“The Complainer and The Thinker” excavates two very different lives, two modes of movement through the world. One man was bewitched with murmurs, and wandering round and round, seeking fame, though never really able to get his foot. The other, more consistent and acute, perspective is putting in place and maintaining focus in the face of everything around him becoming messed up. It is no slick fairy tale. It’s real. Bruises, defeats, uncertainty, and little successes that counted. You will find out what decisions one makes and what habits may ruin or save a life. It is a failure, all right, but the persistence of a mindset that is right can drive through storms. And it is relatable- because the vast majority of us are in between the two. You will find yourself nodding when reading it, perhaps even wincing, as bits of these tales seem too close to home. It does not give cheap solutions. On the contrary, it halts you, calculates your own stride. It is not just storytelling; it is a mirror that will question how you see struggle and success. And perhaps, perhaps, it provides you with the push you require in beginning to alter your own course.