January 2012 | Issue #1

Viewpoints

• Rudyard Kipling’s Birthday – A Eulogy to the Author of “If”
  
  Editorial.December 30th is the birthday of Rudyard Kipling, the British writer and winner of the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature. Here is a eulogy to one of his most famous works, the inspirational poem “If”. Please share it with anyone who just might need a little inspiration.

Fiction

• “The Ascent” by Michael (Misha) Shengaout
  
  Fiction. "Why do mountain climbers climb mountains? Can it really be just for the glorious view from the top? Weeks of suffering just for the beautiful scenery at the end of the road? I think the point is the ascent itself. However, life sometimes offers climbs even higher than Mount Everest. " This story is inspired by Viktor Frankl, who appears as one of its fictional characters.

Poems Like "If"

Poetry

• “Invictus” by William Henley
  
  Poetry.William Henley’s poem “Invictus” is frequently placed and quoted along with Kipling’s “If”. Here you will find the poem and an introduction to its author, William Henley.

Books Like "If"

• Review of “Man’s Search for Meaning”, by Viktor E. Frankl
  
  Book Review. Have you ever posed the question, “What is your life about?” or “Why are we even here?” to anyone? "Man's Search for Meaning" is the definitive work on the subject.