Onežimo svet.
Jasa
Ljubim tiste, ki sanjajo o nemogočem.
Goethe
Time for tea
Time for tea
Leaf through the book Time for tea
Eight most experienced reviewers, working not only in preschool education but also across higher education; including world-renowned intellectuals – have read the manuscript of this book before publication (their assessments are published in the chapter: A clear vantage point for the proper side of life). They are all in tune: “This book reaches beyond all books and speaks on their behalf”.
The structure of the book is rarely fortunate. The main characters are the Book, who speaks on behalf of all good books in the world and the Children's Choir who speaks on behalf of all the children of the world. Through numerous dialogues between the Book and the Children’s Choir, the author has illuminated the reality of our world, which is gratifying and hopelessly painful. What’s more, he offered a new call for hope, even though all the options appear to have been tried already. This is not surprising. Throughout the book, Homer, Aesop, Aeschylus, Heraclitus, Socrates, Hippocrates, Virgil, Seneca, Dante, Erasmus of Rotterdam, Cervantes, Shakespeare, Swift, Descartes, Voltaire, Goethe, Hugo, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche, Cankar and many other comprehensive thinkers and high moral characters are speaking.
The lessons for living, we all need, are delivered in a simple way that is easily understandable to children. The sensitive and courageous illustrations by the academic painter Boštjan Plesničar make a noticeable contribution to the comprehensibility of the books message.
However, the book contains an appendix – a dramatic epilogue – which the author or editor could not have foreseen even in the worst dreams. In 2019, the Jasa Association became a partner of European project Time for Tea, financed by the EU
Erasmus + program. Among other activities, was the creation of a book, which would prepare future adults for active citizenship. This central and most demanding task of the project was responsibility of Jasa Association due to the persuasiveness of Jasa’s already published book collection “Let’s make the World gentler”.
We prepared the book following the purpose of the project and the eternal mission of the book.
When we presented the text of the future book to our partners (from Poland, England -leading two partners-, Italy and Spain) we found ourselves in a state of slight shock. The text was rejected: "… we need a result that we can show to potential sponsors …". The leading partners demanded that we should exchange the heroine Book, with Satish Kumar (a successful entrepreneur) and completely rewrite dialogues to "impress the tea companies". In short, instead of a book they insisted on writing an advertising catalogue. The dramatic collision of different prospects of life, lasting several months, is vividly represented in the Dramatic Epilogue.
The result: in the EU project, which aims to strengthen critical thinking and expand the boundaries of freedom of expression, the book has been banned. And it has been banned by reputable nongovernmental organizations, which are publicly showing themselves as symbols of free-mind.
Despite all obstacles, we “brought” to readers in Slovenia and the European Union the book in its original form. We - a few volunteers - did this, without a single cent from the state or EU treasury. We have to be human!
Expert review by: Jožica Frigelj, MA, primary school teaching professor; Denis Poniž, Prof., PhD, literary historian, poet and playwright; Petra Koritnik, BA in preschool education; Boštjan M. Zupančič, Prof., PhD, jurist, philosopher, writer; Andreja Poljanec, PhD, psychologist; Milan Gabrovec, professor of primary school education; Barbara Hanuš, professor of Slovenian language and pedagogy, librarian.
***
Author: Anej Sam
Illustrated by: Boštjan Plesničar, Master of Fine Arts
Edited by: Mateja Jamnik, MA in philosophy
Designed by: Ksenija Konvalinka
Translated from Slovenian: Klemen Jelinčič Boeta
Volume 80 pages; format 24x25 cm; color printed on art paper; bound with hard covers and sewing.
Društvo Jasa
Naročanje na e-novice
