Publisher's Synopsis
The story of JACK describes the Celtic personality and gives comfort to people from a matriarchal tradition as they live within a patriarchal-style culture that has come to dominate and conquer the earth in the recent few millennia. The rogue troublemaker, seemingly without discipline or law has a tough, windy, winding road in a male-dominated society. JACK is forever getting into trouble, but is a good-hearted and gentle soul, and more often than not- truly saves the day. JACK has become the archetype for the everyperson hero in the stories of American film and literature, and is evident in the Celtic traditions of European, British, and American peoples.The Story of JACK comes from a harsher time, when consequences were severe for children out at night. Hungry animals hunting in the central square, starving handicapped people, diseased people, and all manner of the disenfranchised and uncared-for individuals threatened a small town lacking the resources to help those in need: all this presented a clear and present danger to any children out after dark. All holiday traditions are adaptations of this theme, caring for the needy and less fortunate; gifts under a lighted tree in the woods near town; children posing as beggars asking for candy; these are the oasis of charity for at least one night of the year. Modern society produces a wealth of supplies and systems and technologies to this very purpose.In these harsher times of long ago, where resourses were horded and few, JACK was styled as a cautionary tale for parents to tell to children to keep them out of trouble. It is literally tyranny- an attempt to use fear to manipulate behavior. To keep the kids from going out at night, they were told that the nightwatchman's lantern they saw was a heinous apparition- a headless fright! I've presented my version as an historical origins story, the origin of Halloween. As modern methods of childrearing, education, and even our entire American governmental system are based on the ending of this abusive system of fear manipulation, or tyranny, as it was formerly known, I've done my best to present the illustrations as fine art portraiture and highest quality works. This is to contrast the modern convention of not scaring children by buying books specifically tailored to be non-frightening. Too often this convention leads to scattered, insane, cartoonish, derivative creations of poor quality (obviously not all, Dr. Seuss is one of my favorites!). I have attempted to produce a high quality offering that might educate, provide the opportunity and need for discussion in combination with a strong, comforting fatherly presence and presentation. For this reason I've asked Sports Announcer Andy Taylor to be the voice of JACK. It is an exciting and scary story for Dad to read to the kids.JACK is an ancient story. It is one of the first stories told by the Celts around the world. Jack is always getting into trouble. Instead of prescribing him ADD medication or diagnosing him with Autism, the townspeople arrest him and sentence him to death on the chopping block. He arrives in Hell subsequently, and proceeds to torment the Devil so ferociously and relentlessly that the Devil makes a deal with God that if he'll take Jack away, the Devil will agree to remain in Hell for all eternity. God takes Jack to Heaven and Jack torments the Saints and even the Angels so badly that they too supplicate God to relieve Heaven of him. God, never having an issue with Jack, sets him on earth to roam for all eternity and patrol the night keeping daemons, banshee and lost souls from causing harm to the living. To prevent Jack from being further harmed by the humans, God keeps Jack's head with Him in the clouds and gives Jack the ability to see through the light of a lantern which he must carry with him at all times.
