#55: DR. FRANZ OWANO on Masks of Manhood, Words, Wards and the Merits of slow Success

The Busy Being Born Podcast

In this episode the BBB duo sit with Dr. Franz Owano - a prolific author, publisher and doctor for a most intriguing conversation. Jumping into the deep end as soon as the episode starts, Franz explores the merits of greed - yes, greed - before the episode flows more towards studying the choices, strengths, weaknesses and shadows of great men. With historical figures, characters from his books and prominent thought leaders making appearances in his anecdotes and examples; the episode follows Franz’s ideas, curiosities, experiences and journey into both medicine and literature. From ‘stealing’ books to the scribblings that begun the writer's journey, from being a non-desire inducing creature to being lead doctor in the wild bandit prone Laikipia, from points of inflections to deflections and so on the episode follows Franz’s transition from the ward to the seat. Highlighting existential frustrations, anxiety, ambition and worthy tradeoffs, societal impositions, work in the mental health space and more, the conversation generously finds time to also analyze the shift of position demonizing fathers to humanizing them to then becoming them. At the heart of it - this episode is really about gratitude, perseverance, drive, kindness, fatherhood, finding balance and ensuing happiness as opposed to chasing it.

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This episode is brought to you by FunKeScience.

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About the Guest

Franz Owano is a Doctor, Author and Publisher. He began writing seriously while still a medical student at the University of Nairobi over a decade ago. Venturing into literature as a productive outlet from the rigors of his chosen vocation. He has penned plays, collections of short stories, an anthology of poems, a novella and a couple of novels so far ranging from the genres of contemporary fiction, African folklore, religious fantasy to historical and science fiction. Three of his books and a 4th published under the banner of his company (The Wanderers Path Publishers - IG) have been purchased by the United States Library of Congress.

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SHOW NOTES

• The True top of Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs
• The hedonic treadmill
• Queen Victoria reign
• Julius Caesar - bio
• Julius Caesar by Shakespeare
• Napoleon Bonaparte - bio
• On the Oedipus Complex by Sigmund Freud
• More on the late great Jaramogi
• Neil deGrasse Tyson on Schrodinger’s cat
• Jeffery Archer personal story
• Franz’s publishing company: Wanderer's Path
• On Addressing and reducing cognitive dissonance
• More on TYPE A personalities
• BBB Episode with Bulle (Nuria Bookstore founder)
• Other Franz Owano Interviews (Youtube, Nation Newspaper)

BOOKS, POEMS, MOVIES AND MUSIC MENTIONS

• Analyzing Gordon Gecko from Wolf of Wall Street
• Ghosts of empires book by Kwasi Kwarteng
• EXODUS by Leon Uris
• Tides in the affairs of men quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar explained:
• In Flanders Field poem by John McCrae history, context and meaning
• The go to books for 90’s kids
• Thomas Shelby (Bio) - Peaky blinders character
• Master Shifu (Bio) - KUNGFU PANDA character
• Love yourz by J Cole
• Some of Franz’s Books on Nuria