The New Atlantis

Getting Back to Reading

Alex is fond of bringing books he loves or is fascinated with to my place. Before, he would casually tell me snippets from these books in the hopes to get me hooked into reading it. Unfortunately, due to my incredible forgetfulness, it hardly worked. Nowadays he has found that leaving these books conveniently near my favorite haunts is more effective. Hence, his new found habit of bringing books to be innocently displayed near my favorite (and only) sofa.

And now, admittedly, I’m quite hooked.

My Poison

Currently, I’m drawn to the short-story collection: The Compass Rose by Ursula LeGuin. Since it held a series of science fiction stories (which isn’t really my cup of tea, but the name and the cover attracted me like Pooh to a honey pot), I took the random sampling approach on which story to read first. In short, I opened the book, looked at the title and started with that.

I was not disappointed. In fact, I was completely bowled over.

The New Atlantis, at least in my untrained and recently, not well read eyes, was a beautifully written story that made me salivate in envy – because her story and her words were something I had always wanted to achieve in my own writing. Of course, reading it made me feel stupid as well. Simply because there are technically three stories you have to follow: A woman’s perspective in the new age, some Atlanteans (assumed) point of view and how the two connect each other to make the first 2 stories deeper. I understood perfectly what the deal was with the woman, and I think I’ve gotten the gist of what the Atlanteans (assumed) were trying to say, but how the two connect or are parallel to each other escapes me. I don’t really understand how the two can contribute to the other, either to emphasize a tragedy or a point, to make the story whole.

I’ve gotten Alex piqued by the story as well. He has some interesting suggestions, but I felt that the tenor by which the two were written does not tie well with his interpretation. But then, what do I know? He, at the very least, studied some (real) Literature in college, while I was stuck with the typical White Elephants and Roman Fevers.

So, to those who have some idea on the aforementioned story, drop me a line. I’d like to treat you to coffee while you explain to me the connection of these two stories. The story may be child’s play for you, but its gotten me hooked and I truly feel that I’m missing something that’s probably obvious. Besides, talking to someone is much more fun then researching the interpretation on the ‘net.

As for the rest of the stories, I’m sad to say that I was not as impressed by them as I was with the New Atlantis. I felt that the texture of the stories were coarser and emphasized more the Big Idea rather than the writing per se. There were still some interesting stories though, like Diaries of the Rose (which explores the science of being able to see and hear [literally, through speakers and a blue screen] the conscious and unconscious mind) and Pathways to Desire (where the mystery of the people of Ndif [a different planet] are investigated).

It’s good to be reading again.