Flaherty, Alice W.: The Midnight Disease

[calico_reaction]

Comments

[rosewelsh]

if you want to reduce creativity to every single chemical, synapse, and region of the brain. Flaherty goes as far as to tackle how the inspiration to write--the muse--is biochemically similar to what happens in the brain during religious experiences and/or drug-induced states.

What to you mean "reduce"?! There goes science proving once again that the Universe gave us something groovy: our very own build in semi-automatc muse! Dude :-) I tend to reverse common thought about science turning us all into a machine, reducing us to nothing more than chemicals and such. To me the farther they probe into how things work, the clearer we can see the miracles that we are. I get a tad more spiritual about it, but I won't toss that hot one in your lap. :-)

Hope you like the next one better.

Sincerely,

Rose, the Strange One
Iron Man Fanatic

[calico_reaction]

It's just the word I used. :) Some people tend to look at taking something as large and overwhelming as creativity translated into science as reducing, whereas others, like you, clearly don't. You might actually like this book, because the author didn't intend to "reduce" anything, and she even touches on thought-processes like yours in the last chapter. :)

You might like THE GOD GENE too. :) Now THAT'S a good read. :)

[rosewelsh]

It's just the word I used. :)

Thought so. :D

I just can imagine calling making electonmicrosopic "reduced." :-D Neither can I call seeing something more clearly, "reduced". I don't know where those scientists got their vocabulary lessons from; must have been Mars.

I might borrow it from somewhere and take a look at it and see if I want to purchase it.

As for THE GOD GENE, I've been mulling buying that one for some time now. I loved THE REAL EVE. I kept finding myself saying, "Fascinating, Captain" over and over with feeling :D

Rose, the Strange One
Iron Man Fanatic

[buymeaclue]

I hate to be a jerk here, but...is it really necessary to crosspost every bookpost six ways to Sunday?

[calico_reaction]

Would you prefer I do the usual of summarizing in communities and providing a link? Or would you prefer I not post anywhere else at all, regardless of format?

[buymeaclue]

Well. I tend to be of the opinion that it's okay to let folks know what you're doing once or twice, and after that it's best to assume that if they want to read the posts, they know where to find you. Especially when it's something like a bookpost that's not really discussion-y; I guess I don't see the point to crossposting those to communities that are, after all, meant for discussion.

I get every one of these posts three times on my friendslist. It just gets a little annoying, to me.

And obviously, it's not my call to make, and maybe I'm just unreasonably grumpy (wouldn't be the first time). But I figured I might as well say something before just sulking off.

[calico_reaction]

Well, to clarify, I don't post fiction reviews to any of the writing-discussion groups. That's not what those groups are there for. But my take, and I could be wrong about this, is that a book that discusses writing and/or the craft of writing is fair game for such a community, because the community is about writing, and everyone there is at a different level in the craft

[affinity8]

I have it too. Haven't really gotten into it, though I saw a passage or two I liked when flipping through it at the used bookstore.

[calico_reaction]

I'm curious what you think about it once you get around to reading it. My reaction is unfortunately colored by my expectations, so yeah. :)

[niprhidel]

Hmmm - this reminds me of the psychology class I took: the guy not only spoke in a monotone voice but made everything so damn scientific that it was truly boring - that goes for the mental illenesses, too!

I mean, I've always liked books that discuss on why writers write and seeing diff. writer's theories but I don't really like it when goes all to science...That may fascinate some people but not me, lol.

But right now I'm over 200 pages into 'Twilight' and I am still wondering why people like it so much - some moments I can see why but a majority of the time it just seems so damn slow...And it's in big font for God's sake! *lol* I shouldn't be going this slow with it :P

[calico_reaction]

No, it shouldn't go that slowly at all.

I really enjoyed TWILIGHT when I read it, but it's not a book that sticks with you, if you know what I mean.

[niprhidel]

Yes - I know what you mean. It also seems to be a book that doesn't appeal to everyone despite it being a very common idea that people seem to go nuts over, lol.

[chicklitter]

Okay, I have to admit, a part of me is really curious about this. Then again, I'm fascinated by the connection between mental illness and creativity, and how it seems like scientists and psychologists still haven't figured out which causes the other. :-)

[calico_reaction]

Actually, you might really like this book. If you get around to reading it, let me know what you think. :)

[chicklitter]

Will do.

The thing I've noticed with a lot of the ones you've been reviewing for your module is that I can't find them locally, thus I'll have to order online. And THAT is going to take a while, since money's a little tight right now (tuition--gotta love it).

[calico_reaction]

Surprisingly, all the ones I've reviewed so far I found at Borders. Of course, you don't have a Border's in Waco, do you? :)

Ugh, tuition. Just paid that bill yesterday. I called and tried to get out of the $100 technology fee (since I'm not officially taking residency), but no dice. The bastards. :-/