Out of Egypt:

sometimes books are revelatory

...in a way that makes you rejoice at the possibility of words. I think again.

Recently, looking at Marshall McLuhan's work for my SIP was such an experience. His writings provide me with the tools to interpret many things that would otherwise be completely obscure to me, to make the invisible (the world of media) visible.

I bought myself the complete poems of Emily Dickinson on Monday evening with part of the gift certificate money I got for Christmas. Reading her writing, which is in a sense more confessional than the confessional poets (since it confesses inner sensibilities - the universal through the particular - rather than exterior circumstances), is another relevatory experience for me. Poetry seems worthwhile again. Her writing, which in its edited, excerpted form seemed a mere idiosyncratic curiousity now appears numinous, God-haunted, strange in the way that all great things are strange. I think I'll put some of the significant quotes up here later, when I have the text in front of me.

Oh, and I also bought Rachmaninov's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and Getz/Gilberto. Beautiful.

Evan, I have to say that your writing is revelatory as well. I may never read Emily Dickinson; however I enjoy reading your description of her. You have a way of writing that draws from a palette of many words that keep colorful without becoming cumbersome. I think if I were to analyze it further a lot would have to do with the varying of sentence length, the absence of little errors (impeccable grammar and punctuation) and other seemingly small things. It just feels solid all around, it's refreshing to read anything by someone who really knows and loves the English language and all that it encompasses and touches. I think I could enjoy reading something you wrote even if it was on a topic that thoroughly disinterested me. Keep it up, I love reading stuff that is so unique but so obviously unpretentious.

Posted by: Matt B. at December 28, 2005 3:54 AM

Thanks, Matt :) That's one of the nicest comments I've ever gotten.

Posted by: Evan Donovan at December 28, 2005 4:40 PM