I saw this book in Borders last night and read half of it in one sitting. (I'm going to have to go back and read the other half soon). It would make a great bathroom book beacuse it is organized as a series of short letters, some no more than a few words. Parts that jumped out to me: ADS talks about presence and what it is to have it. In her opinion it means being aware and engaged. People who are the most compelling are the ones who are interested in other people. This seems counterintuitive to me: that what draws attention is giving attention. Etymologically I can see the connection though, presence requires being present. ADS says all of this in a more succinct and interesting way so even if my description doesn't float your boat, the book is still an interesting read. 3.5 - I really wish there were half stars.

04/16/08: Just finished. Another part that interested me was ADS' recommendation to her students in the wake of a school tragedy. A number of the students felt alienated and she suggests that they "try to suspend their personal feeling of alienation and look instead for alienation in others and offer consolation when they see it".

Her advice for procrastination is to jump into the task immediately, before you can even think about putting it off. Since reading that I have experimented with that and I have to admit that it works.

In a letter entitled "The Death of Cool " she says:

"So the death of cool... would do what? It would probably bring more tones, more color, more emotion, more love, more raw spirit, more argument, more energy. More authenticity? More compassion? More laughter? More tears? More open hearts?
Try it. Be uncool. As uncool as you can possibly be. Write to me about the result.
Be hot."

I wrote out the whole part because besides loving the sentiment I like the rhythm to the way ADS wrote it. I have wasted a lot of time chasing "cool" and other norms. It is empowering to have someone saying to risk life on my own set of terms.

I also appreciated her discussion on why the artist does not have to suffer (her point: doctors don't have to have every disease they treat, bakers don't eat every cake they make...) to make art that is of value.

(I should insert a parenthetical here, before I get too carried away, that I found the tone of the book to be a little name-droppy but the ideas to be useful.)

I struggle with the fear that most art, art without a political spin, is trivial. But, this book offered me the idea that there is value in having a unique perspective on the world and communicating it. That it is enough to be alive and interested in the world and asking questions about it. That those questions and investigations have equal value with the questions being explored in other fields. And for this I am truly grateful.