WILL UNWOUND: #183: “Sophie’s Choice…Again!” by Will Manley
July 25, 2010One of my challenges as a library patron is taking my grandchildren into the adult section of the library. They don’t want to be there, the adult patrons don’t want them there, and the adult services library staff do not want them there. In fact once when my two year old granddaughter Sophia accompanied me (well I kind of dragged her there) to the adult periodicals room we were cordially invited to return to children’s.
But there are times when I need a good book. Sometimes Sophie is patient, sometimes not. About 6 weeks ago she was not so patient and we were about 5 steps into the adult library when her eye was caught by an oversized book jacket adorned with a luscious painting of a comely young woman totally absorbed in a book . Sophie grabbed the book off the New Books display rack, stuck it in my big blue book bag and then dragged me back to children’s. This is becoming a habit.
Sophie’s choice was simply grand. A more beautiful book I have not seen for many months. The title is Forbidden Fruit: A History of Women and Books in Art by Christiane Inmann. I have been living with this book for six weeks, and I am out of renewals. It is due back on Monday, and that makes me very sad.
This book is two things: 1) a textual history of women and reading and 2) a series of great paintings through the ages of women reading. Both parts are wonderful.
The text is direct and spirited. Consider these passages:
- “If – as the British philosopher Francis Bacon claimed – reading is nourishment for the mind and soul, it remained a forbidden fruit for women throughout much of history. Patriarchal societies of all ages kept the knowledge of books and reading locked away from women and safeguarded the keys to this treasure chest, afraid that, if opened, it would become a Pandora’s box.”
- “The male establishment feared women’s intellectual liberation and what it regarded as the potentially subversive effects of the written word. A woman’s mind, it was argued, was too delicate to be exposed to outside influences; her thoughts could easily be manipulated, leading to disastrous consequences in the form of independent ideas and opinions.
- “The notion that a woman could have an innocent passion for intellectually stimulating material was so foreign that any woman reading academic and scholarly literature was suspected of having a hidden agenda.”
- “One telling example of men’s attempts to control women’s reading was their insistence on separate reading rooms in libraries that had opened their doors to women. Women, men complained, disturbed the seriousness of such august institutions; they rustled their clothing, giggled, gossiped, and even flirted within its walls.”
The art work that compliments the text is evocative and absorbing. Back in the days before patrons lugged laptops into the study room and lined up outside the computer room to get some on-line time, I used to love to walk through a library and watch people as they became cocooned between the covers of a book. Out of time…out of space…out of touch, the absorbed reader is in a parallel universe, a place you can’t get near.
This book, Forbidden Fruit, is filled with masterful paintings that draw you into that parallel universe of reading. In gazing through these pictures you become absorbed in someone else’s absorption. For me these paintings have a hypnotic effect. Each one is from a different time period, features a different setting, and tells a different story, but each one focuses on a woman launching into a private voyage of literary discovery.
This is a powerful book. You should read it and absorb it. But beware…you won’t want to return it.
OK, another book to add to my list!
We shouldn’t forget the women in some parts of today’s world for whom education is denied or a dangerous undertaking. I cannot imagine this life without the written word and books lining the walls of my condo. The world would be a dreary place indeed if I could not read.
Ellen, you absolutely must browse through this book. It should go to the very top of your pile. Plus it relates directly to your job.
This same fear was behind most of the persecution of women as “witches”. An educated woman was more aware of her rights, as few as they were. Often the village “wise” woman (herbalist) was the one accused of being a witch. However, it was remarkable how many widows with property would end up being accused of being a witch. Of course the accuser wound up with the property!
Joan, I can’t wait to get your reactions to this book. W is for wonderful!
I’m intrigued. I’ve added it to my to read list. At the rate I’m going I am certain I’ll get to it…at least by the end of the decade.
Seriously, that young lady of yours has some amazing talent! Sophie may have a glorious future as an editor in charge of the wishful unsolicited submissions by authors.
Joan…you need some inspiration in your life. Put this book on top.
All right. If you’re that enthusiastic, I will!
On the other hand, I think I’ll get dressed and go to the local BN and see if they have it. It sure beats whacking weeds which is on the official list of to do’s for today. I’ll report back if they have the book….
I guess I’m ordering from Amazon and whacking those weeds after all. Barnes & Noble said they could order. So can I! Sigh….
Will,
After you buy the book, you should post this issue of the blog on Amazon, since it is absolutely appalling that this incredible tome–which I also intend to buy and to recommend to at least two other friends by forwarding this issue of the blog–has no reviews!
Denise, I haven’t checked Amazon because I never look at other reviews before I review a book, but what you say shocks me and saddens me. This is a very unique and very special book.
Will, copy and paste your review onto Amazon. I don’t think you have to have purchased it. My Amazon order is placed…now where is the weed whacker?
I retired on December 20, 2009, and my last day at my library happened to be a Saturday — December 19. We closed at 6:00 pm. I waited until everyone else had left the building, tidied up my mostly empty desk, finished loading the cardboard box containing my personal stuff, and then, in the semidarkness, walked the entire nonfiction area, running my fingers along one shelf in each stack, 001-999. Then I left forever.
Ah, I loved the physicality of those volumes, and my particular passion was good nonfiction. I made sure to brush the spines of Stephen Jay Gould and Edward O. Wilson, give a tap of recognition to John McPhee and Robert Massie, and offer my tip of the hat to Jon Krakauer and Richard Preston. I especially saluted those carefully researched and elegantly written works, replete with notes, lists of sources, and beautifully constructed indices, riding at anchor in the safe harbor of the public library, but ready, like a 44-gun frigate of old, to set forth on the intellectual seas and do battle with the navies of ignorance.
(I also like to take a clean, simple metaphor and drive it right into the ground.)
Many a time I read one of these, index finger marking my place in the text, middle finger in the matching notes, and pinkie in the index, happily flipping from one to another. It won’t be quite the same on an iPad.
A well-made book is a thing of beauty. Somehow, its physicality matters. Oh, my book may have enemies in water and fire, but it will never vanish into thin air because a janitor at some server farm tripped over a power cable.
On my last night, I was finally an old sentimentalist. In my day, I got more than a few patrons to stand as steersmen, to take the rudder and set forth with the good ship Book.
Good-bye to all that!
What a lovely farewell, Joe.
I’m with you…craftsmanship IS beautiful, be it a book, a piece of furniture or a simple tool. To touch the slightly thicker page, the unexpected curve in a rocking chair, or the perfectly balanced grip of a chisel and know time and dedication made it possible is somehow very comforting.
Sentimentalism is a good thing.
Joe, you clearly have a book or two in you! What a beautiful paean to the treasures of the physical book! You just expanded my To Read in all sorts of directions. I am a lover of science and history and I haven’t heard of a few of these authors. Now I can’t wait to get at some of them. I still say for clarity and love of the field, no one has yet to beat Isaac Asimov in writing nonfiction, both science and history. Thank you for this lovely bit of writing! Please, do some more!
Ah Joe, that was finely said. What an eloquent tribute to the book — to the Book — and, though you would not say so, to what must have been an honorable and distinguished career. Yes, more, please.
A 21 gun salute to you, Joe!
“Out of time…out of space…out of touch, the absorbed reader is in a parallel universe, a place you can’t get near.”
Take your pick, Will–visual art, drama, poetry and literature, dance, music–you are speaking of the extraordinary powers of art. And why there is always a level of fear attached to them.
Here is my theory: Western Civilization has been dominated by Aristotelian thinking. The left brain of reason and logic predominates. Logical systems have clearly defined boundaries. The arts speak to the other side of the brain, a side in which emotion and intuition predominate. This is an area that has no boundaries. Here is where you can find complete freedom, even in a jail cell. That’s a scary thought to the social engineers.
An elegy for the book, from the Christian Science Monitor‘s Mark Franek.
Great article…with the added bonus of some books titles to add to my list. Thank you, Joe!
Thanks for the link to a very timely article.
Thank you for this recommendation. Sounds lovely. Have put it on reserve for myself! Looks like a couple of people are ahead of me. Tell Sophie to keep choosing them!
Wynette, it is wonderful to hear that there is a reserve list for this book. I’m glad library patrons are hearing about it.
BTW another comment I’ve been meaning to make: Shame on the staff there for not wanting Sophie around! I am impressed by the fact that it has apparently never occurred to you to do what far too many patrons do: leave Sophie in the kids’ section, go over to the adult section, and take care of your needs while who knows what could be happening to Sophie? If doesn’t even need to be melodramatic, kidnappings, etc. I had a little girl have an accident last week and Dad very responsibly asked for towels and dried her and the immediate area off. AT LEAST YOU ARE THERE FOR THOSE KIDS! Yeah, I’m shouting. It just gets very annoying to have adults assume that we are free babysitters while they indulge themselves. I realize some can’t afford babysitters and need a break just as much as anyone else. But things can happen to these kids and just because I’m not legally responsible doesn’t change the fact that I’m going to be quite upset if something horrid does happen to a child while I’m around but busy. I had a grandmother get obviously annoyed when she started to leave to go feed the meter and on informing me of her intentions I said “fine. But please understand we cannot be responsible for your grandson while you are gone.” She ended up staying with the kid, and I noticed her paying close attention when I gave that spiel to another set of adults. I suspect the consistency made her feel better….ok, now I’m going!
Joan, I do not want to get canned as a grandpa, so I keep a sharp eye on her. The children’s staff loves her. We got kicked out of the adult periodicals room because of their policy of no pre-schoolers. The periodicals room is inhabited mostly by seniors who are regulars I was informed by one of the staff members. My long experience as a public librarian validates to me that most adults don’t want the little ones running around in their space. That’s why the open library architecture of the 60′s was a dismal failure…ditto for the open classrom fiasco in the public schools. But please know that Sophie is loved in the children’s room. It’s a great staff. Miss Sandy is awesome! So is Miss Shelley! We found library heaven here in Livermore.
I absolutely believe that Sophie is loved by the children’s room staff! I bet you are too. They probably get far too many people who dump the kid and leave and really appreciate your responsibility!
No, Joan, shame Will for making the staff do the job he should have — showing Sophie that rules that are meant to make life more pleasant for all have to be followed by her too. Will can go to the adult part of the library when he is not responsible for Sophie & to the children’s section with her when he is.
Brenda, I stand by my comment. Why should kids be excluded from any part of a public library? They are part of the public, and will be voting on library bills all too soon. This is a public library, not a college library where your argument might make sense. This is rank discrimination against kids. Yes, kids are noisy. So are a lot of the adult population, especially, hard of hearing adults. And I see legal issues too. Remember several years ago when a homeless guy successfully sued a public library in the east I think. New Jersey? The librarians had tried to keep him out because he looked and smelled rotten as I recall. I’ll take a little kid dressed in a decent way over a homeless guy with likely mental issues. But the law says we have to have the homeless guy. I just saw your next comment. I think one reason they don’t have the rule posted is likely they know one good lawsuit by a disgruntled adult with a kid will be the end of that rule. It is POLITE of Will to avoid the periodical room. I have several more things I could say but they wouldn’t be productive so I’ll stop here.
Will, I am really disappointed to learn you are one of the problem modern adults who think that the library manners are not meant for YOUR granddaughter.
I may be saying good-bye to this blog as I don’t keep company with those who think that achieving quiet libraries is only done by having OTHER people’s children and grandchildren follow rules. I compliment that library for HAVING rules and for those librarians having the chutzpah to stand up to a librarian. Please, Will, say you won’t do this again. Ever.
Brenda, the rule that I broke is not posted. I had no way of knowing. Haven’t gone into periodicals with Sophie since I learned the rule. The truth is I was very embarrassed to be asked to leave the periodicals area.
Will, thanks for saying. They definitely need to post it! Glad you haven’t been in adult areas since with her.
Brenda,
Do you think you could apologize to Will for jumping all over him when he was innocent??
Thanks Paula for filling in a vital gap. I was too annoyed to figure out how to say something like that within the bounds of basic manners. I still have a few things that I’d like to say but I don’t see the point since Brenda doesn’t seem real amenable to discussion.