Author Bio:
Born in Milwaukee, WI, at age 18 O’Hara
joined the Catholic order of Brothers who taught at his high school.
As a Brother for almost 30 years, O’Hara taught math at both the
secondary and college levels, and in his late ‘30s volunteered to
travel to India to establish a branch of his religious order there.
After seven years in India and Nepal, he returned to the States, left
the Brothers, and became a massage therapist and massage instructor.
In addition to doing bodywork, he has also become a certified dream
worker. He makes his home in Berkeley, CA. His time in India and
Nepal took him from immersion in religion to a place “beyond
religion.”
Author Links -
Book Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Leandros Publishing
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Buy Link(s):
Book Description:
His assigned task is to start his religious order in that country, but as he immerses himself in a land of unfamiliar customs and ancient religious traditions, he soon discovers that his mission has become deeply personal. Brother Jim questions not only all his vows, but his deepest beliefs.
As he travels across India and encounters holy men, thieves, rabid monkeys, and genuinely good-hearted people of all backgrounds, he realizes that the religion of his upbringing is but one of many paths to spirituality, and a sometimes oppressive one at that. On the eve of celebrating twenty-five years as a brother, Jim must decide what he truly holds as important and how he wants to live the rest of his life.
India
and Nepal, with all their clamor, fascination, and surprises, come
alive on every page in this unusual memoir set in the ‘80s.
Excerpt:
Chapter: Monkey
Business
Context: Bro Jim has
been bitten by a monkey at a train station in South India.
…
“Your
wound has become seriously infected. This is why you have a fever.”
The emergency room doctor stood over me and explained the situation
bluntly. “I shall admit you immediately and begin a course of
antibiotics. We don’t want you to lose your leg.”
Lose my leg?
My heart pounded painfully in my chest. Was the infection that bad?
Had gangrene set in? I looked at the doctor and lone nurse that
attended him. If the infection was serious, shouldn’t there be a
whole team of physicians and nurses hovering nearby holding
trays of bandages and clamps and antibiotics and narcotics? Where was
everybody?
For the next
several days I lay restlessly in my bed at St. John’s, a teaching
hospital reputed to be the best in town. In the mornings, a doctor
led a group of interns on their daily rounds, discussing each
patient’s condition. The training was conducted in English, and
since most patients didn’t understand that language, doctors and
interns felt free to make candid remarks in front of the patient.
Each morning I was the nine o’clock lesson.
“I want everybody
to touch the red area near Mr. James’s wound,” Dr. Gopal said to
his interns. “You see how hard the tissue is? That means that the
antibiotics are not working. Perhaps we shall try some other sulfa
drug.”
Perhaps?
He’s saying it might be a good idea to try something else?
The interns poked,
without protective gloves, on the back of my thigh.
“Excuse me,” I
said, turning to look directly at Dr. Gopal. “From now on, I want
to be informed personally about my progress. And I want to know your
plan for treatment of possible rabies. Nobody has mentioned that
yet.”
“Rabies?” Dr.
Gopal glanced toward me, surprised that a patient should have
questions. “I doubt that will be a problem. We are not certain the
monkey bit you. The wound may be from his claw.” He turned away.
“Now students, continue the rounds on your own and leave your
reports in my office. Good day.”
Three interns
remained behind and plied me with questions, but not about my
well-being.
“Is it true that
doctors are the richest people in America?”
“Do
you know a hospital that is needing more doctors?”
“I hear that only
wealthy people can obtain hospital care in the United States. Is it
correct?”
I responded to
their questions in short sentences, trying not to tire myself out any
more than the fever already had. My leg had begun throbbing again
with an added feeling of sharp pain. I was convinced the monkey had
left several teeth in my leg. And my anxiety was rising—I could not
stop thinking about rabies.
“If you don’t
mind,” said a young intern named Sanjay, “I shall return to speak
with you this afternoon. We are completely bored because there is
hardly anybody in the hospital.” Sanjay explained why. The movie
Coma had come to town two weeks earlier, and people were
staying out of the hospital for fear that their organs might be
stolen.
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My Review:
I just finished reading "In the Land of Shiva", by author James O'Hara and it was really interesting to read about his experiences. The story that he shared about his life was one that tells the reader about other countries, their beliefs and their customs. Even Brother Jim questions all of his former training and what he thought was his mission. I thought it was a very good book. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book for the purpose of a review and all opinions are my own.
Thank you for taking the time to read my book and write a review. It is much appreciated! James O'Hara
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