I loved My Book of Life by Angel and getting to listen to the author talk about it was a treat. There was a lot that she said that I found really interesting. I thought her response to questions about symbolism were interesting in how she said that she doesn't write with symbolism in mind but that it grows out of the images that she focuses on. I think that's something we've discussed in class with the personal essays. That the images can really speak for themselves and take on a whole meaning of their own. I also liked when she talked about how it was a challenging blessing to write about something so tragic but that in the end it brought her joy and a sense of love. I thought that was a beautiful essence of the bold writing we had experimented with a little bit.
I've read 100 Birds Taught Me to Fly a couple of times now and it is probably one of my favorite books. At least it's probably the book that I credit with saving my testimony. I think this is because of how honest she is when explaining her life. She really shows you how she feels, but she doesn't ever try to get me to agree with her. That was a refreshing perspective. Because I felt like her story is so similar to my story, but I think it's because of the way she meanders through images and doesn't try to over-intellectualize her feelings. She seems to take them as they come and be really authentic to what she sees and feels.
I've read 100 Birds Taught Me to Fly a couple of times now and it is probably one of my favorite books. At least it's probably the book that I credit with saving my testimony. I think this is because of how honest she is when explaining her life. She really shows you how she feels, but she doesn't ever try to get me to agree with her. That was a refreshing perspective. Because I felt like her story is so similar to my story, but I think it's because of the way she meanders through images and doesn't try to over-intellectualize her feelings. She seems to take them as they come and be really authentic to what she sees and feels.
I really liked what she thought about symbolism as well. It was interesting. I think that is something that can come naturally and I had never thought about that before.
ReplyDeleteI like the honesty in 100 birds as well. It is more real and relatable.
That stood out to me, too. It reminded me that the role of the reader can be just as powerful as the role of the author in interpreting the meaning of a work. It also goes to show that writing can be difficult in addition to being liberating. I imagine that will be the experience with most of our personal essays.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed Hoiland's honesty in her book, as it added to her story, and made it more realistic and relatable. No one has a perfect family or life, so I liked how I were able to see that part of her as I read the book.
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