Book By Book: Notes On Reading And Life (2007) - Plot & Excerpts
Every one of my thoughts around books on this website attains a concrete form as I spend time musing about the book. The form, content and structure of the review takes shape first in my mind and then on the screen. This book however refused to fall into that rhythm. I did find out the reason for it and it was that I am completely bowled over by Michael Dirda and his writing style. In the space of 170 pages, he gave me a huge bunch of books to be read and fascinated me with the length and breadth of his reading.There is one reason I took an immediate liking to Dirda. He is a reader with an omnivore’s appetite for reading and does not dictate from high atop the ivory towers of literature. From what little I have read of books about books, people talk about Milton, Chaucer, Nabokov, Updike, Shakespeare and so on but not a word about a writer of popular fiction. They use their formidable skills of writing to dictate that the books us lesser mortals read are not even worthy of their exalted glances. Well screw all of you divine ladies and gents ! Some of us do find moments of happiness in the hands of authors who never even cross your minds. When Michael Dirda mentions that his work desk is cluttered with books and quotes from poets and authors and one wall is adorned with a poster of Conan the barbarian, I felt a strong bond with this man and his passion for books. He does talk about the classical canon but reserves words of mention of many a popular author. He divides the chapters of his book along the lines of learning, education, love/romance/sex (or more poetically – eros), joys of reading, how a child is built by reading and why you should not think that all of your life is about books alone. Dirda is quite qualified to talk on this topic, having been a reviewer for the Washington Post for a few decades now.If you see a recurring line among most of the reviews about this book, it is that you should go back again and again to read this one. This is a true statement for the book deserves a re-read. The quotes that Dirda has collected here are practically gems of thought from some the finest minds to have graced the earth and coupled with that is a long list of to-read books. Highly recommended and I close this review with a few of my favorites from the book. The main interest in life and work is to become someone else who you were not in the beginning. If you knew when you began a book what you would say at the end, do you think that you would have the courage to write it ? What is true for writing and for a love relationship is true also for life. The game is worthwhile insofar as we don’t know what will be the end. – Michael FoucaultThroughout history the exemplary teacher has never been just an instructor in a subject; he is nearly always its living advertisement.The point is : You generally can’t wait for inspiration, so just get on with the work. Disciplined, regular effort will elicit inspiration, no matter what your field.Recognizing masterpieces is the job of the critic, not writing competent reviews of the unimportant.Oliver Cromwell’s plaintive entreaty : “I beseech you in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.” (Why you should never think that you are always right).On poetry : It is simply there, true to itself. Let me be fanciful : If you picture good prose as a smooth politician deftly reaching out to the crowd and welcoming everyone into the party then poetry is Clint Eastwood, serape flapping in the wind, standing quietly alone on a dusty street, pure coiled energy, he’s not glad-handing anybody.I have been told that the late Sir Edward Marsh, composing his memoir of Rupert Brooke, wrote “Rupert left rugby in a blaze of glory,” the poet’s mother, a lady of firm character, changed “a blaze of glory” to “July.” – E.L. LucasThe structure of the play is always the story of how the birds came home to roost . – Arthur MillerOut of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made. – Immanuel KantPerhaps we will die knowing all the things that are to know in the world, but from then on, we will only be a thing. We came and were seen by the world. Now, the world will continue to be seen, but we will have become invisible. – E.M. CioranA man’s soul is like a train schedule. A precise and detailed schedule of trains that will never run again. – Yehuda AmichaiWhen all is done, human life is, at the greatest, and the best, but like a froward child, that must be played with and humored a little to keep it quiet till it falls asleep, and then the care is over. – William Temple
For some writers, blogs serve as contemporary versions of commonplace books. The classic is Auden's A Certain World which was the first commonplace book that I discovered almost forty years ago. It was a very personal anthology that included adages, short excerpts, poems, and more. Auden organized it alphabetically by categories with his own comments included in some, always brief, as a record of his own thoughts.My favorite commonplace book is Michael Dirda's own contribution, Book By Book. It is a book-lover's delight and has led me down many trails that I visit and revisit. He shares his personal thoughts about books in a topical way with chapters on "Work and Leisure", "The Book of Love", "Matters of the Spirit", and "Last Things". My favorite sections include "The Interior Library" where he recommends an eclectic mix of reading aimed at getting you away from the bestseller list (never a problem for me) and into a wide variety of books including fantasy fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and intellectual history (the last is a favorite of mine). I also enjoyed "The Pleasures of Learning" where he discusses a foundation of great books (Homer, et. al.) and both books and methods of education. He even includes a chapter, "Sight s and Sounds", that focuses on art and music. It is likely his personal music recommendations include a few of your favorites. Through all his recommendations he includes valuable pithy sayings on which you may choose to meditate. While Dirda recommends Auden, of course and Cyril Connolly's An Unquiet Grave; I have taken up the challenge of one of my favorite authors, D. J. Enright. So it is with delight that I am exploring, slowly savoring, his own " kind of a commonplace book", Interplay. It is here that I will be able to meditate on the pleasures of reading, mulling both thoughts and words - perhaps cogitating some new ones of my own.
What do You think about Book By Book: Notes On Reading And Life (2007)?
I loved this book. It's a fusion between Dirda's commonplace book and one of those "Booklust" type of books. I own Booklust, but am very impatient with it. I have a hard time getting past one of the very first lists of books, where all of the authors are named "Alice." I'm supposed to read a bunch of books whose sole connection is that they were written by an Alice? I just don't get that. In fact, it pisses me off. I've got at least 200 unread books on my shelf all clamoring for my attention; I don't need cutesy ploys to get me to read books. But I digress. Dirda's lists of books make me yearn to drop everything and read every book mentioned because his lists are well thought out. The books he suggests are all connected in real and intelligent ways, not artificial and stupid ones.It's not just a book of lists and quotes from books, though. He has essays mixed in, too, and not hollow "why reading is good" essays (another sort of thing that pisses me off because I'm not an elementary-school reluctant reader). They're essays about life and morals and being a thinking human being. It's a short little book but I loved every minute of it, enough so that I ordered my own copy immediately.
—Diana Higgins
The most enjoyable book I've read this year. A wise and friendly guide to what you've read, what you should have read and what you probably won't get round to reading. On the back cover Nancy Pearl says there are three true test for books like this:1. That it includes some of your own favourite books and authors (and it does)2. That when you finish you find you have compiled an enormous list of books you really must read (tick that box!)3. That you'd like to continue the conversation about books with the authorI read it in small sections to prolong the enjoyment. I feel a much better person for my encounter with this book.
—Simon
As Rossini said of Wagner's music: "Has some wonderful moments, it's just that you have to listen to so much in between before they come along!"I really DO enjoy Dirada's moments.It's the air of elitism and self-satisfaction I find hard to take and which make me suspect this fellow's sincerity.I had NEVER heard of this chap until I came across his book, reduced from $30 to $15 (should have been a warning!!!) in one of Sydney's bookophile stores.Initially thought I was onto a winner. I could forgive him for being a bit American-centred.The books in the guest-room seemed to be out to IMPRESS the guest.How long were they staying for??? A year??!!The list of music?? Carefully chosen to impress?Where are the Europeans writers? Italians, for instance.Certainly no Aussies.(Has he ever heard of us ...or the Italians?)I can pick holes as one can in this brief critique.SO...No regrets about buying, reading this.I give it stars for the Great Moments. Don't think I'll ever have to read this non-entity again..(I take a peculiarly Australian perspective here to match his narrow perspective)..another thing to be thankful for.Pleased to see among reviewers some locals who are similarly UN-impressed.Looking forward to the last 50 pages because of the good stuff I know is there.But he could have done MUCH better. A Chance Lost to...vanity?
—Wayne
