ReadersMagnet | About the Author

Alfred S. Iskander is a modern-day chronicler of world events and everyday happenings of the people in his community and the people he meets in his travel.

From his aptly titled book from That Exceptional Balcony, Iskander chronicles daily world events as it unfolds before his eyes.

Chronicle was derive from the Greek word Chronos, meaning time. But modern-day Chronicle literary means timeline.

 Typically, a modern-day chronicle is a historical account of facts and events arranged in a chronological order – as in a time line – of both important world and local events.

 Which also includes personal observations and comments on things and peoples he come across in his community and his travels. The purpose being the recording of events, as it occurs, in the time and place the events took place in the world, as seen in the perspective of the chronicler.

A chronicle or a chronicler as compared to a newspaper or reporter or historian is largely different. While a reporter narrates events as it unfolds continuously, as reported in magazines, newspapers, journals and other news media whether it be daily, weekly, monthly and sometime yearly, and historians records those events for future generations to reflect and study.

Chronicles create a much more detailed and in-depth timeline of the events that occurs. It provides a more comprehensive, detailed and fully extensive source and cache of information, that historians often used and refer to. News media’s even used the word chronicle in their heading to inform people that they are telling events as it happens.

As a modern-day chronicler Alfred s. Iskander has elevated the art of chronicling a notch higher. This intrepid recorder and narrator of world and local events presents a more poignant, honest, frank, sincere, no holds-barred and no-nonsense portrayal of events – as well as his commentary – without fear or fervor.

This straightforward depiction of the unfolding of events often places his life at risk and exposes him to numerous danger.

Not all of his observation, of course are serious, Iskander also wrote a humorous and comic observations of the eccentricity of people, and the practice and culture of some people.

Iskander’s dissertation and scrutiny of the Pharmacist and Dr. Osoth and Uncle Ratib is highly original and unique in its reflection and very humorous.

His criticisms of Italy, Rome, Boeing and Stock Market’s “A-C “are biting and witty but they do convey the appropriate feelings and reality of the situation. To be sure there are several – for me all of them are – gems of wit and humor.

His comment on Government, government leaders, countries, religions and his quotes and maxims are not only witty, funny but brilliant and insightful. His writings surely show that Iskander is a man of higher intellect, with a deep and vast understanding of humanity, history and social science.

One thing you can say of Alfred S. Iskander is that as a modern-day chronicler he is not just a passive observer, a mute witness and an unwilling participant of world events.

He is not just a contented, laid-back and unconcerned recorder of events, watching from the safety of his Exceptional Balcony, instead he is an active and intrepid purveyor of the fallacy, cruelty and selfishness of men.

His two books, is not just a source of wonderful entertainment but is a strong wake-up call for the passive bystander, who is contented of standing in the sidelines letting other people do the work.

Little is known of Alfred S. Iskander. His family. His status. Citizenship. Religion. Or current whereabouts. But that is not important, because certainly Alfred is a citizen of the world, and his ideas are universal, and his crusade crosses barriers and address the same concerns the entire people of the universe are worried about.

It is not for me to say this, but I wish Iskander will continue writing these snippets of gems – making it into a series of books – to continue providing intelligent writings and reminders for more people to act.