A single person is missing for you, and the whole world is empty. But one no longer has the right to say so aloud.In "The Year of Magical Thinking," Joan Didion quotes Philippe Aries from his rather blandly titled, "Western Attitudes toward Death." The title's bland but the quote is surprisingly romantic. Or am I morbid?
Friday, March 27, 2009
Philippe Aries via Joan Didion
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That is a really great quote and it's so true. There are definitely people like that in our lives. And yet, in our culture, it's taboo to admit that we're so dependent on one another. What did you think of "The Year of Magical Thinking", E? I was strangely unmoved by it. It was something about the tone of the book. I found her voice kind of cold and removed. But maybe it's a book to read twice.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has a GREAT Joan Didion book or piece to read, please let me know!
ReplyDeleteI actually liked The Year of Magical Thinking because I thought it was such a great, courageous thing for a writer like her to do, and she was so honest. Perhaps because I kind of aspire to that sparse, unsentimental writing style, I liked the book a lot. And in many ways I really identified with the way she was trying describing grief ("The craziness is receding but no clarity is taking its place.") On the upside, the way she described her marriage made me hopeful.
ReplyDeleteI can see all of your points. This book also reminds me of the value of book clubs. I read this one for a book club and I probably would not have if it weren't on the list. I'm not part of a book club now, but have contemplated starting one. Send me your book recommendations! For things like clubs, it always seems better to pick books that spark discussion or may not be liked by everyone. I just read a book that would spark a lot of discussion called Whatever It Takes. It's about the Harlem Childrens Zone and the man who started it, Geoffrey Canada. It talks about the roots of poverty and how to end the cycle of poverty. It also talks a lot about how children learn and why some children grow up to succeed and thrive and others never seem to escape poverty and violence. After reading it, I think about it all the time. I heard a book being discussed on NPR that seemed to spark a lot of debate. It was called "The Life You Can Save". I liked what the ethics professor was saying, but to me too he came across as a little pompous and self-righteous. I wonder if his book would be annoying.
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