Reflection
The last few weeks have been full of significance for me, for various reasons. A friend in town, a friend married off, some other things more private.
Over the last few days I have reread The Book of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe. It is one of my most favorite works. My boy cat Severian is named after the protagonist.
Gene Wolfe is an incredibly deep author. All of his works are miracles of rereading. I've read TBotNS half a dozen times at least, and I continue to find connections and foreshadowings that I missed on previous passes.
In keeping with my mood over the last few weeks, the following passage, from nearly the end of the last book, particularly caught my eye:
We choose - or choose not - to be alone when we decide whom we will accept as our fellows, and whom we will reject. Thus an eremite in a mountain cave is in company, because the birds and coneys, the initiates whose words live in his "forest books", and the winds - the messengers of the Increate - are his companions. Another man, living in the midst of millions, may be alone, because there are none but enemies and victims around him.
I've been, or felt that I've been, alone for most of my life. Why is that, do you think?
Over the last few days I have reread The Book of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe. It is one of my most favorite works. My boy cat Severian is named after the protagonist.
Gene Wolfe is an incredibly deep author. All of his works are miracles of rereading. I've read TBotNS half a dozen times at least, and I continue to find connections and foreshadowings that I missed on previous passes.
In keeping with my mood over the last few weeks, the following passage, from nearly the end of the last book, particularly caught my eye:
We choose - or choose not - to be alone when we decide whom we will accept as our fellows, and whom we will reject. Thus an eremite in a mountain cave is in company, because the birds and coneys, the initiates whose words live in his "forest books", and the winds - the messengers of the Increate - are his companions. Another man, living in the midst of millions, may be alone, because there are none but enemies and victims around him.
I've been, or felt that I've been, alone for most of my life. Why is that, do you think?