Post by Derek Nahigyan on Apr 18, 2008 0:15:30 GMT -5
Title: House of Leaves
Author: Mark Z. Danielewski
Year Published: 2000
Publisher: Pantheon
Plot Summary: There is a house on Ash Tree Lane that is larger on the inside than it is on the outside.
Why I recommend the book: It took me a year and a half to complete it. It made me nauseous, gave me nightmares, I felt claustrophobic even in my own room. It is a journey, you must take notes while reading it, you have to examine it, look up things, it's quite the interactive documentary, although it's not just a documentary, there's a love story--somewhere. There's numerable perspectives as well as subjects, it's almost as if it was written by a series of people who based it off a common theme: Darkness. Some very profound passages along side poetry and narrative. A lot of strenuous brain busters but a good read.
One of my favourite quotes would be on Page 420:
"There are seven incarnations (and six correlates) necessary to becoming an Artist:
1. Explorer (Courage) 2. Surveyor (Vision) 3. Miner (Strength) 4. Refiner (Patience) 5. Designer (Intelligence) 6. Maker (Experience) 7. Artist. First, you must leave the safety of your home and go into the dangers of the world, whether to an actual territory or some unexamined aspect of the psyche. This is what is meant by 'Explorer.' Next, you must have the vision to recognize your destination once you arrive there. Note that a destination may sometimes also be the journey. This is what is meant by 'Surveyor.' Third, you must be strong enough to dig up facts, follow veins of history, unearth telling details. This is what is meant by 'Miner.' Fourth, you must have the patience to winnow and process your material into something rare. This may take months or even years. And this is what is meant by 'Refiner.' Fifth, you must use your
intellect to conceive of your material as something meaning more than its origins. This is what is meant by 'Designer.' Six, you must fashion a work independent of everything that has gone before it including yourself. This is accomplished through experience and is what is meant by 'Maker.' At this stage, the work is acceptable. You will be fortunate to have progressed so far. It is unlikely, however, that you will go any farther. Most do not. But let us assume you are exceptional. Let us assume you are rare. What then does it mean
to reach the final incarnation? Only this: at every stage, from 1 thru 6, you will risk more, see more, gather more, process more, fashion more, consider more, love more, suffer more, imagine more and in the end know why less means more and leave what doesn't and keep what implies and create what matters. This is what is meant by 'Artist.' (Cassandra Rissman LaRue, The Architecture of Art, Shambhala Publications, 1971 p.139; Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves, Patheon Publications, 2000 p. 420)
--I don't know how to cite, failed that in school a dozen times but I'm hoping this is more than enough enough to not be sued for plagiarism.
Author: Mark Z. Danielewski
Year Published: 2000
Publisher: Pantheon
Plot Summary: There is a house on Ash Tree Lane that is larger on the inside than it is on the outside.
Why I recommend the book: It took me a year and a half to complete it. It made me nauseous, gave me nightmares, I felt claustrophobic even in my own room. It is a journey, you must take notes while reading it, you have to examine it, look up things, it's quite the interactive documentary, although it's not just a documentary, there's a love story--somewhere. There's numerable perspectives as well as subjects, it's almost as if it was written by a series of people who based it off a common theme: Darkness. Some very profound passages along side poetry and narrative. A lot of strenuous brain busters but a good read.
One of my favourite quotes would be on Page 420:
"There are seven incarnations (and six correlates) necessary to becoming an Artist:
1. Explorer (Courage) 2. Surveyor (Vision) 3. Miner (Strength) 4. Refiner (Patience) 5. Designer (Intelligence) 6. Maker (Experience) 7. Artist. First, you must leave the safety of your home and go into the dangers of the world, whether to an actual territory or some unexamined aspect of the psyche. This is what is meant by 'Explorer.' Next, you must have the vision to recognize your destination once you arrive there. Note that a destination may sometimes also be the journey. This is what is meant by 'Surveyor.' Third, you must be strong enough to dig up facts, follow veins of history, unearth telling details. This is what is meant by 'Miner.' Fourth, you must have the patience to winnow and process your material into something rare. This may take months or even years. And this is what is meant by 'Refiner.' Fifth, you must use your
intellect to conceive of your material as something meaning more than its origins. This is what is meant by 'Designer.' Six, you must fashion a work independent of everything that has gone before it including yourself. This is accomplished through experience and is what is meant by 'Maker.' At this stage, the work is acceptable. You will be fortunate to have progressed so far. It is unlikely, however, that you will go any farther. Most do not. But let us assume you are exceptional. Let us assume you are rare. What then does it mean
to reach the final incarnation? Only this: at every stage, from 1 thru 6, you will risk more, see more, gather more, process more, fashion more, consider more, love more, suffer more, imagine more and in the end know why less means more and leave what doesn't and keep what implies and create what matters. This is what is meant by 'Artist.' (Cassandra Rissman LaRue, The Architecture of Art, Shambhala Publications, 1971 p.139; Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves, Patheon Publications, 2000 p. 420)
--I don't know how to cite, failed that in school a dozen times but I'm hoping this is more than enough enough to not be sued for plagiarism.