That is, indeed, a gem from Dinesen. Hannah Arendt inspired me to take a second and very worthwhile look at Dinesen's work. I appreciate this thought about hope and despair - a linked pair I think about a great deal. And I'm adding them to my wee halo of quotes that frame my monitor. They'll go nicely under Tolstoy's 3 Questions. I was struck by a coincidence last night as i began re-reading Ray Fawkes' One Soul which includes a new introduction. It's a remarkable graphic novel in which he simultaneously (or as close to that as comics will allow) tells 18 life stories spread across time from antiquity to today's world. It's quite the achievement as a comic and the equanimity of his introduction is both moving and thought-provoking. The coincidence i noticed was in the last paragraph of his introduction as he ushers people on to reading the book. He writes, "Let me. instead, present it to you now, with all my despair and all my hope." A contradiction to Dinesen's dictum? Or an evocative reflection? I think Rilke would approve.
Even though I was a science major in college, I took an elective course on Isak Dinesen, based on a few of her books. It was life changing, probably because I decided it would be, being of Danish descent, and that it would complement my heavy science educational load. Also, AND, my older son, Josh, attended a wonderful small private liberal arts college, (Whitman) and applied for and was accepted to a semester-long course in writing and poetry, taught by Tess Gallagher, Raymond Carver's widow. Only 12 students were selected, based on their portfolio submissions. For me, this was one of my proudest moments as a mother - that my son appreciated and knew enough to know that this opportunity might, indeed, shape his life in a new and different way. It did.
You do bring so much interest and joy and encouragement and other stuff to my life. Thank u a thousand and I subscribe and give your books out a lot :). I wish Texas was a little more normal - I really want to move home some days…. Stay warm. Asheville is cold too.
I love these ten things, though I’m not much into reading about musicians, I still like to see what you’re reading in that area. Who knows, maybe I can share it with someone else.
I’m planning on watching the new Wallace & Gromit tonight—I was so excited when I saw it on the list of Golden Globe nominees this past Sunday. Conclave was great, btw. I’m glad you recommended it.
Whitehead’s comments make me sad, and the cynic in me wants to agree. I always saw hope in his novels despite the difficulty his protagonists endure.
Buying books based on your posts is fun—I’m awaiting my own copy of Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine.
I’m glad you ended with Rilke. Still letting go of the blueness I’ve felt since Advent. Trying to give myself grace for some balls I dropped.
Have you heard Reznor and Ross' TMNT soundtrack? It's so good. Kind of hard to find amongst all the TMNT stuff but it's listed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem (The Score) on streaming services. Highly recommend the film as well if you haven't seen it as the animation style has a very cut/paste collage style feel to it. Oh yeah, it's really funny too.
Mike Davis who recently passed City of Quartz excavating the future in Los Angeles A book my husband and I have read like the Bible throughout our marriage
I feel called out by the call back to “why don’t you try typing” — I’ve been tinkering all week with a compulsive reoutline for my manuscript. Is outlining every few months my favorite way to procrastinate?
Thank you for once again picking me up when I desperately need it (not to put that burden on you, but it's a nice side effect of your work for me). I'm sure it's not the first time I've heard it, but "Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final" just hits me like a ton of bricks. Putting that anywhere and everywhere to keep myself as grounded as I can.
Thank you for sharing these things. I’ve been finding your posts positive in a world that sometimes feels like it’s going down the tubes. Ok, that OFTEN feels like it’s going down the tubes. But somehow you are able to connect to the positive and pull it all together in a stew of how things really are, which is an ever-expanding world that sometimes is both.
Somehow whenever I read that we’ve killed the earth, I disagree insomuch as it’s more likely that we’ve killed ourselves. Why do I find that distinction strangely reassuring? (Justice?) Geology shows that the planet will take care of itself. It has a history of doing that.
My favorite book last year was The Ends of the World by Peter Brannen. It’s about the past mass extinctions on earth and I found it strangely reassuring.
Thinking of how often this planet has completely morphed from barren rock to poisonous gasses (once most of the US was a mile deep in lava) and somehow this planet sprouted plants and oxygen and creatures that can walk and breathe, struck me as miraculously beautiful and left me feeling like every breath we get is an amazing gift.
My thinking is similar to yours. The earth has survived so many extremes, although we and other species would call these extremes disastrous. The earth simply changes and adapts, morphing in many ways. On the other hand, most creatures cannot survive these changes, and so the danger is clearly to us. I look forward to reading The Ends of the World. I am grateful for each miraculous breath and especially when I wake up in the morning, I feel that gratitude.
That is, indeed, a gem from Dinesen. Hannah Arendt inspired me to take a second and very worthwhile look at Dinesen's work. I appreciate this thought about hope and despair - a linked pair I think about a great deal. And I'm adding them to my wee halo of quotes that frame my monitor. They'll go nicely under Tolstoy's 3 Questions. I was struck by a coincidence last night as i began re-reading Ray Fawkes' One Soul which includes a new introduction. It's a remarkable graphic novel in which he simultaneously (or as close to that as comics will allow) tells 18 life stories spread across time from antiquity to today's world. It's quite the achievement as a comic and the equanimity of his introduction is both moving and thought-provoking. The coincidence i noticed was in the last paragraph of his introduction as he ushers people on to reading the book. He writes, "Let me. instead, present it to you now, with all my despair and all my hope." A contradiction to Dinesen's dictum? Or an evocative reflection? I think Rilke would approve.
Thank you for the Rilke quote 🌿
Many thanks for all your great quotes, tips, recommendations, all the rest. I always read your missives!
to me, "Time is a flat circle" means that everything happens all at once, over and over again.
Even though I was a science major in college, I took an elective course on Isak Dinesen, based on a few of her books. It was life changing, probably because I decided it would be, being of Danish descent, and that it would complement my heavy science educational load. Also, AND, my older son, Josh, attended a wonderful small private liberal arts college, (Whitman) and applied for and was accepted to a semester-long course in writing and poetry, taught by Tess Gallagher, Raymond Carver's widow. Only 12 students were selected, based on their portfolio submissions. For me, this was one of my proudest moments as a mother - that my son appreciated and knew enough to know that this opportunity might, indeed, shape his life in a new and different way. It did.
You do bring so much interest and joy and encouragement and other stuff to my life. Thank u a thousand and I subscribe and give your books out a lot :). I wish Texas was a little more normal - I really want to move home some days…. Stay warm. Asheville is cold too.
I’ll take Rilke, thanks. And thanks so much for Gabbert’s list.
I love these ten things, though I’m not much into reading about musicians, I still like to see what you’re reading in that area. Who knows, maybe I can share it with someone else.
I’m planning on watching the new Wallace & Gromit tonight—I was so excited when I saw it on the list of Golden Globe nominees this past Sunday. Conclave was great, btw. I’m glad you recommended it.
Whitehead’s comments make me sad, and the cynic in me wants to agree. I always saw hope in his novels despite the difficulty his protagonists endure.
Buying books based on your posts is fun—I’m awaiting my own copy of Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine.
I’m glad you ended with Rilke. Still letting go of the blueness I’ve felt since Advent. Trying to give myself grace for some balls I dropped.
Thanks as always!
Have you heard Reznor and Ross' TMNT soundtrack? It's so good. Kind of hard to find amongst all the TMNT stuff but it's listed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem (The Score) on streaming services. Highly recommend the film as well if you haven't seen it as the animation style has a very cut/paste collage style feel to it. Oh yeah, it's really funny too.
Yeah it’s great. I like that movie a bunch too
Mike Davis who recently passed City of Quartz excavating the future in Los Angeles A book my husband and I have read like the Bible throughout our marriage
A joke I saw amongst my LA friends is, “no, we don’t need to read that Mike Davis essay right now”
LOL 😎
Ooh I subscribed to Alyssa Walker I didn’t know about her May I also mention
I feel called out by the call back to “why don’t you try typing” — I’ve been tinkering all week with a compulsive reoutline for my manuscript. Is outlining every few months my favorite way to procrastinate?
Damn. I think it is.
Yes because it’s mine too. You gotta write the draft to the outline you have before changing it. UGH
will def check out dayswork. i love bachelder's previous novels. i didn't know he collaborated on a new one. thanks for mentioning
I believe it’s husband and wife!
Thank you for once again picking me up when I desperately need it (not to put that burden on you, but it's a nice side effect of your work for me). I'm sure it's not the first time I've heard it, but "Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final" just hits me like a ton of bricks. Putting that anywhere and everywhere to keep myself as grounded as I can.
Thank you for sharing these things. I’ve been finding your posts positive in a world that sometimes feels like it’s going down the tubes. Ok, that OFTEN feels like it’s going down the tubes. But somehow you are able to connect to the positive and pull it all together in a stew of how things really are, which is an ever-expanding world that sometimes is both.
Somehow whenever I read that we’ve killed the earth, I disagree insomuch as it’s more likely that we’ve killed ourselves. Why do I find that distinction strangely reassuring? (Justice?) Geology shows that the planet will take care of itself. It has a history of doing that.
My favorite book last year was The Ends of the World by Peter Brannen. It’s about the past mass extinctions on earth and I found it strangely reassuring.
Thinking of how often this planet has completely morphed from barren rock to poisonous gasses (once most of the US was a mile deep in lava) and somehow this planet sprouted plants and oxygen and creatures that can walk and breathe, struck me as miraculously beautiful and left me feeling like every breath we get is an amazing gift.
My thinking is similar to yours. The earth has survived so many extremes, although we and other species would call these extremes disastrous. The earth simply changes and adapts, morphing in many ways. On the other hand, most creatures cannot survive these changes, and so the danger is clearly to us. I look forward to reading The Ends of the World. I am grateful for each miraculous breath and especially when I wake up in the morning, I feel that gratitude.
The best on this topic is George Carlin’s “the planet is fine” from JAMMIN IN NEW YORK, I believe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmo8sh77G6Y
That is brilliant!