(no subject)

[trochee]

The books one reads in childhood, and perhaps most of all the bad and good bad books, create in one’s mind a sort of false map of the world, a series of fabulous countries into which one can retreat at odd moments throughout the rest of life, and which in some cases can even survive a visit to the real countries which they are supposed to represent.

-- George Orwell, from this essay

Orwell was referring to actual geography, but the countries of the mind are more powerful and far-reaching than latitude and longitude. Stretching beyond those, and allowing oneself to be open to the real experience of those new countries, is the task of a lifetime.

Comments

[lunacow]

Interesting essay. Thanks for pointing it out. I'm intrigued that one of the lasting impressions from Orwell's childhood reading of American stories is that the houses were always mortgaged. Growing up in the contemporary US, I have always taken for granted that it's rare for anyone to own their house outright, so it's not surprising to me if this has always been the case, but I guess it was something noteworthy compared to the UK of Orwell's day.

[boobirdsfly.livejournal.com]

Mmmm.
Yes. That's so true.

You're lovely.