The novel as fine art

Writing is art. However, rarely am I reading a book when the author will nonchalantly walk up and kick me in the groin with paragraphical greatness; an exhibition of writing as Fine Art that deserves to be place on display.

This is taken from A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett. All characters in the scene are witches.

"Well, whatever it was, it seems to have gone," said Miss Level. "And we should go too-otherwise we'll be flying all night." She reached behind another tree and picked up a bundle of firewood. At least, it looked exactly like that, because it was supposed to. "My own invention," she said, modestly. "One never knows down here on the plains, does one? And the handle shoots out by means of this button-oh, I'm so sorry, it sometimes does that. Did anyone see where it went?"

The handle was located in a bush and screwed back in.

Here's a detail of the sentence that completely blew me away:

And the handle shoots out by means of this button-oh, I'm so sorry, it sometimes does that. Did anyone see where it went?

That one sentence describes an entire scene, without using any description at all. Amazing.

The novel as fine art

Writing is art. However, rarely am I reading a book when the author will nonchalantly walk up and kick me in the groin with paragraphical greatness; an exhibition of writing as Fine Art that deserves to be place on display.

This is taken from A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett. All characters in the scene are witches.

"Well, whatever it was, it seems to have gone," said Miss Level. "And we should go too-otherwise we'll be flying all night." She reached behind another tree and picked up a bundle of firewood. At least, it looked exactly like that, because it was supposed to. "My own invention," she said, modestly. "One never knows down here on the plains, does one? And the handle shoots out by means of this button-oh, I'm so sorry, it sometimes does that. Did anyone see where it went?"

The handle was located in a bush and screwed back in.

Here's a detail of the sentence that completely blew me away:

And the handle shoots out by means of this button-oh, I'm so sorry, it sometimes does that. Did anyone see where it went?

That one sentence describes an entire scene, without using any description at all. Amazing.

It's my birthday

Coincidentally, this showed up on a mailing list I subscribe to:

Cicero, the great Roman statesman (106 B.C. - 43 B.C.), set down what he considered to be the three most drastic mistakes people can make:

I. The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected.

II. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind, and not acquiring the habit of reading and study.

III. Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.

It took me a lot of years and troubles to even begin to start on 1 & 3; and 2 is easy to forget the importance of as well. Now if I can just get better at "living the moment."

It's taken 39 years to get me where I am and I wonder where I'll be in another 39.

It's my birthday

Coincidentally, this showed up on a mailing list I subscribe to:

Cicero, the great Roman statesman (106 B.C. - 43 B.C.), set down what he considered to be the three most drastic mistakes people can make:

I. The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected.

II. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind, and not acquiring the habit of reading and study.

III. Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.

It took me a lot of years and troubles to even begin to start on 1 & 3; and 2 is easy to forget the importance of as well. Now if I can just get better at "living the moment."

It's taken 39 years to get me where I am and I wonder where I'll be in another 39.

Lyrics to a song I like and that I want to study later.

Cause & Effect
It's over now
I guess it's over now
I think we've seen the end
When our common dream
Falters in the betweens
Though I've tried so hard
To make it real
It's doesn't matter now
I guess it never did
And it's alright with me
And it's alright if that's
how you want it to be

I learned through weaknesses
And through the web of your lies
That everyday I live
Another piece of me dies
And in the black and white
I found a need to move on
To find a road of gold
A throne to live upon

If there's a reason for the
pain then let me know
If I'm the reason for your
pain then let me go

Lyrics to a song I like and that I want to study later.

Cause & Effect
It's over now
I guess it's over now
I think we've seen the end
When our common dream
Falters in the betweens
Though I've tried so hard
To make it real
It's doesn't matter now
I guess it never did
And it's alright with me
And it's alright if that's
how you want it to be

I learned through weaknesses
And through the web of your lies
That everyday I live
Another piece of me dies
And in the black and white
I found a need to move on
To find a road of gold
A throne to live upon

If there's a reason for the
pain then let me know
If I'm the reason for your
pain then let me go