11.29.08
Word Power
Tobias Wolff, winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for The Barracks Thief, is indeed “part storyteller, part philosopher” and Old School is well on its way to becoming a classic. It made me see American literature and literature itself in a new light and left me in a state of profound reflection. Also a finalist of the PEN/Faulkner Award, this novel is a tribute to every writer’s life, truths, and ambitions, and it deserves its reputation as a “celebration of literature”. I believe it claims its importance on the shelf of any aspiring or professional writer.
“…and why would Caesar fear Ovid, except for knowing that neither his divinity nor all his legions could protect him from a good line of poetry.”
Tobias Wolff, Old School
Words are powerful. So is this book.
.
¤ ¤ ¤
.
The predominant topic of last night’s Bible study was the current condition of reduced hunger for God’s Word among Christians nowadays, and it was once again a silent exhortation on my part. I have been guilty of burrowing my nose into brilliant books lately, but brilliant only in the worldly sense, and when I come to think of it, these are all but excess baggage in God’s grander scheme of things, and because I have already read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation does not mean that I should stop there. I remember a particular blog entry that spoke to me on this same matter over a year ago, but it seems that I have to be constantly admonished. (Stubborn much? hehe =S)
Another friend encouraged me with his reading habits on accomplishing one page of Dostoevsky daily, and I thought of adapting his disciplined custom by reading one Chekov short story a day. Ingesting Chekhov is the best writing tip, they say. But, alas! On the last day, Chekhov will not be required of me! These are all vanity, and I cannot feign unawareness of the One True Book that holds real and incomparable Power.
.
Keithsegura said,
November 30, 2008 at 8:23 am
This is one topic we should have a sit-down over, especially over the grand-scheme-of-things subject. Although i am relatively soft-spoken when it comes to this matter, my beliefs are strongly rooted and i feel we have much to share to each other. but a sit-down, or a walk, but definitely not over the phone =)
Miracle ♪♫ said,
November 30, 2008 at 8:45 am
It’s certainly a conversation worth having, Keith. =)
mika lastrilla said,
November 30, 2008 at 2:12 pm
same here! i am so eager to gorge myself on the great books of the world, but my Bible lies untouched and forgotten somewhere in my house (really, i forget where it is). it reminded me of this sobering c.s. lewis (again!) essay i once read, where he asks, if being cultured does not bring one closer to God, why spend so much time, even a lifetime on it? sadly, i didn’t get to finish reading the essay, i had to leave the bookstore, so i don’t know what lewis’ conclusion on the topic was. but it was truly a sobering reminder to me to keep my priorities in order.
sopraninigabi said,
November 30, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Yes, I remember this blog entry well. It had a particularly strong effect on me, too. And it remains a powerful and welcome reminder. :) This blog post was also especially pivotal in my spiritual journey.
Miracle ♪♫ said,
November 30, 2008 at 3:32 pm
¤ To Mika:
*sigh* We’re attending to so much excess baggage, aren’t we?
Let’s remind each other of these things.
From what book was that essay, Mika? I’d love to read that. Be at liberty to quote the great man. I won’t tire of hearing them. =)
¤¤¤
¤ To Gabi:
His writings have this dual quality of confounding and inspiring, noh? (…and yeah, not to mention life-transforming hehehe) Let’s rally to make him write again. haha Other than his full schedule, I am sometimes forced to suspect that he doesn’t write anymore seeing that his readers have become rather dependent on his entries. wehehe =P
sopraninigabi said,
November 30, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Hahaha! Yeah! He’d be hardpressed to ignore TWO people making the request. Perhaps we’d best circulate an appeal for signatures ;p
sopraninigabi said,
November 30, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Meewa it’s the “time coincidence” again… look at the time of my 1st comment and the time that you replied ;)
Miracle ♪♫ said,
November 30, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Hahaha… i also noticed the time earlier, Gabi! =D
Now how can he ignore TWO SIBLING-BRAINED people?!
*At the same time, prays that he’s too busy nowadays to notice this post.*
P.S. I can forge signatures. wahaha =P
Miracle ♪♫ said,
November 30, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Ooops! “sibling-brained” is too presumptuous on my part considering that I’m referring to a summa cum laude from UPD. hahaha Sibling-hearted, instead. ;-)
sopraninigabi said,
November 30, 2008 at 9:20 pm
*embarassed*
Waaa Meewa I do believe that our friendship is, as Austen puts it, a complementary “union of (BOTH) hearts and minds.”
Miracle ♪♫ said,
December 1, 2008 at 7:36 am
Awww… what a delightful way of saying it! Thank you, Gabi! *hugs*
=)
mika lastrilla said,
December 12, 2008 at 9:27 pm
waah, i only saw this now. the book of c.s. lewis? it was a collection of his essays/reflections on various topics. i hope to buy it this christmas as a gift to myself. haha.
i read the blog you linked to up there. what an insightful blog post, i barely realized that about my relationship to art. do you personally know the writer?
Miracle ♪♫ said,
December 13, 2008 at 7:09 am
Haha That would be a really great treat for oneself, Mika. =D
Ah, the writer. You should read his other entries as well. Yes, I’m very blessed to know him personally. In fact, he’s the reason why Gabi and I are friends. =)