What a great interview. Especially moving and interesting to me: the discussion of the relationship of material objects to writing and to Buddhism, culminating in the riveting (horrific, inspiring) story of Northampton's cherry trees.
Really interesting! In the Book of Form and Emptiness the different characters have different ways of thinking about hearing voices so when reading it I found myself thinking, but are the objects REALLY speaking to him or is he just imagining it? When the marble was making a noise under the bed I thought "Ah it must be the objects speaking because he didn't know it was there." But now I'm thinking that the voices come from the relationship between Benji and the object rather than being all his or all the object's. Maybe it is to do with their relationship with each other and with the rest of everything, he's picking up the vibe of the object but he's also creating it in his head. Like a reader with a book, as the book itself says. So it's not one or the other. I want to go and read it again now, there's so much in there to think about.
I am nearly finished reading The Book of Form and Emptiness and it is a great read. I had a hard time with this interview because I heard Ruth say "you know" an unbelievable number of times.
I love the idea of a literary refugee. Wow. A Tale for the Time Being is my favourite book of all time, I can't wait to read this new one.
I am readinv The book of form and emptiness...so much lyrical prose.
Loving it throughly
What a great interview. Especially moving and interesting to me: the discussion of the relationship of material objects to writing and to Buddhism, culminating in the riveting (horrific, inspiring) story of Northampton's cherry trees.
Great interview! Thank you both!
Really interesting! In the Book of Form and Emptiness the different characters have different ways of thinking about hearing voices so when reading it I found myself thinking, but are the objects REALLY speaking to him or is he just imagining it? When the marble was making a noise under the bed I thought "Ah it must be the objects speaking because he didn't know it was there." But now I'm thinking that the voices come from the relationship between Benji and the object rather than being all his or all the object's. Maybe it is to do with their relationship with each other and with the rest of everything, he's picking up the vibe of the object but he's also creating it in his head. Like a reader with a book, as the book itself says. So it's not one or the other.
I want to go and read it again now, there's so much in there to think about.
I am nearly finished reading The Book of Form and Emptiness and it is a great read. I had a hard time with this interview because I heard Ruth say "you know" an unbelievable number of times.
I couldn't concentrate on what she was saying because she inserted a "you know" after every three words.
Ruth, are you the typing lady in the library that Benny sits next to?
💙🙏