Andrew Barraford

The Noble Savage: & Other Pertinent Discussions Andrew Barraford

"I was searching for a living example of the good old days before man's civilized institutions had destroyed his moral fiber, his feelings of compassion, and his duty towards those less fortunate than himself."So vows our intrepid journalist and narrator as he sets off with his indomitable sidekick Perky to unearth the Noble Savage, more myth than man. He sails on a humble freighter to the wilds of South America, deep into the core of the jungle, over a waterfall on the disappearing river and through an endless thorny palmetto, only to rediscover his own world. Untouched by civilization, the Noble Savage weaves captivating tales, near legends, and colors them with a "savage" sensibility, reminiscent of Aesop's fables. Through him, the humorous, absurd, tragic and profound become something far more important: new again. Our narrator observes that the Noble Savage "had a twinkle in his eye, which made one pause and wonder whether he was completely sincere or insincere." Story after story, it's that twinkle that nudges us to wonder just who is truly civilized: our journalist or the Noble Savage?