“When you read, the world really did change. He understood this now. You saw parts of the world you never knew existed. Books were in the world; the world was in books.”
Lewis Buzbee, Steinbeck’s Ghost
I sometimes feel that when I read, I may find that the world around has changed when I stop reading. That things could quite easily have happened without me being in the slightest bit aware of what was going on. I get distracted by my reading, and the world goes on by without me pretty much.
I think though, that this quote is suggesting more. It seems to me to suggest that reading enhances your experience - it enables new understandings and it creates new worlds from new imaginings. You can imagine a different world because you have read about it.
In my earlier days, books were definitely a window on the world - through books I imagined cities like London and New York; wild places like the Scottish Highlands and Antarctica.
These days, the interweb is full of images of these places, but often books are the launch pad for me to go a-searching, to follow up on a place I haven't heard of before or something somewhere that has captured my imagination in the pages of a book.
As the months go by we continue the search for the rainbow and beyond with Jennifer and Julie. This month we've reached Violet. These images are some of Charles Rennie MacKintosh's work in the White House in Edinburgh. I first learned of him through books, then crossed the world to visit his house...
Follow the links to Jennifer and Julie to discover what other gorgeous violets have been discovered.
Lewis Buzbee, Steinbeck’s Ghost
I sometimes feel that when I read, I may find that the world around has changed when I stop reading. That things could quite easily have happened without me being in the slightest bit aware of what was going on. I get distracted by my reading, and the world goes on by without me pretty much.
I think though, that this quote is suggesting more. It seems to me to suggest that reading enhances your experience - it enables new understandings and it creates new worlds from new imaginings. You can imagine a different world because you have read about it.
In my earlier days, books were definitely a window on the world - through books I imagined cities like London and New York; wild places like the Scottish Highlands and Antarctica.
These days, the interweb is full of images of these places, but often books are the launch pad for me to go a-searching, to follow up on a place I haven't heard of before or something somewhere that has captured my imagination in the pages of a book.
As the months go by we continue the search for the rainbow and beyond with Jennifer and Julie. This month we've reached Violet. These images are some of Charles Rennie MacKintosh's work in the White House in Edinburgh. I first learned of him through books, then crossed the world to visit his house...
Follow the links to Jennifer and Julie to discover what other gorgeous violets have been discovered.
Hi Fiona- I so agree with your "thoughts" this week. Just finished reading a short book (actually a young adult bk by one of my favorite authors in that genre...Sharon Creech) and it so related to how I've been thinking about my Dad. Thanks for playing along again this month-Julie
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed Julie. Books and connections and people...all so important. Go well.
DeleteLove how you have caught the elusive nature of violet Fiona!
ReplyDeletehere's a wonderful quote that feels relevant
"All our language is composed of brief little dreams; and the wonderful thing is that we sometimes make of them strangely accurate and marvelously reasonable thoughts. What should we be without the help of that which does not exist? Very little. And our unoccupied minds would languish if fables, mistaken notions, abstractions, beliefs, and monsters, hypotheses, and the so-called problems of metaphysics did not people with beings and objectless images our natural depths and darkness. Myths are the souls of our actions and our loves. We cannot act without moving towards a phantom."
- Paul Valéry
via Whiskey River
http://whiskeyriver.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/all-our-language-is-composed-of-brief.html
I love Whiskey River Mo - always so many poignant and beautiful and deeply thoughtful pieces there - I don't visit often enough. Thanks for sharing this one - isn't it brilliant? I think this almost looks like violet cats' eyes!
DeleteAs always, you put your finger on so much! Reading gives me such a richness and enables so many imaginings, and in the case of so much art provokes visits and further exploration. What a joy it all is. And in addition your post introduces me to a stunning image of a piece by Charles Rennie MacKintosh. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteThe magical imaginings of books Margaret - how fortunate are we to enjoy them? I think this was a cabinet by CRM; stunning violet peeking out.
DeleteBeautiful image - love that shade of violet!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharmon - it definitely felt like it was the right shade, exquisite isn't it?
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