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rickyblue's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book.
I think the best part is the first section. I particularly liked the essays about Victor Serge and Anna Banti.
The section on 9/11 and its aftermath was also powerful.
I found the speeches uneven but definitely worthwhile.
If truth is light I think this book should glow in the dark.
I think the best part is the first section. I particularly liked the essays about Victor Serge and Anna Banti.
The section on 9/11 and its aftermath was also powerful.
I found the speeches uneven but definitely worthwhile.
If truth is light I think this book should glow in the dark.
chon's review against another edition
I'm always struck by Sontag and her brilliance.
The essays and speeches on their own are obviously incredible but they feel a little jarring to be pushed together into one book. Though this is barely noticeable since I get deeply involved with each idea she puts on the table. To be honest, I'm a little shy almost to add more words to describe her and her words, which are perfectly expressive standing on their own. Needing no further descriptions. On that note, from the sea of wonderful passages, here's one:
Time exists in order that everything doesn’t happen all at
once ... and space exists so that it all doesn’t happen to you.
"By this standard, the novel is an ideal vehicle both of space and of time. The novel shows us time: that is, everything doesn’t happen at once. (It is a sequence, it is a line.) It shows us space: that is, what happens doesn’t happen to one person only. In other words, a novel is the creation not simply of a voice, but of a world. It mimics the essential structures by which we experience ourselves living in time, and inhabiting a world, and attempting to make sense of our experience. But it does what lives (the lives that are lived) cannot offer, except after they are over. It confers-and withdraws-meaning or sense upon a life. This is possible because narration is possible, because there are norms of narration which are as constitutive of thinking and feeling and experience."
The essays and speeches on their own are obviously incredible but they feel a little jarring to be pushed together into one book. Though this is barely noticeable since I get deeply involved with each idea she puts on the table. To be honest, I'm a little shy almost to add more words to describe her and her words, which are perfectly expressive standing on their own. Needing no further descriptions. On that note, from the sea of wonderful passages, here's one:
Time exists in order that everything doesn’t happen all at
once ... and space exists so that it all doesn’t happen to you.
"By this standard, the novel is an ideal vehicle both of space and of time. The novel shows us time: that is, everything doesn’t happen at once. (It is a sequence, it is a line.) It shows us space: that is, what happens doesn’t happen to one person only. In other words, a novel is the creation not simply of a voice, but of a world. It mimics the essential structures by which we experience ourselves living in time, and inhabiting a world, and attempting to make sense of our experience. But it does what lives (the lives that are lived) cannot offer, except after they are over. It confers-and withdraws-meaning or sense upon a life. This is possible because narration is possible, because there are norms of narration which are as constitutive of thinking and feeling and experience."
steve_t's review against another edition
4.0
There's a lot to like about this book. I love the first few essays, where Sontag writes so passionately about literature that my "Want to Read" list has grown. Her passion about sharing these great books was very nice. I also love her essay on translation.
Some of her essays felt like they had unfinished ideas, which is fair since the the book was published posthumously, so I can't judge on this merit. I disagree with the last essay where she complains that with books that involve reader choice, the author can't craft an important story that is worth telling with that individual voice. It reminded me of Ebert's critique that games can't be art. But when I think of video games, there is player choice, but story can still exist. Outer Wilds comes to mind because I am playing it now. It is open world so players can choose to go anywhere at anytime. They enter the story at any point, but the story can't be changed (though arguably a player can finish the game without going through the entire story, like how a reader can speed read a book). But players who enjoy the act of exploring and getting to know a game in and of itself will experience the story and be moved. I guess what I wanted to say was that writers and artists can consider reader/player action, while still telling the story the writer/artist wanted to tell. The compromise that Sontag seems to assume doesn't exist for me.
Great series of essay, very original thoughts. I'll have to read more by Sontag.
Some of her essays felt like they had unfinished ideas, which is fair since the the book was published posthumously, so I can't judge on this merit. I disagree with the last essay where she complains that with books that involve reader choice, the author can't craft an important story that is worth telling with that individual voice. It reminded me of Ebert's critique that games can't be art. But when I think of video games, there is player choice, but story can still exist. Outer Wilds comes to mind because I am playing it now. It is open world so players can choose to go anywhere at anytime. They enter the story at any point, but the story can't be changed (though arguably a player can finish the game without going through the entire story, like how a reader can speed read a book). But players who enjoy the act of exploring and getting to know a game in and of itself will experience the story and be moved. I guess what I wanted to say was that writers and artists can consider reader/player action, while still telling the story the writer/artist wanted to tell. The compromise that Sontag seems to assume doesn't exist for me.
Great series of essay, very original thoughts. I'll have to read more by Sontag.
minalouise's review against another edition
It is exam season again, which means I’m devouring non-fiction and intensely scrubbing every surface I can clean with a toothbrush and bleach. Reading this was a little less satisfying than cleaning my shower meticulously. She’s undeniably brilliant, but I feel like this didn’t shine. But I did really enjoy an argument about beauty and the title essay, and I bought Anna Banti’s Artemisia.
floreana's review against another edition
3.0
los ensayos que más me gustaron fueron aquellos en los que sontag sacaba la lista de todas las razones por las cuales estados unidos es una basura. hubieron otros que me llevaron a creer que muchos fueron escritos esperando que el lector tenga un mayor vagaje que el que yo cargo con mis dieciocho añitos. sin embargo, lo disfruté y aprendí un montón. me llevo recomendaciones y ganas de leer algo más de susan en el futuro.
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