Beware False Tigers received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with authors Frank Forencich.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Beware False Tigers, published October 15, 2021
What’s the book’s first line?
“Imagine this…It’s one hundred thousand years ago, anywhere in eastern or southern Africa, long before agriculture, written language, numbers, hierarchy, nation states, and gee-whiz technology.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Our world is in turmoil, bearing down on our minds and bodies with increasing pressure, systemic crises and wicked problems. Our aboriginal bodies, sculpted for success in wild, outdoor environments, have no idea how to adapt. Cortisol surges through our tissue, driving us towards impatience, distress, dysfunctional behavior and declining health.
The standard narrative tells us that stress is an individual problem with individual solutions. It’s a lifestyle issue, a medical condition, and a challenge to our personal well-being.
But the standard narrative gets it wrong. In fact, stress is a systemic, psycho-social problem and a global health issue. It’s a shared predicament that demands collective, systemic action. The good news is that stress can actually be the key to unlocking a more functional and fulfilling future for all of us.
This book is about focus. It’s about responding appropriately, to the right tigers, in the right proportion, at the right time. As you’ll discover, our encounter with stress can be fascinating, powerful and incredibly meaningful.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
I’ve long been a student of the human body, especially from a biological and evolutionary point of view. From that perspective, I’ve always wondered about our mismatch with the modern world. Our bodies are ancient and highly adapted to life in natural, outdoor settings, but today we’re forced to live in an alien environment. This is a massive stressor, reflected in the epidemic levels of anxiety, depression, social dysfunction and struggles with adaptation. And yet, stress isn’t given the attention it deserves.
As someone with a powerful curiosity about health, physicality and the myriad dilemmas of modern life, I’ve come to the conclusion that stress lies right at the heart of our struggles. If we can understand this, we’ve got a chance to create a functional future.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
There’s plenty of advice out there about stress, but most of it comes in the form of a “standard narrative.” We’re told that stress is an individual problem with an individual solution, and that the goal is to make our stress go away and live stress-free. But this over-simplifies what is really a fascinating, complex and multi-disciplinary study. Not only is stress contagious, social and cultural, it’s also more interesting than most of us realize. And, stress is only going to increase in coming years. Faced with the famous “hockey stick” graph of radical change over time, society and individuals will be forced to grapple with unprecedented levels of change. In this kind of world, stress and resilience education will be fundamental to our survival.
When did you first decide to become an author?
It’s been about 20 years now. I’ve always loved books and wanted to try my hand. I wasn’t sure what I was after, but I sensed an opening in the conversation. I had heard about evolutionary mismatch from my professors, but once I went to Africa, everything changed. I suddenly realized the magnitude and depth of the modern human predicament and knew that this was something I could sink my teeth into.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
I’ve written several books, mostly self-published, all of them on similar themes of health and the human predicament in the modern world. Each one has been a step forward, a groping in the dark, trying to get a sense of clarity. And it’s endlessly challenging; by the time I finish a book, new insights emerge and my work suddenly seems out of date. I always finish with a sense that I could do better.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’ve remodeled a few houses along the way. It’s hard work, but it makes sense. Paint the house, write a chapter. Dig a trench, write another. Ride my bike, write some more. Somehow, the physical movement and writing seem to feed one another.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I’m inconsistent. I’ll put in a few hours each day, along with plenty of exercise and time in nature. But I try to be an opportunist; if an idea jumps out at me, I’ll run back to my office and try to nail it down before it escapes. I’m a hunter-gatherer of ideas.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
As always, the hardest thing about being a writer is being taken seriously. We’ve all heard the rap that “writing isn’t a real job,” as if there’s nothing to be said about the long hours at the keyboard, the endless research and the risk that goes with the process. And of course, being an indie is even tougher because you’ve got to be a jack of all trades: not only the writing itself, but the work involved in book production and marketing. It’s far more laborious than people realize. You’ve got to believe in your work.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
As so many wise men and women have taught, focus on the journey over the destination. You can’t control the ultimate outcome. There’s no way to predict how a book will do, who will read it, or where it might lead. So forget all that. Stay with your curiosity and don’t quit. If you focus on the outcome, you’ll get distracted.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Maybe. There are obviously some big advantages in terms of support, but there’s also some major drawbacks. The great thing about indie is that you can say precisely what you want to say and your books stay in print for as long as you want. Having a sense of control over the work is extremely important to me and it’s a big stress reliever as well.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
The thing that really motivates me is the quest to get the words right. If I can frame an idea well and give voice to others who are wondering about similar issues, I’ve done my job. Fame and fortune might be juicy, but they’re really a side show.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
There’s so much great non-fiction out there, I’m in awe of most of it. My favorites are the great columnists at the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian and the Atlantic.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
I’m also a big fan of Mark Twain. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are at the top of my list.