Journey with a Remarkable Tree - Softcover

Ken Finn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1903070384 ISBN 13: 9781903070383

Publisher: Eye Books Direct, 2005

Synopsis

A journey through Cambodia with the simple and romantic ambition to find the folkloric spirit trees, the powerful connecting force between man and nature, Ken Finn's travels turned out to be anything but simple. Back-wearing motos, immobilizing gastric assaults, unexpected road blocks, and monkish processions all contributed to the journey, but most dramatically, instead of enriching forests, destruction was found: the black market timber trade. A new voice was found as Ken followed the trees on their journey to the furniture factories of Vietnam and subsequently a house somewhere on the North Circular, London. The book chronicles his trip not just through Southeast Asia but the inner transition from traveler to activist. It charts the unlocking of a conscience and the discovery of a new sensitivity and passion showing that it is not a major shift in behavior to save the destruction and corruption of the planet and that it is important to care.

About this title

About the Author:

One night in early 1968 age 14, I watched a chat show; a young Vidal Sassoon draped in gorgeous Jean Shrimpton-esque models talked about the highlife of the fashion and arts movement coming up from the working class. Blimey, it was cool to talk the way I did. Almost as an exclamation I said, 'I fancy being a hairstylist.' My mum got me a Saturday job with 'Etienne' in suburban Walton that week but before long I was working in London’s Knightsbridge and Chelsea with the most fashionable of the day.

It was the start of my education; for the next twenty odd years while I styled I talked to people from diverse walks of life and was blessed with conversations that widened the narrow perspective of my childhood. I spoke with Film Stars and Scientists, carved first wave Punk Mohawks and styled Princesses.

For a while I got lost in an ambition to grow my own status but the answer was not to be found in the kudos of my clientele or in any of the commercial achievements I have attained since putting down my scissors in the early nineties. I’ve learnt that we can be what or whom we want to be; the real challenge is being the genuine article. I’m honestly trying.

Synopsis:

Ken set off on a journey through Cambodia with the simple and romantic ambition to find the folkloric spirit trees, the powerful connecting force between man and nature. His travels, however, turned out to be anything but simple. Back-wearing motos, immobilising gastric assaults, unexpected road blocks and monkish processions all made their demands on his immense humour. But most dramatically, instead of enriching forests, he found destruction, the black market timber trade and a growing sense of despair. And with these he found a new voice as he follows the trees on their 'journey' to the furniture factories of Vietnam and subsequently a house somewhere on the North Circular, London. The book chronicles his journey not just through SouthEast Asia but the inner transition from traveller to activist. It charts the unlocking of a conscience and the discovery of a new sensitivity and passion showing that we don't need a major shift in our behaviour to save the destruction and corruption of our planet and it is important to care.

About this edition

• Publisher: Eye Books Direct
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1903070384
• ISBN 13: 9781903070383
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256