"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? Sometimes a journey is just a journey. When does a journey turn into a quest? When you meet a character like the Noble Savage! A journey transforms into a life-changing voyage as you encounter new people and absorb new ideas. Norman Rock seeks the Noble Savage, wanting to ask him questions about life in the jungle, only to unearth insights about his own life and culture. Norman starts with preconceived notions of nobility and the form of the savage mind. His arrogant foray into different worlds contrasts the civilized man, such as himself, with the noble savage. The Noble Savage does not cooperate, instead showing Norman new ways to look at the world. Only by freeing himself from the stiff and dusty ideas that he has clung to for years can Norman change, allowing fresh perspectives to emerge, and with this change he finds what he is looking for. "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? Nora M. Barraford, is a wife, mother of five, Professor Emeritus of English, editor and portrait painter, but her greatest love has always been writing. Living in Sherborn, MA, she works on her novels, poetry and various prose with a twinkle in her eye and a smile upon her lips. Nora M Barraford co-authored The Noble Savage with Andrew E. Barraford.  The majority of this book was Nora's, but was edited by and contributed to by Andrew to make a cohesive story. Nora M. Barraford passed away in 2015 at the age of 101.