Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Lawrence
Now 36% through 'Women in Love' 0n the Kindle. Apart from the irritating capitals, I have spotted two or three obvious typos so far. Good stuff, but the man does bang on a bit at times. I suppose, in his defence, one can say that he is trying to say something difficult which does not fit into words very well without sounding either silly, pretentious or pompous. Or some combination thereof. And also in his defence, I think he is well aware of the problem.
I think also that I can see a place where he and Huxley met; to wit a shared interest in some state of consciousness beyond the individual, but not not a merging of individuals either. Somewhere in between. I guess a reasonably common interest among people around the time of the first world war (and all its destruction) who worried about the recession of holiness, communal and otherwise. Parallels the contemporary interest in spirits and ouija boards. Goodness what I could of made of it all when 17 when I first read the book - at which time I wrote a learned essay about it for the school magazine - which might make embarrassing reading now.
Confidence sufficiently boosted that I have now recycled a total of 3 Lawrentian paperbacks.
On another plane I came across a book called 'Where children sleep', perhaps one of my weekly tips from http://www.stumbleupon.com/. A handsomely produced picture book, published at 78 Arbuthnot Road, SW17 and http://www.chrisboot.com/. Photographs by Mr Mollinson and words (I think) by Mrs Mollinson. Sponsored by Benetton, so in my book they have made up a bit of the ground they lost with a bunch of offensive advertising hoardings a few years back.
What you get is around 50 pairs of photographs, the first of each pair the child in question and the second his or her bedroom. Or at least, where he or she sleeps. Plus a short description of the child's circumstances and background; a description in a properly neutral tone, without judgement or comment. And while the authors make no grand claims, you get get an interesting selection from around the world, rich & poor, white, yellow, brown & black. They achieve their aim, which is to provoke thought. About whether it is healthy for children to be driven to hard core competition or to own lots of things. To be very keen on (real) guns. What it might be like to be brought up in extreme poverty. I was certainly reminded in no uncertain terms that there is plenty of this last about. A coffee table book of the best sort.
Available from Amazon.
# posted by Jim @ 4:06 AM 
