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A review by categal
About This Life: Journeys on the Threshold of Memory by Barry Lopez
3.0
I enjoyed this very much. Lopez writes about remote places on Earth, and also life in his neighborhood. Spending so much time at home during this pandemic, it was a relief to get out and stretch a leg through parts of the world that I frankly have no interest in visiting myself.
I appreciated his care in describing the air, the people, the branch of a tree. A long essay titled "Effleurage: The Stroke of Fire" describes a massive kiln that a neighbor of his manages in Oregon. The kiln is used to create anagama pottery, and is so large and runs so hot in full operation that it is almost a dragon come to life. Another essay, simply titled "Flight" recounts Lopez's astonishing experience of flying all over the world for days on end in various freight planes to research how goods are transported in these modern times. By the end, I felt as though I had glimpsed behind the curtain of capitalism and saw commerce the people existing on the fringes who make it happen.
I took a long time to read this book, sipping it slowly in the mornings as the sun came up. Time well spent.
I appreciated his care in describing the air, the people, the branch of a tree. A long essay titled "Effleurage: The Stroke of Fire" describes a massive kiln that a neighbor of his manages in Oregon. The kiln is used to create anagama pottery, and is so large and runs so hot in full operation that it is almost a dragon come to life. Another essay, simply titled "Flight" recounts Lopez's astonishing experience of flying all over the world for days on end in various freight planes to research how goods are transported in these modern times. By the end, I felt as though I had glimpsed behind the curtain of capitalism and saw commerce the people existing on the fringes who make it happen.
I took a long time to read this book, sipping it slowly in the mornings as the sun came up. Time well spent.