"There is no uplifting way to say this." p. 103 Beautifully written and destructive in the best possible way. Coates is an incisive annihilator of myth"There is no uplifting way to say this." p. 103 Beautifully written and destructive in the best possible way. Coates is an incisive annihilator of myths. If you will allow it, he may alter your perception of history as you've learned it and race as you've perceived it. Or, he may be giving voice to some of your own painful truths. As one who "believes themselves to be white," there is no absolution or exoneration offered here for me - but it's an opportunity to just listen and learn from someone who not only possesses the "gift of study" but also the gift of mastery over words. He pulls off the miracle of a writing style that is both poetic and spare. I would (and will) read every word he has written with equal parts pleasure and discomfort - I feel ashamed that someone had to tell me these things - I feel stupid that I didn't know all of this before. "I did not know, and I do not fully know now." p.106 - but I want to know more....more
(If the phrase "excoriating piece on Trump" by itself angers you, you might still enjoy this work, but I can't say for certain.)
I had heard of Wanderlust and this book of essays though before. Once I put the author together with her works, I realized I had to read them because I found her writing style compelling. It felt especially right to pick this one up at Politics and Prose in DC, along with Between the World and Me. Book buying serendipity.
What I find so compelling is the way she is able to say such difficult things in beautiful ways. She communicates with strength and clarity. But her strength doesn't come across as angry or manic. It's too disciplined to inspire panic, even when rage is called for. And her clarity doesn't sacrifice poetry or artistry. Her observations are keen and incisive and conveyed with a calm equanimity that inspires confidence in the logic of her observations, if you are open to listening. If you are predisposed to disagree, you might struggle with this one, but I still found her essays useful and enlightening in areas where I had either no pre-formed opinion or where I might be less eager to embrace her full conclusions. On the whole, I experienced few such inner-conflicts.
As she herself explains (and executes masterfully), "My own task these past twenty years or so of living by words has been to try to find or make a language to describe the subtleties, the incalculables, the pleasures and meanings — impossible to categorize — at the heart of things."
And here is something to consider not only in the realm of artistic criticism, but quite possibly in many of our personal interactions and information-seeking endeavors, especially for those interested in escaping "the tyranny of the quantifiable" or in breaking free from binary modes of thought:
"There is a kind of counter-criticism that seeks to expand the work of art, by connecting it, opening up its meanings, inviting in the possibilities. A great work of criticism can liberate a work of art, to be seen fully, to remain alive, to engage in a conversation that will not ever end but will instead keep feeding the imagination. Not against interpretation, but against confinement, against the killing of the spirit. Such criticism is itself great art. This is a kind of criticism that does not pit the critic against the text, does not seek authority. It seeks instead to travel with the work and its ideas, to invite it to blossom and invite others into a conversation that might have previously seemed impenetrable, to draw out relationships that might have been unseen and open doors that might have been locked. This is a kind of criticism that respects the essential mystery of a work of art, which is in part its beauty and its pleasure, both of which are irreducible and subjective. The worst criticism seeks to have the last word and leave the rest of us in silence; the best opens up an exchange that need never end."...more
I have interest in Cohen, Buckley, the song Hallelujah and micro-histories - so I found this a lot of fun. A good version of the song can be transcendI have interest in Cohen, Buckley, the song Hallelujah and micro-histories - so I found this a lot of fun. A good version of the song can be transcendent, a poor one or one that is just "too" anything can be cringe-inducing. I'm drawn to the poetry of the lyric firmly rooted in an earthy realism - what I love about Cohen. The big ideas being explored by the all-to-human: the sensual and the sacred., etc. It was interesting to me to read what so many performers have taken from the lyric, their interpretation. Since I'm not a musician but have instinctively felt the interconnectedness between the music and the lyric, I enjoyed reading what the musicians had to say about that....more
Not a comfortable book to read, but an important one to me. Not a complete examination of the theme, but a fantastic start to what should be an ongoinNot a comfortable book to read, but an important one to me. Not a complete examination of the theme, but a fantastic start to what should be an ongoing conversation. Helped me better understand the world my son and daughters inhabit and it has given me many ideas regarding ways I need to improve our conversations about sex with our kids. I have been puzzled for some time by the ways the teen girls I know are choosing to use the gift of freedom and power that prior generations have worked to give them. The apparent emphasis on sexual freedom over intellectual power frustrates me. This book also validates my concerns about the way that mindless promiscuity can actually hinder sexual pleasure and recognition of desire. Given the topic, the book is certainly raw and unflinching and might be difficult for some idealists to accept or process, but unflinching is just the way we have to be as parents to adequately discuss these issues with our kids who inhabit a world where they are expected to transition from pampered child to object of desire in such a ridiculously short period of time....more
Outstanding. I took my time with this one and allowed myself to make many research excursions to better understand the East Village art scene of the eOutstanding. I took my time with this one and allowed myself to make many research excursions to better understand the East Village art scene of the early 80’s. His rise and self-destruction and legacy make for an interesting personal tale, but also exemplify the larger story about fame and greed and exploitation and art world trends (into the present day). On the periphery it makes an interesting study of the group of creative people who converged in the East Village in the late 70’s early 80’s – inspiring and influencing each other. It was helpful to access images of the art online as I read....more
rollicking good dystopian sci-fi novel for gamers, geeks, and fans of 80's pop-culture. seriously, it's a virtual love song to the 70's and 80's, but rollicking good dystopian sci-fi novel for gamers, geeks, and fans of 80's pop-culture. seriously, it's a virtual love song to the 70's and 80's, but as i was born the same year as the fictional james halliday (1972), it was a romp down pop-culture memory lane for me. the future society was well-rendered and the gamer in me kind of thrilled at the OASIS world instead of receiving the appropriate "cautionary tale" messages...but i get it, i promise. best not taken too seriously - just good fun (if any of the above resonates for you - and you know who you are)....more
Love this book. Slightly meandering, but it didn't bother me. I appreciated the insight into King's process. He blends practical guidance with memoir Love this book. Slightly meandering, but it didn't bother me. I appreciated the insight into King's process. He blends practical guidance with memoir in a way I found engaging and insightful....more
Kirsten (lush.lit.life)
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