where fish swim

Books & Thoughts - English lit. grad who continues to read and analyse.

[wherefishswim]

You are human and you were born to create, dance, sing, write, move, express your emotions, express yourself. You were born an Artist.

[wherefishswim]

I heard someone refer to a book as “good content”

And I thought wow. Is that how social media has affected the way in which we think about books? That a book is a way to peddle your social media channel, vlog, webinar, or live stream? We need appropriate targeted personalised advertising and good content to drive people to the site - write a book? I don’t know but there is something that felt a little seedy about describing a book as good content. Even if, objectively, the content is .. good. Content is also just the inside of a container, it is the ‘what’ on the ‘what’s in my bag’. Content could be air. Content could be all the mean’s necessary to save a life. Describing a book as good content puts it on a par with a fashion vloggers top picks from their local, branded, ,discounted, low priced, retail store. Do we want to start seeing books like that? Is that what books have become? 

[thegirlinthemiddlerunway]

Victoria Beckham Pre Fall/19

[thegirlinthemiddlerunway]

Victoria Beckham Pre Fall/19

[chi1872-deactivated20201125]

Valentino | Paris Fashion Week Fall 2019

[fashion-runways]

VALENTINO Pre-Fall 2019

[violentwavesofemotion-deactivat]

Margaret Atwood ph. in Montreal c. 1966

[voguesurvenus]

Stella McCartney Ready to Wear Fall 2017

[bled]

[wherefishswim]

Crowd (edit 2)

Crowds are an interesting topic. Ending up in a crowd is always preceded by a common interest, whether that might be music, politics, religion, or the same bus route. Standing in a crowd is restricting since you are obviously not able to move as freely as you would be if you were stood on your lonesome in the middle of a field. Yet being in a crowd is not necessarily claustrophobic. If we find ourselves in a crowd, probably, we have chosen to be there. Together we stand in the commonality of our thoughts. That translates to solidarity. Even if it is not stated explicitly, it is there. I’m here. You’re here. We think. We Are. That is, I suppose, why it doesn’ t feel claustrophobic.

[tanjavanja]

tryna get into my body and outta dissociation 

[macrolit]

Read black authors  Ralph Ellison, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Lorraine Hansberry, Nella Larsen, and Langston Hughes

[wherefishswim]

“Rainbow in the Clouds” by Maya Angelou

With quotable passages and poetry, that almost read like a free-association exercise, Maya Angelou’s “Rainbow in the Clouds” has a unique narrative voice. Its short passages make for quick reading. The message is delivered so quickly, however, most the time I think I’ve missed it. Topics such as childhood, black identity, relationships, and self-esteem are the titles which prompt Angelou’s swift, sometimes biting, and often heartfelt responses. I heard a poet say once that poetry is like medicine it should be taken just at the right time in just the right dose. This, I think, is how “Rainbow in the Clouds” should be read. 

[stay-yourself-0]

[studdedrose]

[wherefishswim]

Transformation scenes

You’re familiar with the scene, an ugly duckling-of-sorts making a transformation into a beautiful-woman-of-sorts. These scenes can be done with farcical frills and wigs (I’m thinking of eleven from stranger things being dressed in a wig and dress in order to pass as “young girl in school”). These scenes can also be done with a serious silliness (like Mia’s makeover scene in ‘The princess diaries’)  These scenes usually have a few things in common; a notable tone of scepticism and resistance from the female in question, “beautification” which includes some plucking, waxing, colouring in, exaggerating, and hiding, a knowledgeable person who is doing the plucking and colouring in - usually somewhat smug, and a big reveal - look at the difference! Finally, a female human! 

The idea that you have to “do something” in order to be a passable female is problematic because it insinuates that women who are not beautiful have failed. 

In “Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine” by Gail Honeyman, we find a satirical take on these transformations. This time, however, there are a few important differences. Instead of a knowledgable-already-beautiful person at the helm, holding the unpreened hand of the ugly-duckling and leading her through the beauty departments, it is Eleanor Oliphant who is in control of exactly what and how treatments take place. The focus of the treatment is, not beautification, but pampering. These beauty treatments are, importantly, about self-care. When Eleanor does not like something, she says so. Honeyman’s narrative is refreshing, witty, and frank. Even when some of the beatification treatments are the same, the meaning behind them makes all the difference. 

[wherefishswim]

“Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine” by Gail Honeyman

A story of how kindness transforms us. A story of pain. A story of friendship. Miss Eleanor Oliphant has had life experiences that most of us are lucky enough not to endure. Yet in her moments of isolation and loneliness, it is easy to see ourselves in her. As a reader, like the strangers passing her on the street, I stared too at Eleanor’s scars and wanted to know who, how, why. What exactly was I looking for?  I felt a little ashamed for staring, for probing, for wanting to pry. I wanted a quick answer maybe, I wanted to know the right pill she needed to take to make everything better. Yet, of course, Eleanor is completely fine, Eleanor had survived. 

Eleanor does not need to change, I felt as I read, she is exactly fine just the way she is. She does, however, deserve a friend, deserve love, deserve to have her story told. Fiercelessly individual, she is on the outside of society looking in, and because so has a unique view.  Eleanor can also empathise in a way only someone who has experienced the kind of pain she has can. 

I won't say this is a humourous read because that is always a guaranteed way of stifling my laughter. I will say however, I would thoroughly recommend this book. Brilliant. Unique. Endearing.