Madden, Patrick. Quotidiana. Nebraska: U of Nebraska, 2010. Print.
Madden's essay style is compared to Montaigne's in that it illuminates commonplace things and commonplace moments. One of the reasons why I wanted to include Madden's writing in my sources is that he really exemplifies a contemporary undertaking of the classical essay style. The first essay in this book, "The Infinite Suggestiveness of Common Things," borrows its title from Alexander Smith's essay, "On the Writing of Essays," and in it Madden explores the value of finding meaning in the everyday, in the mundane. Throughout his essays, Madden often quotes other essayists or philosophers and quotes much like Montaigne does in his essays; this technique shows that Madden is drawing from a larger field of knowledge--acknowledging that he is a part of the greater human experience, which is a common trait among essays. Because I work with Pat Madden on a regular basis in my master's program, this seems a natural choice to add to my list of sources. He practices what he preaches.
Showing posts with label contemporary essayists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary essayists. Show all posts
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
annotated source 02.21
Can you tell that I'm getting ahead on sources? I received some inspiration, so I decided to just go for it.
Okay, here's this one:
Galeano, Eduardo. Memory of Fire: Genesis. New York: Norton & Co., 1998. Print.
Eduardo Galeano is a Uruguayan writer (yay hooray!) so his books are translated from Spanish. Galeano is a contemporary writer (he actually came to BYU a few years ago), and his essays are completely different than any of the other essays I've included in my sources thus far. His essays may be better described as prose poems, because they are all very brief and poet yet very exploratory and meditative. Poetry, of course, can also be meditative, but his book reads more like essays than it does poetry for me. Anyway, this particular book explores the clashing of the Old World and New World, focusing on Latin America. Thematically, this is a collection of historical essays, or at least essays with a historical focus, but they do and say so much more. He takes history and inserts his own voice and view and language, and marries them together to produce beautiful, essayistic, and poetic pieces.
He will be interesting to study in context of the classical British essay, because he is so different, but at the same time I would love to see how he intersects with the canonical essayists. And he will be fun to imitate.
Okay, here's this one:
Galeano, Eduardo. Memory of Fire: Genesis. New York: Norton & Co., 1998. Print.
Eduardo Galeano is a Uruguayan writer (yay hooray!) so his books are translated from Spanish. Galeano is a contemporary writer (he actually came to BYU a few years ago), and his essays are completely different than any of the other essays I've included in my sources thus far. His essays may be better described as prose poems, because they are all very brief and poet yet very exploratory and meditative. Poetry, of course, can also be meditative, but his book reads more like essays than it does poetry for me. Anyway, this particular book explores the clashing of the Old World and New World, focusing on Latin America. Thematically, this is a collection of historical essays, or at least essays with a historical focus, but they do and say so much more. He takes history and inserts his own voice and view and language, and marries them together to produce beautiful, essayistic, and poetic pieces.
He will be interesting to study in context of the classical British essay, because he is so different, but at the same time I would love to see how he intersects with the canonical essayists. And he will be fun to imitate.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
annotated source 02.17
Selections from:
Sebald, W.G. The Emigrants. New York: New Directions, 1996. Print.
Sebald, W.G. The Rings of Saturn. New York: New Directions, 1999. Print.
Sebald is unique in the essaying world. His books combine nonfiction with imagination that encroaches on fiction; in fact, The Emigrants is categorized as a novel, although it clearly chronicles his experiences and encounters. The Rings of Saturn begins with Sebald in the hospital, having experienced a breakdown after his experience with the walking tour that informed his book. His prose is dizzying and very stream of consciousness, so it's a lot different than many of the essayists I've studied up to this point. However, Montaigne was very stream of consciousness (though the phrase hadn't been coined in the 16th century), as well as Virginia Woolf.
In The Emigrants, Sebald has four main, longer essays that each focus on a different German in exile--the first essay, which is the only one I've read at length so far, isn't just a biography, but an encounter. Sebald interacts with the person he's characterizing, and all in all it's a very good example of what can be done with another person's story. This is one thing I would love to emulate--how to take another person's story and tell it in a meditative and completely different way. Completely different.
One more thing: Sebald is German, although he lived in England for much of his life and is buried in Norfolk county. He wrote in German, though, so his essays are translated from German.
Sebald, W.G. The Emigrants. New York: New Directions, 1996. Print.
Sebald, W.G. The Rings of Saturn. New York: New Directions, 1999. Print.
Sebald is unique in the essaying world. His books combine nonfiction with imagination that encroaches on fiction; in fact, The Emigrants is categorized as a novel, although it clearly chronicles his experiences and encounters. The Rings of Saturn begins with Sebald in the hospital, having experienced a breakdown after his experience with the walking tour that informed his book. His prose is dizzying and very stream of consciousness, so it's a lot different than many of the essayists I've studied up to this point. However, Montaigne was very stream of consciousness (though the phrase hadn't been coined in the 16th century), as well as Virginia Woolf.
In The Emigrants, Sebald has four main, longer essays that each focus on a different German in exile--the first essay, which is the only one I've read at length so far, isn't just a biography, but an encounter. Sebald interacts with the person he's characterizing, and all in all it's a very good example of what can be done with another person's story. This is one thing I would love to emulate--how to take another person's story and tell it in a meditative and completely different way. Completely different.
One more thing: Sebald is German, although he lived in England for much of his life and is buried in Norfolk county. He wrote in German, though, so his essays are translated from German.
annotated source 02.15
Dillard, Annie. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. New York: Harper Perennial, 1999. Print
This collection of essays chronicles one year in the Blue Ridge valley (Virginia). Dillard lives in the Blue Ridge valley, next to Tinker Creek, and her essays in this book record her explorations of the valley and creek--but it ends up being so much more than that. Dillard explores ideas and beliefs and images through her observations, and she ends up coming up with some stunning insights. Dillard is a contemporary essayist, but her style often reflects many attributes of the personal essay. The exploratory and meditative aspect of essays is something that Dillard does excellently. It will be great to study her essays in the context of the classical British essay, and see how she parallels certain characteristics of essays and also how she deviates from the essay tradition. Excellent contemporary examples.
This collection of essays chronicles one year in the Blue Ridge valley (Virginia). Dillard lives in the Blue Ridge valley, next to Tinker Creek, and her essays in this book record her explorations of the valley and creek--but it ends up being so much more than that. Dillard explores ideas and beliefs and images through her observations, and she ends up coming up with some stunning insights. Dillard is a contemporary essayist, but her style often reflects many attributes of the personal essay. The exploratory and meditative aspect of essays is something that Dillard does excellently. It will be great to study her essays in the context of the classical British essay, and see how she parallels certain characteristics of essays and also how she deviates from the essay tradition. Excellent contemporary examples.
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