can grant the hero a vision of the spiritual truth if he judges the young man's heart to be pure. In medieval versions, the vision often involves the mystic grail or sword (inverted cross) of Christian import. At the moment of revelation, the hero must make a correct response, often by asking the right question. Quests imply a climactic question. The hero fails to cure the wasteland as often as he succeeds, but the moral lesson is imparted as forcefully in either case. "By men who won't be taught by other men, shall other men be taught." Teeny and the Green Knight satirizes a long, 14th-century poem, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," written in Middle English by an unknown author, a contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer. In it an untested, young hero is confronted by a giant, green horse and rider. The menacing figure challenges Gawain to cut off the green man's head with an axe. However, Gawain must first agree to visit the green giant's domain within a year and have his own head hewn off. Fair is fair. Gawain accepts, seizes the ax, and chops off the man's head. The adventure that follows is marvelous, ominous, full of Christian lore, but not without its humorous implications. Gawain's honor, bravery, and chastity are sorely tested by several trials, most but not all of which he passes. Narrowly escaping death, Gawain returns home, as spiritual heroes must, with a boon, prize, elixir, symbol, or code to enrich his society. Gawain's prize is a simple, green garter, the meaning of which, were it imparted, would benefit young men in any society, especially our own. The Gawain story is the source of a knightly order still revered in England and awarded by her monarchs, the order of the garter. Teeny and the Whale, like most whale, great fish, or monster-of-the-deep stories (Jonah, Leviathan, Pinocchio, Moby Dick), has a symbolic interpretation. Read psychologically, water (the deep) represents the unconscious, dark regions of the hero's psyche, from which the monster rises to menace him. The monster, of course, is the unmastered excess of the hero's own ego (hubris). Male hubris is the tragic flaw that again and again these tales are concerned to render. As long as the hero remains unaware of the danger his own desires pose (as human desires have no bounds), he will be dragged under and devoured. When he masters fully his own nature, he will rise up and walk upon the flood unhindered. As Thomas a Kempis says, "Know that the love of thyself doth hurt thee more than anything in the world. Forsake and resign thyself, and thou shalt enjoy much inward peace." Teeny is a failed hero in all three adventures. |
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Alumni Review "Straight
River Anthology is an insight into the heart and mind of the great Slade.
We all wondered what was going on in his head during high school. This
is your chance to find out." "Slade
captures the sublime in everyday occurrences. I enjoy his poetry immensely." "Slade's
poetry isn't Classical...or Romantic...or even Modern (thank God), but
it often makes me laugh, sometimes cry (a bitter tear...no loud boo-hooing)
and mostly reminds me that the Grim Reaper lurks behind every tree like
a boogie-man in the park. Jus'skidding! You must have this book!" "I thoroughly
enjoyed this collection of poems, a glimpse at the quirky yet intriguing
Mr. Schuster. My favorite,"Violins," perfectly shares the unique
and amazing experiences this school offers; the emotion this poem conveys
is truly touching." "I don't
read poetry, and if Slade's mortgage is indeed twice his monthly pay,
you'd be a fool to feed that monkey. Nevertheless, I bought some copies
of his book. One levels the game table in my basement; the other is shimming
the bar fridge." |
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