Stream 1: The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia

From page one of Solman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories and the discourse over happiness and unhappiness. I'm thinking of Samuel Johnson, the writer, critic, and lexicographer who had his fair share of struggles in understanding happiness. His last short novel, Rasselas, and the characters within discuss and interpret happiness, yet, like Johnson, never quite come to any conclusions. A tough subject, indeed.

With that said, the story takes an interesting turn when Iff the Water Genie explains that this story-water is real and has immense affect on the story and its teller, the water providing that extra Umph! Haroun at first is disappointed in the believability of his father's stories because they have no source. Then he comes to discover that there is a source, the story water, which we come to find later is polluted.

With all this said, Rushdie's story isn't polluted even though he's claiming that stories very might well be, it's definitely a page turner.

Let's backtrack, when the Genie explains to Haroun to anyone can be a storyteller, but only those with that extra fuel, that extra gear, are captivating and successful in their craft. It got me thinking about my abilities, or lack thereof. It's troublesome to think about, but don't let your insecurities get the best of you because there's plenty to tell even if you don't completely understand the story. Just Go! Tell, and let the story speak for itself.

I'm sure that plenty of my stories are good but I tell them ineffectively.

I'm sure that plenty of my stories are poor but I tell them effectively.

Some stories, both mine and of the sea, real and fictitious, contain that extra Umph!

Haroun surely does, thus far (I'm halfway).