I had a lovely day out yesterday, visiting a friend. She left me at the station for the return journey – and I found the train was delayed, so I’d have an extra hour or so of travel. Happily even this very modest-sized station had its own modest-sized shop, with a little revolving stand with a few paperbacks. Nothing exactly grabbed me as I browsed, but there was one detective novel, so I bought that.
One of the book’s main characters consults and quotes the I Ching.
🙂
Hilary – don’t leave us all in suspense – what’s the name of the book?
It’s Peter Robinson, A Necessary End. Don’t seek it out especially for the I Ching bits – it only comes in twice. Near the beginning of the book we learn that someone received Hexagram 6 on the morning of a demonstration that turned into a riot; then someone casts 54.6, which looms ominously from time to time over the rest of the plot.
On reflection, it’s actually a really good choice of line, so much so that I wonder if it might have been his inspiration for the whole scenario. Maybe you should buy the book just for the I Ching bits, after all; it only takes a few hours to read, and it’s available for £2.99 from the newsagent on Banbury station.
Sounds very interesting. I have always liked Herman Hesse’s books – especially “The Glass Bead Game” that refers to the I-Ching in some very interesting ways.
– Glen
You perceive gems when you least expect them, unless that it you come to expect the unexpected.