Thank you for the connection between literary flashbacks and personal memory reflections. You must have known that for a while, but it is a new angle from which I now need to rethink everything I know.
Yes! I’m with you, Jerry. I appreciated Joel’s word on literary flashbacks, too. I actually stopped and reread it several times. Yesterday I watched Umberto Eco: A Library of the World (also at Joel’s recommendation here on Substack). Umberto Eco makes several important statements about memory, particularly in relation to our current glut of information and the internet: “The first function of memory is to preserve. The second [function] is to select.” “The risk [of the internet era] is losing our memory on account of an overload of artificial memory.” Another kind of connection between memory and coherence from a different direction: rather than incomplete knowledge, it is glut of knowledge—or, more accurately, information—that ends up destroying knowledge, leading to a loss of memory.
Perhaps lying seems easiest when it tries to change memories. We call it "telling stories" that make us or our goals look better. But it does violence to actual memory. Like keeping the heart beating without conscious effort, our autonomous nervous system records what happened (through our experience). It does not easily twist those memories as our twisted minds ask it to. So our conscious-controlled memory must keep track of our lies. Eventually, we can't keep up and expose our deceit.
Your recommendations are always compelling. Thank you. I know very little of African writing, and this seems a good place to address that. I'm especially interested in stories that show the micro detail behind a macro picture, as it were: and how one often hides one's shortcomings beneath slogans and movements.
This is a great book for that. And Ngũgĩ while highly opinionated about the details in life, leaves a lot unsaid and open to interpretation in the novel. It’s a gem.
Great review. Do you think the title is intended to hyperlink to Jesus’ parable on a grain of wheat (if it dies, it bears much fruit), or is it unrelated?
Yes, totally. It’s explicit in the narrative. I decided to leave it out of the review because I thought it would take to long to develop, and I was tight on time :)
Thank you for the connection between literary flashbacks and personal memory reflections. You must have known that for a while, but it is a new angle from which I now need to rethink everything I know.
Yes! I’m with you, Jerry. I appreciated Joel’s word on literary flashbacks, too. I actually stopped and reread it several times. Yesterday I watched Umberto Eco: A Library of the World (also at Joel’s recommendation here on Substack). Umberto Eco makes several important statements about memory, particularly in relation to our current glut of information and the internet: “The first function of memory is to preserve. The second [function] is to select.” “The risk [of the internet era] is losing our memory on account of an overload of artificial memory.” Another kind of connection between memory and coherence from a different direction: rather than incomplete knowledge, it is glut of knowledge—or, more accurately, information—that ends up destroying knowledge, leading to a loss of memory.
Thanks for another great review, Joel. :)
Perhaps lying seems easiest when it tries to change memories. We call it "telling stories" that make us or our goals look better. But it does violence to actual memory. Like keeping the heart beating without conscious effort, our autonomous nervous system records what happened (through our experience). It does not easily twist those memories as our twisted minds ask it to. So our conscious-controlled memory must keep track of our lies. Eventually, we can't keep up and expose our deceit.
I’m delighted that landed well with you.
Your recommendations are always compelling. Thank you. I know very little of African writing, and this seems a good place to address that. I'm especially interested in stories that show the micro detail behind a macro picture, as it were: and how one often hides one's shortcomings beneath slogans and movements.
This is a great book for that. And Ngũgĩ while highly opinionated about the details in life, leaves a lot unsaid and open to interpretation in the novel. It’s a gem.
Done deal... I will ask my bookseller to order a copy
Always excellent!
Thanks, Susan!
I feel dumb reading this, so it must be good...
LOL, no! Who’s to say if you’d enjoy the book or not. A million variables go into that. But you’d manage just fine.
"eyes glazed over", lol
Great review. Do you think the title is intended to hyperlink to Jesus’ parable on a grain of wheat (if it dies, it bears much fruit), or is it unrelated?
Yes, totally. It’s explicit in the narrative. I decided to leave it out of the review because I thought it would take to long to develop, and I was tight on time :)
Ah, well isn't there always more to say about everything in life!
True fact!
A brilliant review.
Thanks, Chris! Much appreciated.