The bestselling literary fiction ebook 'Water Drumming In The Soul' by author Eric Madeen will be available at no charge January 31 through February 1 at Amazon. This promotional offer comes as Madeen's work presents what some scholars might view as a Romantic-era inspired counterpoint to contemporary artificial intelligence trends in culture and literature.
Madeen, a former Peace Corps volunteer and professor, has created a novel that Duke University literature professor Fredric Jameson's theories might position in contrast to full postmodernism, which his seminal work 'Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism' describes as occurring when the artificial becomes so prevalent there's nothing natural to compare it to. This theoretical framework finds cinematic expression in Ridley Scott's pathbreaking film 'Blade Runner,' establishing a cultural backdrop against which Madeen's novel operates.
'Water Drumming In The Soul' follows Peace Corps volunteer David Fields as he enters an equatorial African village and becomes captivated by a woman water drumming in a stream. Their developing relationship forms what reviewers describe as a rollicking and vibrant love story that challenges traditional stereotypes of African culture. Professor Zaheer Baber of the University of Toronto noted the novel presents "a more nuanced and genuine portrayal of African culture" with beautifully developed characters.
The novel's ending, described as heart-wrenching with multiple interpretations, aligns with what Vladimir Nabokov said of fine art being "deceitful and complex" rather than simple and sincere. This literary quality has drawn comparisons to masters like Hemingway according to Elizabeth Montano, author of The Eternal Dawn Trilogy, who called it "a novel so beautifully and realistically written I found it on par with works by whom we consider masters."
Madeen's personal experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Francophone Gabon, where he constructed a primary school complex in an equatorial village surrounded by rainforest, inform the novel's setting and authenticity. Like bestselling author Paul Theroux, Madeen maintains his identity as a Peace Corps volunteer, bringing what he describes as "vigorous fictional reality" to his writing.
The free promotion of 'Water Drumming In The Soul' represents an opportunity for business and technology leaders to engage with literature that offers human connection and cultural exploration distinct from algorithm-driven content. In an era increasingly defined by artificial intelligence systems, Madeen's work emphasizes themes of culture, identity, and authentic human relationships that some critics suggest are becoming rarer in contemporary storytelling.
The novel will be available at no charge at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Eric-Madeen/author/B08VGRNJVW? during the promotional period. Madeen has written several other books including 'Tokyo-ing!', 'Asian Trail Mix: True Tales From Borneo to Japan,' and 'Tennis Clubbed, Snubbed and Rubbity-Dub Dubbed,' all available through his author page. Additional information about the author is available at https://ericmadeen.com.
For leaders navigating increasingly automated business and technological landscapes, Madeen's novel offers literary engagement with fundamental human experiences that persist despite technological advancement. The work's exploration of cross-cultural connection and emotional authenticity provides counterbalance to purely efficiency-driven narratives, reminding readers of dimensions of human experience that transcend computational logic.
