Mark Laxer: The Monkey Bible
Book Club Discussion
September 23, 2010. Queenie C goes in-depth with Mark Laxer about his novel,
The Monkey Bible.
The Monkey Bible interview with Mark Laxer
Just
from reading the brief bio on your book, I see that you have taken some aspects of your life and put them into this story. Can you tell us about
how you developed the idea of virtual ecotourism?
Years ago
my wife and I founded a wildlife conservation organization--Chimp-n-Sea Wildlife Conservation Fund--the mission of which is to help protect wildlife
through applied conservation science, habitat preservation, education, music, and storytelling. We wanted to think outside the box and create something
that could be leveraged by wildlife conservation projects around the world but we weren't’t quite sure what that invention would be.
What sparked the virtual ecotourism idea was a paper by primatologist Dr. Colin Chapman describing problematic aspects of traditional ecotourism.
I started thinking about possible alternatives to ecotourism and my background in software development and as a storyteller helped me to imagine a
system that combines technology, storytelling, and conservation. I imagined a live, interactive tour that could be used around the world to capture
peoples' imagination, that could be used as an educational tool, that could help protect wildlife, and that could help people in remote areas make
a living, and that would be more culturally and ecologically sensitive than traditional ecotourism.
Presently, Chimp-n-Sea is pioneering vEcotourism in Uganda, Madagascar, and Indonesia, with more sites coming soon.
Note: there are quite a few portions of The Monkey Bible that blur into the real world.
The Monkey Bible interview with Mark Laxer
What
was the importance of Ana's black and red mask and Lucy's "fossilized" rock?
The
mask is, in part, a symbol of death. And yet Ana Mayd comes across the mask during her worldwide travels, as she fights the cancer into remission,
and as such the mask serves as a symbol of life.
Ana, in real life, was a close friend of mine and she actually had a room she called the Treasure Room where I lived for a time with my beloved
Siberian husky, Nunatak. The room was indeed filled with colorful masks, shells, and rocks from her travels.
Note: Ana Mayd = animate.
The rock is used by Lucy to show how symbols may be used to help create and share new and evolving rituals and myth, which in turn are used to help
explain the world around us.
The Monkey Bible interview with Mark Laxer
Can
you explain Evelyn's role in this story? At first, I thought she would be more involved, but it didn't turn out that way.
Evelyn represents
religion, Lucy represents science, and Emmanuel zigzags between the two. At first, I thought equal attention would be given to Lucy and Evelyn but
early on in the book, Emmanuel finds himself stepping away from religion as he no longer believes he is genetically worthy of a relationship with
God. His stepping away gives Evelyn space to revisit her own relationship with nature and at the end of The Monkey Bible, Emmanuel sees her
in a fresh light.
Though she's not front and center for much of the book, I would argue that she's the most important character in the novel. Should there be a sequel,
I'd imagine we'll learn more about her.
The Monkey Bible interview with Mark Laxer
Emmanuel
questioned his genetic makeup and it led him on a journey around the world. Have you ever had any of your questions or ideas take you on a journey?
When I was
fourteen, I wondered about my place in nature and about the story of my creation. This led me, after some years, to study meditation and that journey
took me in and out of the inner circle of a charismatic teacher turned cult leader. After I left the cult I wrote a book ( Take Me For A Ride)
about my experiences and, after the $30 million lawsuit, I continued to pursue questions about my place in nature and about the story of my creation,
only this time I looked for answers not from a guru but from biology, anthropology, religion, and mythology. This journey, which took eleven years,
culminated in the publication of The Monkey Bible.
The Monkey Bible interview with Mark Laxer
Why
did Lucy decide to help Emmanuel and set up the imaginary expedition with ChimpCorps?
Lucy decides
to help Emmanuel because she finds herself attracted to him, both physically and emotionally. She's intrigued by the young genetically confused man
and thinks that her involvement with him will increase her knowledge of science--whether his story is accurate or not. Besides, she's always up for
adventure!
Lucy--author of The Monkey Bible gift to Emmanuel--has an active imagination and doesn't shy away from creating her own paths. She makes up stories
about ChimpCorps as a way to launch and guide Emmanuel's journey around the world, with her an active part of it.
The Monkey Bible interview with Mark Laxer
Can
you tell us what you are working on next?
I'll be
performing--with Eric and the band, and the video team-- The Monkey Bible Show at churches, science centers, schools--wherever we're invited,
as a way to open up community dialogues. I'll also be working to expand and refine the vEcotourism system in Africa and Asia. Soon I expect to do
some writing.
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