So, what do I think of these tomes? I really enjoyed Botany; an easy read, very informative: did you know that the apple is originally from Kazakhstan?; that the word 'tulip' is derived from the Turkish word for 'turban', or that at the height of 'tulipomania' in Holland, tulips cost more than gold?; did you know that the bulk of the monies that municipalities receive to fund law enforcement come from property seizures resulting from marijuana drug busts?; And, most disturbing, did you know that the natural pesticide Bt toxin, a naturally-occurring bacterium, has been genetically spliced into potato genes by Monsanto, and when pests (inevitably) develop resistance to the genetically engineered, Bt-laden potato leaves, it is likely that natural Bt bacteria will no longer be effective in organic farming? Harrumph. But I also picked up some new vocabulary words in the bargain: redoubt, entheogen, synecdoche, feckless, chthonic - just to name a few.
I particularly enjoyed the ongoing presentation of Apollonian vs. Dionysian themes throughout the book; the tug-of-war between humanity's desire for linear, masculine order and chaotic, fecund abandon.
"The Greeks believed that true beauty (as opposed to mere prettiness) was the offspring of these two opposing tendencies [profusion plus symmetry], which they personified in Apollo and Dionysus, their two gods of Art. Great art is born when Apollonian form and Dionysian ecstasy are held in balance, when our dreams of order and abandon come together." (p. 106)
That description of "what is art" or "what is beautiful" got me thinking about my own aesthetic when it comes to creating, admiring, and using "art" yarn. Form and function, creativity informed by technique, those are my goals.


What are you reading right now?
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I always admire people who read "thinking" books. I'm a huge fantasy novel fan so right now I'm reading The Hobbit (again). I also really like young adult fiction. I find some "adult" novels so involved and verbose that I can't even enjoy them. Kudos to you for your mad reading skills :)
ReplyDeleteWow, you're really going for it! I'm still stuck on my second book, but hope to get it done soon! I've heard about blink. Mr H read it and keeps recommending it to me. I think I'm going to have to pick it up this year :)
ReplyDeletei have too short of an attention span these days- currently i'm reading: the elephant vanishes by murakami. short stories that are thought-provoking and contain strong visual imagery are right up my alley. :)
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