annotated source 02.22

Doyle, Brian. Leaping. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2003. Print.

I really can't believe it's taken me this long to include Brian Doyle somewhere in my source list. Brian Doyle is one of the greatest contemporary essayists. I've heard Brian Doyle a few times in readings and Q&As, and every time I hear him speak I leave inspired that essayists really do make the world a better place. Without being corny, though, this book is a great example of why Brian Doyle is considered by some to be one of the greatest contemporary essayists. He is, as he admits, a "story catcher," meaning he finds (attracts, I think) stories of amazing, normal, everyday people and writes them into his essays. He isn't just telling stories about himself, although they have their fair share in his writing; he is collecting and sharing others' stories. In this way, he perfectly fits into Alexander Smith's definition of an essayist: the world's amanuensis. This is one trait I will look for particularly as I read Brian Doyle in the context of the classics. He differs in many ways, but he IS an essayist. This, by the way, is an excellent book.