November 7, 2006
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The Rules of Perspective
I love reading and writing. Usually the first place I check out when I go somewhere new is the library. When I first moved to NYC and I was in Manhattan, I checked out the New York Public Library. It was ok, but not great. The huge imposing building with lions in front isn’t a real library in that there are no books that you can check out. The other libraries look like office buildings, and they are scattered through Manhattan.
Later when I moved to Brooklyn, I went to the Brooklyn Public Library, which is beautiful, lively and amazing! It’s under renovation, but you can still see how nice it is. The building suggests the library at Alexandria with it’s concave curved front, Egyptian images, and pillars. Also, the library is always full of people, including kids, students, and regulars. I’ve been going every Sunday to refresh my stash of books.
I’ve come to believe that good fiction is much harder to write than good non-fiction. I’ve written lengthy history papers on everything from the ancient war elephant trade to the role of women in WWII, but I’ve yet to write a single story anywhere near as long as any of my papers. I think it’s much harder to create an entirely new reality through words that a reader can become a part of. I believe this ability is what separates good writers from great writers. When reading The Lord of the Rings, you never really question how a creature like Gollum could exist, or how Gandalf’s magic works. In the Snows of Kilimanjaro you understand why Harry would quarrel with Helen, even as he dying.
Speaking of fiction, I’m currently reading The Rules of Perspective. It’s an account of the last days of WWII in Germany as told from three different points of view and centered on art. There are several passages which are beautifully written and the characters are very real. Check it out if you have some time =).
-Vikas
Comments (7)
you should def check out the cut chemist show! i’ll hopefully have my review posted before then, if you want to know details on how amazing it was…
also, i wouldnt say i like reading, but i do enjoy reading really great books. you’d probably like the agony and the ecstacy. it’s a historical biographical novel of michelangelo, and i found it so fascinating to see how art was such an integral part of religion and politics of the time! it was so interesting and a great read! now i’m reading life of pi and it’s also sooo good! very well written, about religion and zoo animals and survival…i just found out they’re making a movie of it! i hope they do a good job!
~rock on!
If you love reading and writing you should talk to my friend dsullivan here on xanga.
Creating fiction is done by manipulating non fiction.. I’m no master on this but I know that to write fiction you need a certain type of brain rather than a certain type of training. Some people are just made to write like that.
Hence they can write book after book…
I love reading but I cant write too well.
Congratulations on the new Xanga messaging update, it’s great!
Thank you for the comment, i like your layout too
Jules
RYC http://www.xanga.com/dsullivan There you go.
I will do, thank you .. =)
You make me miss a good day in the library
- em