Charles Johnson, former emeritus professor of English at the University of Washington, has recently released his latest book The Eightfold Path, a graphic novel with coauthor Steven Barnes and illustrator Bryan Christopher Moss.
The Eightfold Path is an anthology of interconnected Afrofuturistic parables inspired by the teachings of the Buddha. It traverses media, stories, cultures, and ideas. Johnson and coauthor Steven Barnes are both practicing Buddhists and have incorporated their beliefs into this series of Buddhist stories that intersect with science fiction and Afrofuturism.
Certain human qualities are innate: the suckling instinct of a newborn baby, eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, a reflexive kick when your knee is thumped. But there are other human qualities that only emerge through collective agreement, or what we call culture: the belief in individualism or the nuclear family, the desire to eat poultry instead of insects, the preference for a hike in the woods or a Saturday night watching football. Beyond the surface, culture shapes the way human groups (and individuals) view the world and their place in it.
Colorful ribbons of sticky syrup trailed down children’s chins as their spoonfuls of shaved ice rapidly melted beneath a warm sun. Nearby, teens helped one another dress in yukata, Japanese summer garments made of light cotton, and settled with their families under tents to enjoy the night’s festivities.
