Freedom of the Mind   by: Ben Jonjak Publisher: iUniverse.com, 2002 Price: 10.95, Pages: 140, ISBN: 0595253873 Reviewed by: Elaine Daly After previously entertaining and shocking his readers with titles such as Thief, and Glorious Failure, Ben Jonjak has returned to the spotlight with a work of profound vision. Freedom of the Mind is a fictionalized account of one of Jonjak’s various travels through South America. The plot revolves around a single day in the life of his nameless narrator, but in reality is little more than a rough outline from which Jonjak can embark on a staggering number of mind-blowing philosophical tangents. The main thrust in the novel, as is common in all of Jonjak’s works, is an examination of a person’s cultural versus natural identity. The major theme of Freedom of the Mind is the change of perspective one can undergo by immersing themselves in a foreign culture. The narrator finds that many of the things he had assumed to be undeniably true, are actually only a part of a socially implanted program. He comes to learn that by shedding the lens of his culture he is able to see many possibilities for solving various problems that had haunted him throughout his life;, possibilities that were invisible when he was under the domination of his native cultural perspective. But even this new perspective has its drawbacks as it is often considered that to go against a culture, under any circumstances, is an aggressive and immoral act. The narrator finds himself torn by the understanding that there are better ways to live than by simply following the regulations of your culture, but the price of living by these superior regulations can mean social exclusion from the land you call home. Freedom of the Mind is a remarkable and provocative read. It is well-researched and well-written in Jonjak’s signature flowing style. It is fearless in its scope and vision, and a must read for anybody who has ever felt trapped or disillusioned by the invisible walls of the culture to which they were born. Above all, Freedom of the Mind, is a passive novel that encourages the acceptance of new ideas and the tolerance of the different cultures of the world.