Should We Believe What We Read?
Apart from the majority of media reports, the answer to this question is an unequivocal yes!
Whether it’s a captivating mystery, charming children’s book, treasure hunt fantasy, steamy romance, gritty thriller, witty comedy, emotional memoir, mysterious adventure, portentous history, riveting crime, ominous sci-fi, dreamy poetry or even an inspiring cookbook, reading an interesting fact or fiction piece without judgement can give us passage into a world without boundaries…personally, a good read can sometimes hold the power of transporting me into another realm.
Over the coming weeks and months, I will showcase some significant books from my own personal library.
Here are just a few to ponder over.
Take Rene Descartes, Passions of the Soul, where questions about happiness, passions, and ethics, that once lay quiescent were brought to the fore in the 17th century at Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia’s quizzical request, igniting Descartes genius to investigate physiological effects and their influence on human behaviour. Aside from being an interesting read when I run a delicate finger across the Vellum of my French 1651 antique edition of Les Passions De L’Ame, I wonder whose hands may have held this through the ages, and I am in awe that this special little tome made its way into my humble library.
Year of Wonders - an interesting novel about the plague of 1666. With a rigorous regard for period detail, Geraldine Brooks 1988 imaginative take, you’re able to follow the plague from central London to an isolated mountain village which remarkably, enables us to see reflections of oneself. This international bestseller is as good a read as the noteworthy cover portrays.
Charles Dickens, David Copperfield 1850. Chapter 1, I am Born… ’Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show…’ If Dicken’s work doesn’t move you and every living soul under the sun in thought and make you want to read on, then what will? Dicken’s works are timeless so never be afraid to revisit them.
Books and storytelling have long been part of our human identity. But in a world where reading is increasingly done on tablets, phones or other devices, part of the magical journey of reading is holding a book in one’s hands, flipping through the pages, and in some cases even smelling the pages. As one who champions books, I urge you to never totally give in to kindle. Sure, audible books are incredibly convenient at times, like when you’re wanting to travel light but there is nothing quite like the immersive experience of reading a physical book when you get home.
As promised over the coming weeks I will showcase significant books I have in my own personal library.
Here a few more to consider.
Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Whilst I’m not here to espouse the virtues of mankind I am however remarkably impressed by D.H. Lawrence’s drive and determination to have this intimate read published in Italy in 1928, a good thirty-two years before the United Kingdom finally came to their senses and reluctantly published it in 1960. Oddly, it was banned in Australia in 1965. But, like most, aroused by curiosity I first read this book in my mid 20’s and have gone on to watch every cinematic version ever since.
A Bone of Fact by the infamous David Walsh-creator of the Mona in Hobart. Walsh is a multi-millionaire who is both a giant and an enigma to the Australian art world. Being a retired art dealer myself, on its release in 2014 I was immediately interested to read David’s controversial bible style memoir and whilst it’s no literary masterpiece it is however, very funny and certainly transformative.
Anne Fadiman’s, Ex Libris – Confessions of a Common Reader is a lovely collection of personal essays about a lifelong love affair with books. This small but mighty read is something I wholeheartedly identify with.
