Reviews

Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters by Annie Dillard

jamesdoyle's review

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informative inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.5

calebgetto's review

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informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

sarabkeller's review

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3.0

Over my head

meg_sm's review against another edition

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3.0

Really tough one to rate. The parts I liked, I loved with my entire soul. Other parts didn’t connect with me at all.

mochasandbooks's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

3.0

While I believe Annie Dillard has a lot of amazing things to say, I'm not sure I'm the right audience to present it to, at least at this stage of my life.

mightymeep's review against another edition

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4.0

4.5 - Extraordinary writing.

saracat's review against another edition

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2.0

There is some beautiful prose and imagery within each essay. And some of the connections between different things that Dillard makes are interesting and give insight into her thinking. But, there are also essays in the book where even by the end of the essay I have a hard time understanding the link between the two things.

While I can appreciate the jumping back and forth between things can give a sense of how our thought process can actually be at times, I did often find it hard to follow. That being said, some of the essays, especially the shorter ones, were not like this.

Looking at individual sentences or paragraphs, I love some of Dillard's writing, but looking at whole essays, I have mixed feelings about whether I want to read more of her work or not.

I give this book 2.5 stars on a first reading.

glindaaa's review

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3.0

I find it difficult to form an actual opinion of the book, I am not entirely sure I got everything. That does not take away that the writing style was brilliant and beautiful. I could not stop reading it and that was definitely a good thing but to say I really loved it, that's not entirely what I feel I can say. That leaves me unable to actually say something about the book but let me try.

I think my favourite essays were the one about the mangrove and the Darwinism. It was interesting, educational in a way and just inspiring maybe? To think about something and to learn about it, that is something I like. I also liked the last two, but I am not sure if it touched me, is what I am trying to say.

karajrapp's review

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4.0

This was not my favorite of Dillard's books, which is similar to saying a certain Renoir painting is not my favorite - the opinion is supplied by subjective lenses and in no way denies the mastery of the artwork. And no one masters the art of prose quite like Dillard.

My favorite segments of this collection were God in the Doorway, Aces and Eights, On a Hill Far Away, and Sojourner. But all are beautifully written and worth the reading.

“I alternate between thinking of the planet as home–dear and familiar stone hearth and garden–and as a hard land of exile in which we are all sojourners.”

hmcastaldo's review

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5.0

the second essay, “An Expedition to the Pole,” demands to be bookmarked and reread