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Ooops, let me check what category I am in before posting. Yup, yup, miscellany...so no category police will rain wrath upon my head jumping off topic....
All right people, I leave you alone for a few months and everything goes to hell in a hand basket...NOBODY made a comment on the "fire you own canon" subject line. You'd think I was playing alone here. Handling stuff on my own. Taking care of business by myself. (snicker, snicker, snicker … as she settles comfortably back into the gutter )
I think some writers offer us a depth of experience
A recent read with that quality : "Corelli's Mandolin" by de Berniere. Magic.
BelM - It's been a while since the board has been responsive and worth probing into the depths...
Back when this was a *current thread Avy requested (privately) that I post my list. I thought a bit, made a list, but promptly decided that my voice has no place speaking of specific authors since there are so few that I've read more than two of thier works.... I'd have no problem coming up with a list of ten for WO'N and a VH1 vote, but don't tempt me.
... but let me make an observation(FWIW).
I can't imagine making Shakespere or DrSeuss required for all to read (unless it's for a comparative analysis)... however, reading a dictionary should be required. Has anyone had to do so? (let's not start the question of which dictionary).
I've had a chance to read a book or two from many of the authors in the above posts, and those that I've never heard of (especially those from Avy's list) are on my 'to read' list. My point is that a *required list should seek to inspire and promote curiosity by it's diversity, yet not have aspirations of giving a deep understanding of, say, E. Dickinson or E. Hemmingway. An ability to understand or interpret (and quite possibly enjoy) requires more tools than the "rookie" has at hand. Refining these tools is what schooling is about (IMHO) and a legacy of what the teacher has enjoyed (or has been 'most succesful with') often has the deficiencies of the student graded instead of repaired. Should we move this discussion to "...in schools"?
This *assesment is limited to my own experience at a major liberal arts university, and it purports a goal of learning and not exposure, which I differentiate as internal -vs- external. Yet, experience tells me this world would be much better off if everyone was required to just read W. Burroughs.
I read "Naked Lunch" and despised it. All I remember from it is the lovely visual image of "penises darting up assholes."
Quoting myself:
...just read...
I suppose it could have been interpreted as "reading only", yet my intention was to say "only read" (and not experience him).
Yet again my words are incapable of expressing intention. wwh - I apologize for drawing back to the surface an unfortunately singular memory.
Here's a link to a site about William S. Burroughs. I still find nothing to admire about him. The beat generation had nothing I could admire. Those who posted favorable comments about Burroughs were mostly praising his cnampioning the right to use drugs. The efforts to control drug use have failed very badly, but I despise those who abuse drugs, particularly if they glamourize drug use. Take a look at this URL, and see what bunch of sad sacks his admirers are:
http://www.ibiblio.org/mal/MO/wsb/
Can't do the ten thing, but can do the formative one:
Anon
Hardy
Lawrence
Twain
Dickens
Stevens
McCullers
Faulkner
Williams, Williams, Williams (not enough there; left me unsatisfied and wanting more)
Plath
Flaubert
Dickinson
Boswell
Johnson
Thoreau
Emerson
Nin
I. Duncan
Vonnegut
Ibsen
Frost
Glasgow
Doyle
Specifically on Shakespeare (for formative) OTHELLO
Any dictionary
Bible
(and, sorry) Myself (What's the good of all that formative reading without writing, then reading oneself?)
Books regards,
WordWeaver
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