Mary Oliver is one of my favorite poets. And, it turns out, one of my favorite essayists. The absolute beauty of the world that she inhabits, notices,Mary Oliver is one of my favorite poets. And, it turns out, one of my favorite essayists. The absolute beauty of the world that she inhabits, notices, chooses to be attentive to, is the natural world around her and she writes about in ways that made me laugh (out loud - twice), delight with her, sigh deeply in familiarity, and once or twice, be so moved by the beauty of her words that it was almost painful. This is a book that I wanted to savor. I would measure out my reading, making myself put it down, just so I could come back to it again and again over the last few days. I am so joyful to have her words ringing in my ears and my mind as I move into the next year. I leave you a few of my favorite quotes here, so you can move into 2017 with her words accompanying you as well....
“But there is, also, the summoning world, the admirable energies of the world, better than anger, better than bitterness and, because more interesting, more alleviating. And there is the thing that one does, the needle one plies, the work, and within that work a chance to take thoughts that are hot and formless and to place them slowly and with meticulous effort into some shapely heat-retaining form, even as the gods, or nature, or the soundless wheels of time have made forms all across the soft, curved universe - that is to say, having chosen to claim my life, I have made for myself, out of work and love, a handsome life.”
“I would say that there exist a thousand unbreakable links between each of us and everything else, and that our dignity and our chances are one. The farthest star and the mud at our feet are a family; and there is no decency or sense in honoring one thing, or a few things, and then closing the list. The pine tree, the leopard, the Platte River, and ourselves - we are at risk together, or we are on our way to a sustainable world together. We are each other's destiny.” ...more
It took me hours to warm up after I finished this book. I loved the story, the characters, the language the author uses, the magic in the world she crIt took me hours to warm up after I finished this book. I loved the story, the characters, the language the author uses, the magic in the world she creates. The story, set in the near future, features a world that is COLD and getting colder. -40 degrees and falling for months at a time in Scotland, icebergs in spots they have never been, world chaos from climate change. The weather becomes a character in the book, more present than a typical background, yet the story itself is of the people interacting with it and within it. Super enjoyed this book that I picked up on a whim while browsing my library's e-book offerings. Happy to ring this year out with this as my last fiction read......more
My thoughts about this book are... complicated. There is so much goodness and so much ummm, privilege? Or display? or ? I am not sure yet. Much of whaMy thoughts about this book are... complicated. There is so much goodness and so much ummm, privilege? Or display? or ? I am not sure yet. Much of what she says in this book is resonant for lots of reasons and I am working a bit to unpack what still feels just off - or icky somehow - about the messages she comes with in this book. I LOVE the idea of love warriors and the idea that we all belong to each other and yet, something just does not sit well with me overall. Part of it may be that it all feels performative somehow, that the lessons she is learning are so deeply about authenticity and intimacy and yet they all seem to be part of a performance for the reader, a building of a brand, the development of a hashtag movement (#lovewarrior is all over the damn place, I find). I may be back to update this review if I figure it out, but for now, no rating, just sitting with it....more
An unflinching illustrated memoir of one woman's female friendships. Illustrated by her sister. Enjoyed the rawness of her stories, but would have likAn unflinching illustrated memoir of one woman's female friendships. Illustrated by her sister. Enjoyed the rawness of her stories, but would have like a lot more of her sisters illustrations......more
A fun and super quick read - a collection of letters written before/during/after love. My favorite is a letter to Jacob from Hannah. "Dear Jacob, SadnA fun and super quick read - a collection of letters written before/during/after love. My favorite is a letter to Jacob from Hannah. "Dear Jacob, Sadness always licked at the feet of our love but we still never chose to wear shoes. I found myself a pair of boots now, I hope you've found some too. Hannah"...more
“The key point is that anthropomorphism is not always as problematic as people think. To rail against it for the sake of scientific objectivity often “The key point is that anthropomorphism is not always as problematic as people think. To rail against it for the sake of scientific objectivity often hides a pre-Darwinian mindset, one uncomfortable with the notion of humans as animals. When we are considering species like the apes, which are aptly known as “anthropoids” (humanlike), however, anthropomorphism is in fact a logical choice. Dubbing an ape’s kiss “mouth-to-mouth contact” so as to avoid anthropomorphism deliberately obfuscates the meaning of the behavior. It would be like assigning Earth’s gravity a different name than the moon’s, just because we think Earth is special.” ...more
The use of the Angel Gabriel as one of the major characters in Hasan Namir's story of a queer Muslim man living in Iraq. Unexpected to say the least. The use of the Angel Gabriel as one of the major characters in Hasan Namir's story of a queer Muslim man living in Iraq. Unexpected to say the least. As an article with the author in Out magazine says, "The narrative is split between Ramy, a gay university student, and Ammar, a local religious leader. As Ramy navigates a number of romances against the frightening backdrop of the rising power and violence of Islamist groups, he seeks out Ammar’s guidance and support. As Ammar struggles with the decision of whether or not to help someone who admits to being gay, he is visited by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel, who is a recurring character throughout the novel, could have potentially derailed the gravity of issues being covered, but Namir deftly uses the angel to counter human interpretations of divine will, to highlight the ambiguities scripture. It’s a breathtaking piece of work, probing and, at times, unexpectedly sexy."
Really enjoyed this perspective and the book overall......more
There is much that I liked about this book - and equally as much that I found nearly insufferable. And yet, I could not stop reading it. I am a lover There is much that I liked about this book - and equally as much that I found nearly insufferable. And yet, I could not stop reading it. I am a lover of nature. Birds and creatures fascinate me, and yet I cannot imagine joining a pair of foxes on an urban park lawn to have a snack of crane flies from the dewy grass, the very act that propelled Charles Foster into this (rather pretentious) examination of what it means to be an animal -- in which he lives for 6 weeks in a badger sett, eating worms and learning the smells of the countryside around him with his 8 year-old son in tow. And that is just one of the animals that he attempts to 'become', in as much as living as that particular animal allows you to do so. As the NYTimes said, "For physical reasons, he was unable to be the animal he most admires, a swift. (You “might as well try to be God,” he concludes.) ". I would say the same is true for all of the animals that he does try to be, but I will say that his attempts were engaging, if at times maddening, and were worth suffering through the very distinct writing style tinged with such huge amounts of white/male/upper class privilege to experience. ((except! really? with the having your kids shit outside beside rivers to 'mark' your territory as otters do))...more
Loading...
