Scan barcode
A review by pattydsf
On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes by Alexandra Horowitz
3.0
“A walk is exploring surfaces and textures with finger, toe, and—yuck—tongue; standing still and seeing who or what comes by; trying out different forms of locomotion (among them running, marching, high-kicking, galloping, scooting, projectile falling, spinning, and noisy shuffling). It is archeology: exploring the bit of discarded candy wrapper; collecting a fistful of pebbles and a twig and a torn corner of a paperback; swishing dirt back and forth along the ground. It is stopping to admire the murmuring of the breeze in the trees; locating the source of the bird’s song; pointing. Pointing!— using the arm to extend one’s fallen gaze so someone else can see what you’ve seen. It is a time of sharing.”
I really wanted to like this book. Overall, it wasn’t bad – I just wanted it to be better. To be honest, if I want a book to be “better” maybe my expectations don’t match up what the author is trying to do. My lack of connection is more likely my problem than the author’s.
Horowitz is attempting to get her readers to pay more attention. She knows, from watching others, that we don’t see much when we are in a familiar place. I know that I don’t see much on my daily drive to the gym or my weekly trip to church. There is much more going on. So, I am grateful for Horowitz’s premise. She takes various walks with a diverse group who see their environment through different passions (rocks), different senses (blindness) or different ages (her young son). All this is good – there just seemed to be something missing.
As I look through the book one more time, I think my issue is with the voice that Horowitz uses to tell her tale. It seems inactive to me. I am not sure I am explaining this correctly, but I might have liked the essays more if in some of them I felt like an active participant. I don’t have this right – I may have more to say after my book group meets.
I like the premise of this book, maybe I just wanted more than Horowitz actually promised.
I really wanted to like this book. Overall, it wasn’t bad – I just wanted it to be better. To be honest, if I want a book to be “better” maybe my expectations don’t match up what the author is trying to do. My lack of connection is more likely my problem than the author’s.
Horowitz is attempting to get her readers to pay more attention. She knows, from watching others, that we don’t see much when we are in a familiar place. I know that I don’t see much on my daily drive to the gym or my weekly trip to church. There is much more going on. So, I am grateful for Horowitz’s premise. She takes various walks with a diverse group who see their environment through different passions (rocks), different senses (blindness) or different ages (her young son). All this is good – there just seemed to be something missing.
As I look through the book one more time, I think my issue is with the voice that Horowitz uses to tell her tale. It seems inactive to me. I am not sure I am explaining this correctly, but I might have liked the essays more if in some of them I felt like an active participant. I don’t have this right – I may have more to say after my book group meets.
I like the premise of this book, maybe I just wanted more than Horowitz actually promised.