We don't want to feel less when we have finished a book; we want to feel that new possibilities of being have been opened to us. We don't want to close a book with a sense that life is totally unfair and that there is no light in the darkness: we want to feel that we have been given illumination.
~Madeleine L'Engle, Walking on Water
3 comments:
Boy, does she ever express my feelings. This is why I can't read abuse books, or depressing books. I've always figured life is hard enough; news stories are sad enough without my reading time being full of grief as well. I do keep meaning to read more of her work. Have you read any?
I am not familiar with much of her work, no. But I'd like to know more. When I read a depressing book, I always look for the silver lining: How do people survive? How do they cope? There's always something there. That's what I draw from the last phrase about 'illumination'. I try to keep my diet of this genre to a minimum, though. There's only so much I can take.
Sometimes I think the books most appeal to a reader who is facing a difficulty, or has had a past event which is similar to the story. In that case the book must give great hope. I think my imagination is way too good. :<) I feel too badly for the person or animal.
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