“In anything fit to be called by the name of reading, the process itself should be absorbing and voluptuous; we should gloat over a book, be rapt clean out of ourselves, and rise from the perusal, our mind filled with the busiest, kaleidoscopic dance of images, incapable of sleep or of continuous thought.”
-Robert Louis Stevenson
Comments
Why?
Posted by: Tara on Thursday, April 19, 2007
Do you mean why did I post this or why did Stevenson write this? If the latter, Stevenson is obviously exaggerating, but I think his point is along the lines of anything worth doing is worth doing to its fullness. As a writer he is going to have a high view of reading. Don't you think a lot of musicians and composers would say similar things about music?
Posted by: CJ on Thursday, April 19, 2007
Yes, to the last. I'm not sure that reading -- or music -- in and of itself is really worth that kind of statement, though. The thing that is worth doing to its utmost is glorifying God. Seems like it's glorifying the medium to put so much emphasis on it. His quote may be an exaggeration but it does seem like he is glorying in reading, perhaps beyond what is appropriate.
Posted by: Tara on Thursday, April 19, 2007
The quote is the first sentence of an essay that Stevenson wrote entitled A Gossip on Romance. I understand your point. When I read it, I appreciated his passion for reading. He did not read just to pass the time. He wanted to get lost in the story. I guess I have not had that sort of passion about much of anything for the past few months.
Posted by: CJ on Friday, April 20, 2007
Hey, what about truth and integrity?!
Posted by: Tara on Friday, April 20, 2007
Yeah, I guess so. It's harder to feel passionate when you start doubting yourself (regardless of how rational those doubts may be).
Posted by: CJ on Saturday, April 21, 2007
When I read the quote the first thing I thought of was Eugene Peterson and "eat this book."
Posted by: Shannon on Saturday, April 21, 2007
I liked that article and feel a bit more kindly toward him now, seeing the quote in context.
Posted by: Tara on Sunday, April 22, 2007
The more quotes that I post here the more I realize just how important context is and I wonder how badly we treat the Bible by reducing it to a set of contextless sayings.
Posted by: CJ on Sunday, April 22, 2007