By Jennifer Ann DAVIES
NCWQ Arts and Letters Adviser
Truth in Literature!
“FARTHER AWAY”
Jonathon FRANZEN
Fourth Estate, Harper Collins,
London, W6 8JB, 2012
In a delivery at Kenyon College, lecturer, philosopher and author, Jonathon FRANZEN argues that “…Consumer-technology products…are…great allies and enablers of narcissism…” p.8
“To friend a person,” he continues, “is merely to include the person in our private hall of flattering mirrors.”
A question of truth!
A question of love!
A question of liking!
A question of self knowledge!
Franzen states, in this delivery at Kenyon College, in May of 2011, that “…There is no such thing as a person whose real self you like every particle of. This is why a world of liking is ultimately a lie. But there is such a thing as a person whose real self you love every particle of……this is WHY love is such an existential threat to the technoconsumerist order: it exposes the lie…” p.9
‘Father Away’ is an interesting, though curious read! – I think that the hub and heartbeat of a number of Franzen’s themes, talks and writings collide with the concerns of an older generation of Women in today’s world, whereby we want our younger Women to KNOW who they are, without the dictates of a ‘herd’ mentality – to KNOW their own Beauty, Wisdom and innate Goodness, without the artificial, and even deceitful props abundant in the world of technoconsumerism ! Stark TRUTHS abound in this book!
Worlds away – another truth-teller – loved and enjoyed by a number of published and developing Australian Women Writers and Poets….
Joanne HARRIS
‘SLEEP, PALE SISTER’
Black Swan/Random House
London, W5 5SA 1994
This novel is a powerful, atmospheric evocation of Victorian artistic life, and was originally published before Joanna HARRIS achieved worldwide recognition.
Possibly best known to us, particularly here in Australia, is ‘CHOCOLAT’ – both the novel and the film – in which a wonderful sanctuary is created – a chocolate boutique, directly opposite the church! ….Somewhere for secrets to be whispered, grievances to be aired, dreams to be tested…..
Harris dances her readers into otherness! She takes them into other worlds – varied places!! Her eclectic selection of characters, themes, dances and differences whirl, delight, surprise, entertain and horrify the reader!!
‘Sleep, Pale Sister’ is unusual – rich, as are all Harris’s written works, with “…mouth-watering descriptive passages, appealing to the senses…” Guardian Weekly.
Moody, confident prose engages and is thoroughly enjoyed by readers, in tandem with a number of discerning Australian Women Poets and Authors!!
BRIEF DETAILS ON DIVERSE RANGE OF BOOKS…
Allison HAWN
‘Life is a Pirate Ship
Run by a Velociraptor’!
USA 2015
“Everyone has a special talent or skill……….
I have the distinct ability to go just about anywhere or do just about anything and have an absolute plethora of bizarre experiences!”
( Allison is also the author of a collection of short, bizarre, humourous stories titled: “Life is a Circus Run by a Platypus”!)
William STYRON
Vivid moments in a highly literary text – “Darkness Visible”is an intimate portrait probing an illness that affects millions but is still widely misunderstood – from the first signs of depression, this is a truly interesting and informative as well as a poignant read….
Pan Books Limited, London SW10 1990
D.H. LAWRENCE
An edition introduced by David Ellis (University of Kent, Canterbury), offering a new generation of readers the discovery of what all the fuss was about when the novel was first published and available publicly! A social history? Freedom for Women? A ‘naughty’novel, complete with four-letter words and explicit descriptions of love making?
“Constance and her sister Hilda had had an aesthetically unconventional upbringing….Fabians, in the pre-Raphelite days – artists and cultured socialists…
The two girls, therefore, were from an early age not the least daunted by either art or ideal politics. It was their natural atmosphere .
They were at once cosmopolitan and provincial, with the cosmopolitan provincialism of art that goes with pure social ideals.”
Free!
That was the great word of the time!!
Women gave themselves permission to be – and to be different from their forebears……. Freedom……..
“Lady Chatterley’s Lover”
Wordsworth Editions Limited
Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 2007
Rene DESCARTES
A language of subjectivity?
“Cogito, ergo sum”
(‘I think, therefore I am’)
This has always been, of course, one of modern philosophy’s most famous – and most fiercely contested – claims!!!!!
See what you think!!
….an extraordinary dismantling and reconstruction of the idea
of the individual self and its existence……begun in his
‘Meditations’ of 1641.
Penguin Books Limited
London WC2R
2003.
LANGUAGE! LANGUAGE! LANGUAGE!
A rare text to support, enhance and consolidate learning for tertiary students, which includes ‘culture-language- connections’ specifically for those students who have Language English as a second or third language!!!
‘THE LITTLE, BROWN HANDBOOK’ – Thirteenth edition
- Ramsey FOWLER * Jane E. AARON
Pearson Education Limited. Essex CM20 2016
LANGUAGE AND CONVENTION
‘Understanding Arguments”
An Introduction to Informal Logic
Walter Sinnott-Armstrong – Duke University
Robert Fogelin – Dartmouth College
Cenage Learning
Stamford, CT 06902, 2015
Ch.2 – The Web of Language
“Arguments are made up of language, so we cannot understand arguments without first understanding language.
This chapter will examine some of the basic features of language, stressing three main ideas…..
First, language is conventional. Words acquire meaning within a rich system of linguistic conventions and rules.
Second, the uses of language are diverse. We use language to communicate information, but we also use it to ask questions, issue orders, write poetry, keep score, formulate arguments, and perform an almost endless number of other tasks.
Third, meaning is often conveyed indirectly. To understand the significance of many utterances, we must go beyond what is literally said to examine what is conversationally implied by saying it.”
Certainly not one’s everyday read – however, excellent, useful reference material, particularly for those of us who are truly concerned at the continuing loss of both direct communication and language!
VISUAL AND AESTHETIC ARTS!!
TASMANIA
A beautiful surprise in the historical southern City of HOBART!
Tasmania’s own Sarah Millicent ELLIOTT!
Highly Original!! -Brooches – Bookmarks – Beautiful Prints!
I was arrested enroute to the MONA Ferry, by the intriguing,
quirky, curious, and unusually poignant ART of this young Woman….
These works seem simple, at first glance – poignant – infused with and even presenting a symbiosis with Nature, Herself – yet, the more one looks, the more a myriad of senses are engaged – and a beautifully intricate and intimate complexity presents….
I love this young Australian Woman’s works –
Please DO look!!
Elliott My Dear
*
THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
ART MUSEUM
BRISBANE QUEENSLAND
Other Joys whilst having adventures…
THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND ART MUSEUM
Building 11 – University Drive, St Lucia Campus
10am – 4pm daily – www.artmuseum.uq.edu.au
UQ is passionate about its Art Collection and the benefits of sharing this public resource…
Invitations were also extended for the UQ ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM
and the RD MILNS ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM
The 2016 publication for education and public programmes cites the following:- “Our (programmes)… aim to stimulate debate and dialogue on new thinking and ideas in visual art, encourage participation by diverse audiences…Throughout the year public lectures and symposia, explore critical developments and new scholarship in visual culture…”
EPHEMERAL TRACES
Brisbane’s artist-run scene in the 1980’s
…..may be of special interest to many…
2 April – 26 June 2016
Enjoy!!
