Joseph L. Persia's Blog, page 5
October 22, 2014
October 12, 2014
It was two years ago that courage said it was alive through a little girl in a godforsaken place.
It was two years ago that courage said it was alive through a little girl in a godforsaken place.
October 10, 2014
George Orwell on Writing, How to Counter the Mindless Momentum of Language, and the Four Questions a...
George Orwell on Writing, How to Counter the Mindless Momentum of Language, and the Four Questions a Great Writer Must Ask Herself
by Maria Popova
I am sure most of you are aware of the commemorative 100th anniversary of The New Republic, an extraordinary anthology of essays culled from the archives of the acclaimed and influential magazines. I am sure it has showed up this year on syllabuses on college campuses all over. Further, I many of you have read it. However, to those who have not yet read it, this article may convince you to do so.
If only for the essay “Politics and the English Language,” which belongs among one of history’s best advice on writing. Originally published in 1946 by George Orwell.
A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: What am I trying to say? What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? Is this image fresh enough to have an effect? And he will probably ask himself two more: Could I put it more shortly? Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly? But you are not obliged to go to all this trouble. You can shirk it by simply throwing your mind open and letting the ready made phrases come crowding in. They will construct your sentences for you — even think your thoughts for you, to certain extent — and at need they will perform the important service of partially concealing your meaning even yourself.
by Maria Popova
I am sure most of you are aware of the commemorative 100th anniversary of The New Republic, an extraordinary anthology of essays culled from the archives of the acclaimed and influential magazines. I am sure it has showed up this year on syllabuses on college campuses all over. Further, I many of you have read it. However, to those who have not yet read it, this article may convince you to do so.
If only for the essay “Politics and the English Language,” which belongs among one of history’s best advice on writing. Originally published in 1946 by George Orwell.
A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: What am I trying to say? What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? Is this image fresh enough to have an effect? And he will probably ask himself two more: Could I put it more shortly? Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly? But you are not obliged to go to all this trouble. You can shirk it by simply throwing your mind open and letting the ready made phrases come crowding in. They will construct your sentences for you — even think your thoughts for you, to certain extent — and at need they will perform the important service of partially concealing your meaning even yourself.
October 9, 2014
Creative writing courses are killing western literature,
So says a Nobel prize for literature judge...
Creative writing courses are killing western literature,
So says a Nobel prize for literature judge, "Grants cut off writers from society, whereas past greats worked as ‘taxi drivers and waiters’ to feed their imaginations," says Horace Engdahl
As you may know, French writer Patrick Modiano won the 2014 Nobel prize in literature this week. However, the point of creative writing courses that maybe killing western literature is an interesting one. Especially when it coming from a Noble judge.
"In an interview with French paper La Croix, Engdahl said that the “professionalisation” of the job of the writer, via grants and financial support, was having a negative effect on literature"
"Engdahl told the French journalist that he “did not know” if it was still possible to find – as Alfred Nobel specified the prize would reward – “the most outstanding work in an ideal direction”. Today’s winners are usually 60 or more years old, he said, and are thus unaffected by the changes he described in the life of today’s writers." This seems true enough, but should it ring alarm bells for the future?
Engdahl singles out the novels which “pretend to be transgressive”, but which are not. “One senses that the transgression is fake, strategic,” he said. “These novelists, who are often educated in European or American universities, don’t transgress anything because the limits which they have determined as being necessary to cross don’t exist.” Again, this is true.
But has not this type of "kept" writer, novelist, and artist, haven't they always been? They have always been the butt of jokers, they're always "kept" artists. Kept by the state or by some wealthy benefactor of the opposite sex or even of the same sex in the universal "arrangement" since time began.
Do you agree that perhaps we are facing a point were these privately and publicly funded arrangements are killing western literature?
So says a Nobel prize for literature judge, "Grants cut off writers from society, whereas past greats worked as ‘taxi drivers and waiters’ to feed their imaginations," says Horace Engdahl
As you may know, French writer Patrick Modiano won the 2014 Nobel prize in literature this week. However, the point of creative writing courses that maybe killing western literature is an interesting one. Especially when it coming from a Noble judge.
"In an interview with French paper La Croix, Engdahl said that the “professionalisation” of the job of the writer, via grants and financial support, was having a negative effect on literature"
"Engdahl told the French journalist that he “did not know” if it was still possible to find – as Alfred Nobel specified the prize would reward – “the most outstanding work in an ideal direction”. Today’s winners are usually 60 or more years old, he said, and are thus unaffected by the changes he described in the life of today’s writers." This seems true enough, but should it ring alarm bells for the future?
Engdahl singles out the novels which “pretend to be transgressive”, but which are not. “One senses that the transgression is fake, strategic,” he said. “These novelists, who are often educated in European or American universities, don’t transgress anything because the limits which they have determined as being necessary to cross don’t exist.” Again, this is true.
But has not this type of "kept" writer, novelist, and artist, haven't they always been? They have always been the butt of jokers, they're always "kept" artists. Kept by the state or by some wealthy benefactor of the opposite sex or even of the same sex in the universal "arrangement" since time began.
Do you agree that perhaps we are facing a point were these privately and publicly funded arrangements are killing western literature?
October 4, 2014
"Did you know the average person spends four years of his life looking down at his cell phone?"
This...
"Did you know the average person spends four years of his life looking down at his cell phone?"
This is how activist/rapper Richard Williams, better known as Prince Ea, begins his public spoken word poem, “Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?”
In every group there are those who just don't understand what social balance and moderation mean, whether they are stumbling through life so intoxicated looking down at a screen or whether they stumbling through life so intoxicated their drunk. The cool factor will only carry so far before it defeats its name sake and turns it upside down.
This is how activist/rapper Richard Williams, better known as Prince Ea, begins his public spoken word poem, “Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?”
In every group there are those who just don't understand what social balance and moderation mean, whether they are stumbling through life so intoxicated looking down at a screen or whether they stumbling through life so intoxicated their drunk. The cool factor will only carry so far before it defeats its name sake and turns it upside down.
October 1, 2014
What is Literature?
This is A short film made for the School of Life, explaining why some of us read...
What is Literature?
This is A short film made for the School of Life, explaining why some of us read books and what books do for us.
It was animated by Marcas Amiatage and Ignatz Johnson Higham.
Voice over Alain de Botton
This is A short film made for the School of Life, explaining why some of us read books and what books do for us.
It was animated by Marcas Amiatage and Ignatz Johnson Higham.
Voice over Alain de Botton
September 21, 2014
The real you...are you ready?
The real you...are you ready?
September 16, 2014
Publisher Weekly is reporting that bookstore sales fell 5.1% to $707 million in July, according to data...
Publisher Weekly is reporting that bookstore sales fell 5.1% to $707 million in July, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau
Should this be a surprise? As bookstores size down to a new level, falling bookstore sales will continue to fall. However, once the number of bookstores reach a reasonable level to the current market, the sales of the in remaining bookstores will begin reach an equilibrium and then begin to rise.
Do you think what is happening to bookstores is a disaster or is it just a natural market correction and as soon as the correction is over sales will begin to rise again?
Should this be a surprise? As bookstores size down to a new level, falling bookstore sales will continue to fall. However, once the number of bookstores reach a reasonable level to the current market, the sales of the in remaining bookstores will begin reach an equilibrium and then begin to rise.
Do you think what is happening to bookstores is a disaster or is it just a natural market correction and as soon as the correction is over sales will begin to rise again?
September 11, 2014
Funny
Harvard student gets settled in on back to school.
Funny
Harvard student gets settled in on back to school.
Harvard student gets settled in on back to school.
September 4, 2014
"Funny or Die has released a great comedy sketch called "Snackopocalypse" that stars Chloe Grace Moretz...
"Funny or Die has released a great comedy sketch called "Snackopocalypse" that stars Chloe Grace Moretz, Clark Duke, Tyler Posey, Sufe Bradshaw, and First Lady Michelle Obama."
