Simon Barrett Book Review of Deceptions Of The Ages by Matthew D. Heines

Book Review: Deceptions Of The Ages by Matthew D. Heines

Posted on February 16th, 2015

by Simon Barrett in All News

“Mormons” Freemasons & Extraterrestrials

Deceptions of the Ages:...

$17.00

Shop now

I was a little leery when I read the subtitle, it sounded more like a description of Art Bells famed radio program Coast to Coast AM, a conspiracy theorists sand box. However as I had greatly enjoyed Matthew Heines other books detailing his adventures in Oman and Saudi Arabia I threw caution to the wind and settled down on my front porch to discover what possible connection there might be between “Mormons” the wriggly finger mob and good old ET.

Deceptions Of The Ages turned out to be quite an interesting read, a journey through history, well researched and well reasoned. Sure there are a few ‘leaps of faith’ and some speculation, but you find that in every non fiction book.

The one thing that the Mormons, Freemasons and UFO’s do most certainly have in common is mystery. Mystery always breeds speculation, and speculation in turn breeds conspiracy. A great example is the assassination of JFK, I have lost count of the number of books and documentaries I have read or watched on the subject. Some have plausible plots, some are just out and out ridiculous. But as long as you have a situation where there is mystery, you will find speculation and conspiracy theories.

The Mormons are a good example. If you were to ask people at random to write a short description about them you might get something along the lines of:

Founded by some dude named Joseph Smith who found a bunch of gold tablets and wrote his own bible, Silly man lost the tablets so all we have to go on is his word. They all live in Utah, wear funky underwear and have a dozen wives each. Young Mormon teenagers of 16 dress in black pants a white dress shirt and black tie, carry a small briefcase, travel in pairs and knock on strangers doors to elicit new members, particularly young girls in order to maintain the supply of breeding stock.

While most of that statement is untrue, it is the perception. There is an air of distrust about what happens behind the closed doors of the Mormon church, so theories abound.

Perception also plays a big part in thinking about the Freemasons.

Oh, the wriggly finger handshake mob, they cavort naked in their lodges, performing all kind of sexually deviant acts, and form part of the ‘shadow government’, they are the new world order. They used to sacrifice virgins, but the supply of virgins ran out in the 60’s with the sexual revolution.

And of course the always popular UFO. You can blame UFO’s on almost anything. In the 70s I recall working for the Xerox corporation. Phil was a guy that would be late for his own funeral. One morning he tuned up late and while waiting for the elevator a vice present walked in. “late again Weigard” the man remarked, “Yes, so am I” he replied in his Aussie twang. His best one however, occurred a couple of weeks later, when asked why he was late, he explained that he had been on the London Underground and Aliens had abducted him.

Space is a really big place, to think that we are the only planet with life on it is statistically very unlikely. But would an intelligent lifeform want to visit us? We don’t have a unified language, we spend most of our time blowing each other up, watching sitcoms, and generally doing our best to destroy the planet. If I was an alien I certainly would not want to come visit.

The delightful part about the whole extraterrestrial gig is that you can’t prove or disprove it. Some are convinced that it is a huge government cover up.

All three subjects make for great subjects for a book, Mathew Heines takes it one stage further and interconnects them.

I enjoyed the history lesson, particularly that of the Freemasons. Yes I can see how the dots can be traced back to the Crusades and The Knights Templar. It is when you journey further back in time that, for me at least the dots and lines become blurry. We get into the whole Holy Grail discussion, one that made Dan Brown a very rich man with his book The Da Vinci Code. I am also not convinced of the connection of the Freemasons to early Egypt. But many are, so I bow down to more learned people.

Deceptions Of The Ages is a book that I can recommend, however, it will not appeal to everyone. It requires an open mind and an inquisitive nature. Matthew Heines opens some interesting doors, peek behind them if you dare.

To order your copy of Deceptions Of The Ages click on the Amazon link above.

Simon Barrett

Let Others Know About This Post

•              

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Diane Donavan Book Review: Killing Time in Saudi Arabia: An American Experience

Review

Killing Time in Saudi Arabia: 

An American Experience

Matthew D. Heines

Print ISBN 9780990879374 

Print Price $18.99 

Now, Killing Time in Saudi Arabia demonstrates perfectly the reason why some books written as a trilogy should be viewed as 'one', read in order, considered as a unit, and stronger as part of a package production. For without the background provided in My Year in Oman and Another Year in Oman (which documents the author's experiences from 2001-2003) this third book would not feel nearly as rich and fulfilling in background, setting and sentiment as it covers eighteen months of life from 2004-2005, when some of the heaviest fighting of the War on Terror occurred - right under the author's nose.

In Killing Time in Saudi Arabia Heines has left Oman and taken a job as an English teacher, training national guard officers for the Saudi Arabian military. Amidst the backdrop of educational progress are the uncertainties and threats of war: gunfire erupting and changing lives, drives through the streets of Riyadh, reflections on life, death, and independence ("...I had become a person who was somewhat in control of his situation...I suddenly realized that the act of buying a car had changed in one night, my entire Saudi Arabian experience.")

New reports of gunfire, killings, and terror are a very effective conclusion to every chapter, documenting daily life in the Middle East and placing the author's experiences within the context of a wider world's troubles and a culture's psychology and wonders.

This isn't just about serious life-threatening moments, as readers might expect: there is much humor to be found in cultural misunderstandings - as when Heines believes he has contracted to tour a camel farm and gets something far different: "The worst thing I thought could happen was a terror attack. I had been concerned about being killed when I should have been concerned about being embarrassed and humiliated. "I did everything I could to make it clear that we wanted to see a camel farm," I explained. "I must have asked him three different times...Wouldn't you just assume that a camel farm would include camels?" It's one thing to fail to arrange to see camels. It's quite another to bring a group of eager tourists along for the ride: a group interested in the trappings of culture, not the culture itself: "With few exceptions, most of the group was not interested in Saudi culture at all, which made my appearance in Saudi clothes just one more bizarre detail in an increasingly bizarre story."

Against the backdrop of love, war, tourism and teaching, the gaps between West and Middle East are highlighted. Under Heines' deft hand these cultural interactions and misunderstandings come to life and ultimately serve to provide a better understanding not only of Middle East atmosphere and culture, but of the psychology and perspectives of ordinary people living in a very different world.

A series of misadventures and ironies emerges; even more so than in the two Oman books - which is unexpected, because by Book Three readers would anticipate that Heines has likely penetrated the Middle Eastern veil and is settling in. Nothing could be further from the truth: he's now in a different region and his understanding is still uncertain, his grasp of politics and peoples still tenuous, and his experiences greatly different than in the comparatively isolated medieval town atmosphere of Oman, with its very different world.

Again, humor is embedded in every chapter; so if you don't want quirky observations and tongue-in-cheek wry remarks, look elsewhere ... though that would be a shame, because this approach is what lends all three books a personal, interactive, intimate perspective lacking in most other accounts of the Middle East: "...except for the threat of a large-scale attack by a battalion of terrorists, car combings, or random acts of terror, I had little to fear."

Another difference between these books and other Middle East accounts is that Heines always seeks to think - and act - outside the box. Thus, he often arranges for expeditions beyond his teaching objective and his comfort zone: "...we made plans for yet another expedition into the far reaches of Saudi Arabia with the Riyadh Rovers. With no map, and no GPS, all I knew six days later, was that we were somewhere in the north, near Kuwait."

His expeditions, as with his teaching goals, are all about breaking through these boundaries of comfort, and bring readers along for the bone-rattling jeep rides and cultural encounters introduced by romance and experience alike.

Some might fault Heines for including romance in every book. Some might look for more background history, or more cultural insight, or even more teaching encounters (if the reader intends on teaching abroad and is seeking pointers) - but that's not the objective of this trilogy.

Its purpose is to profile the author's cultural encounters and his immersion in foreign lands and perspectives, and it's here that this trilogy shines.

It's life in the middle of war, life in the middle of cultural incongruities, and most of all, it's about reaching out of one's familiarities to grasp for more. Individually each book in the set stands alone as an engrossing saga. Taken together, they form the nexus of a cultural investigation not undertaken in your usual Middle East books written by commentators, observers, and military personnel.

Any who would truly understand the region and its psyche would do well to enjoy the combination of rollicking adventure and cultural insights that permeate all three stories, defying the usual labels of 'travelogue', 'teacher's experience', 'romance' or 'social analysis' to embrace elements of all four approaches.

Simon Barrett Book Review: Killing Time In Saudi Arabia by Matthew D. Heines

Posted on November 19th, 2014 

by Simon Barrett in All News, Book Reviews, Reviews

An American Experience
I think it is fair to say that Killing Time In Saudi Arabia was not quite what I expected. I have known several PMC’s (Private Military Contractors) over the years. They are a unique breed, often working at the behest of a government but somehow not quite getting the respect and protection deserved. It was with this preconceived notion that I started to read Killing Time In Saudi Arabia.
While names and places have been changed to protect those still in the region Matthew Heines maintains that the story is factual. The first thing I noticed was that Matthew Heines was not a wanna be Rambo, he is a teacher of the English language, a noble task and unfortunately one not often appreciated.
The book opens in a rather strange way, Matthew has completed a two year contract in the Sultanate of Oman, a place that he rather enjoyed, however, due to a non-compete clause with his employer Matthew is prevented from seeking employment in Oman for a period of two years.
Good at his job and few openings for his skills in his hometown of Seattle, he accepts an 18 month contract to teach English to the Saudi Arabia National Guard as an employee of BF Milicon a company that provides a number of services, mainly of the military nature in the country.
The terms of the contract seemed favorable, a decent wage, free lodging, use of company vehicles, etc, etc. Although Mathew plays it down somewhat he must have been impressed by the method of transportation to Saudi. A 747 in the livery of the Saudi national airline. While this in itself may not be strange, the passenger manifest certainly was. It was just Matthew and three other BF Milicon employees. Now that is what I call leg room on a flight!
I think it is fair to say that this was the highlight of the entire contract, once in Saudi Arabia life was not so exotic. Life in Saudi was completely different to Oman. In a strange way, it was not the culture difference between countries so much as the culture system inflicted by BF Milicon that caused most distress. At the apex of unreason lay a gentleman by the name of Garth Viller. Darth Vader oops Garth Viller seemed to have a particular dislike for English Teachers and one Matthew Heines in particular.
Killing Time In Saudi Arabia is billed as humor, and indeed there is a surface layer , a veneer that does indeed reflect that concept. Being an ex-pat Brit I love dry humor. However, when you strip that layer off a very different book is revealed.
The question becomes how do you maintain a sense of normalcy in an environment that is essentially alien to you? You can hardly nip off to the local bar for a couple of drinks and maybe find some female companionship. Dating local women is off the list, that will just get you on the fast track to a very short and unhappy life.
Matthew Heines took a different approach, he joined a local Hash House Harriers group. I have to admit that I had not heard the term for decades. At its most basic form it is a drunken treasure hunt. Purists may disagree and explain that it is all about cross country running crossed with a dose of cartography, although it has been my experience that the map reading was limited to the next place that had beer! Of course in Saudi such activities would have been frowned upon. For the Hashers however there was a silver lining, the Hash became a social event that western nurses would come and watch. Anything to get out of the city and enjoy both the rugged landscape and company of fellow westerners.
The Hashers are just one aspect of Killing Time In Saudi Arabia. The book is rich in strange tales. Many are humorous, but taken as a whole it is a book that anyone planning on taking a contract in the middle east should take some time and read.
You can order your copy from Amazon by using the link above.
Simon Barrett

.

Let Others Know About This Post

• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 

Diane Donovan Book Review Another Year in Oman: Between Iraq and a Hard Place by Matthew D. Heines

Review

Another Year in Oman: Between Iraq and a Hard Place
Matthew D. Heines


Print ISBN 9780990879312      
Print Edition $11.99
$3.99 Kindle/iBook/Ebook

Another Year in Oman: Between Iraq and a Hard Place is the second of a three-book series that describes the author's life in the Middle East and once again offers a powerful perspective, continuing the saga begun by Heines' venture into Oman post-9/11.
At this point the U.S. is about to invade Iraq, and Heines is the only American in the region - so he's viewed with undue suspicion and faces the additional challenges of being involved in a clandestine relationship with an Arab woman and struggling with a very different culture.
Like My Year in Oman, this book is neither 'fish nor fowl' - it's not a travelogue; so don't anticipate that direction. Neither is it strict autobiography: there's a lot of cultural observation and history that would be lacking in a more egocentric production and it's this cultural interaction that forms the backbone of Heines' experience and story.
It's about Muslim faith, cultural values, the interaction of Arab countries with the rest of the world, and how Heines' decision to live in Arabia succeeds in changing not only his life, but those around him.
Expect more details about Omani culture than were provided in the first book, expect more rich viewpoints of male and female lives and how they are changed by Muslim faith and politics, and most of all, anticipate a deepening romance set against the backdrop of protests and heightening tensions in the Middle East.
Most accounts of the region come from relative outsiders. Even reporters who have extensively traveled throughout the Middle East and who have more in-depth background in the region's political turbulence don't have the personal associations that Matthew Heines develops in the course of working and developing a love relationship in Oman.
Another Year is about adventure and romance - but more importantly, it's about one average American's understanding of the underlying forces that drive Muslim culture and heritage, offering a rare opportunity for understanding based not on so much on history or politics as upon personal interactions.

And that's a rare perspective, indeed - especially in a post-9/11 world which too easily equates 'terrorism' with 'Muslim' and negates individual matters of the heart.
  D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer, MBR

Diane Donovan Book Review of My Year in Oman by Matthew D. Heines

My Year in Oman: An American Experience in Arabia During the War On Terror.
Matthew D. Heines

Print ISBN 9780990879305

Print Edition Price $15.99

My Year in Oman: An American Experience in Arabia During the War on Terror should be read by any who have an interest in Middle East culture and affairs in general, and terrorism and education in particular. It's that important, and comes from the perspective of an American teacher, ex-paratrooper and writer who taught in the U.S. before challenging himself by accepting a teaching job in Oman.

One of the delights here is Matthew Heines' exploration of his own pre-conceived notions about what Oman will be like, in contrast with its reality. Not only does the country little resemble his imagination, but his experience there is something he couldn't have prepared for. (In fact, before he left for his new job, he couldn't even definitively identify Oman on the map!)

How many teachers would travel to a land they didn't know in pursuit of money and a challenging new position? How many would rent their own cars at a strange airport in the middle of the night and head off into what looks like a desert when they are stranded at the airport? And how many would fall in love with a beautiful Indian girl while on a two-week vacation, only to run into the secrecy that often permeates Indian society and relationships?

Layers of intricacy and cultural encounters come to life in a story that is far more than a travelogue. In fact, readers who come to My Year in Oman might be disappointed in its lack of 'fluff': there are no insights on where to stay, what to eat, what to do. This is autobiography and cultural inspection at its best and, as such, is a recommendation not so much for the armchair traveler as it is for those passionate about other cultures, other worlds, and thinking outside the box of the familiar travel or work pursuit.

Matthew Heines had many choices in his career. He chose to accept something different - and then, to share these insights in a powerful book that moves beyond autobiography into the realm of truly experiencing life and all of its swings.

Heines writes that "Humans have occupied Oman for the last ten thousand years. Archaeologists have uncovered settlements near Muscat that date back at least that far."

Given that this culture is ancient and its position in the region is central, it's a no-brainer that My Year in Oman should be considered for any reader interested in Middle Eastern culture and peoples.

Any who pick up the book expecting an entertaining travelogue will be in for a treat: it's so much more, and packs in the depth and attention to detail that doesn't just entertain: it educates. And, after all, that's where Matthew Heines's passion really lies.

Simon Barrett's Book Review of My Year In Oman by Matthew D. Heines

Book Review: My Year In Oman by Matthew D. Heines

Posted on December 11th, 2014 

by Simon Barrett in All News, Book Reviews, Reviews

An American Experience In Arabia During The War On Terror

Most people today seem to have lost the will to read a book, the world revolves around incomprehensible encoded messages 140 characters in length. So here is the review:
IMHO #MattHeines GR8 book US teacher in #Oman, local ppl ^5, culture dif, h8s uni teaching sys, falls 4 #Indian, 5*
OK, now let’s actually talk about My Year In Oman. Although I deny it if asked, under torture I will admit that I subconsciously put books in genre pigeon holes, however this one eludes my neat filing system, it has so many facets. It is part travelogue, part biting criticism of an education system, part love story, and part reflection of the differences between cultures.
It is September 11 2001, Matthew Heines finds that sleep is eluding him, he catches CNN right as they are showing The Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre with gaping holes in them.
What could a teacher do to fix the obvious rift between the US and the Middle East? No one man is capable of changing the world. Sure many have tried, but few have succeeded, at least not for the better.
For Matthew Heines 9/11 was the perfect storm, for six grueling years he had toiled in the public school system, what a waste of a Masters degree in education. Schools were not interested in teaching, all they were looking for were coaches that could push students to pass standard tests.
It was with sadness and a huge amount of empathy that I read this biting criticism of our school system. Teaching alas is a lost art. To me a teacher is someone that imparts the skill to learn, the thirst for knowledge and the ability to think. Not some moron cramming test answers into kids heads.
Within two weeks Matthew had found his calling, teaching English in a University in Oman. What could possibly go wrong?
Actually quite a lot. The school turned out to be a university in name only. The students were indeed of university age however their abilities in the English language were anything but. While this lack of English was a hurdle it was compounded by culture. Many of the students came from wealthy backgrounds and had little enthusiasm for learning, this was compounded by a management philosophy of too rich to fail.
Matthew writes all of this with humor, however it was clearly a less than humorous situation. I have great admiration for the lengths that he went to attempting to motivate his students. Oddly enough this effort seemed to create an air of resentment, not with the students, but with the faculty. New brooms they mused were no more effective than old ones.
The second aspect of My Year In Oman that caught my attention is Matthews personal life. Omani men do not take lightly to foreigners messing with their women. It is a sure fire way to end up with broken or missing body parts or worse! The solution therefore was to find social contacts among the other foreign workers in Oman. Americans were a little scarce, I am sure that Matthew was not the only one in the country, but they were hard to locate. Brits, Ausies, South Africans, and Indians were more plentiful.
Having spent extensive time working and socializing with people from all over the world, I found the stories pretty darn funny.
Matthew does fall in love with a very pretty Indian woman, there is little humor in the story, and once again he is faced to accept the fact that love cannot always conquer culture.
I give very high marks to My Year In Oman. We all look for aspects in a book that we can relate to. I found many. On the humor side was his love of camping and BBQ’ing burgers. Why on earth you would travel half way around the word to make burgers is beyond me. On the envy side, Indian food. It is a very fine cuisine. It has been 6 years since I had an Indian meal, apparently it just doesn’t work in rural Mississippi. On the Culture side, Culture is what it is, we may live in a global world, but it is not going to change anytime soon.
To get your own copy of My Year in Oman use the Amazon link above, you will not be disappointed.
Simon Barrett

Let Others Know About This Post

• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
•