This is positively brimming with ideas, Kate, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this leads you. I’m teaching “A Room of One’s Own” this week, and I regularly teach Derrida’s late essay on the animal. Also, *Kafka on the Shore” is probably my favorite Murakami novel.
I teach in along with texts on ecological criticism, as a way of thinking about de-centering the human. It’s a beautiful essay and surprisingly readable in translation.
In case there is some synergy, The Elephant Vanishes, a short story by Murakami, brilliantly (because it's so subtle!) exposes the imbalance between human and animal.
Thanks so much, John! I have noted through your work that we have some similar favourites - or shall I say “personal cannons”? The texts you mention just keep giving, don’t they?
I'm so glad to have found your Substack. Your voice is natural and compelling, smart without being condescending, informative, welcoming.... I also find many similarities with what I'm attempting in my own Substack. I was an educator for over 25 years, and I recently resigned from a relatively cushy teaching job to jump full-on into my writing and podcasting. I have an MFA in fiction, and am working now on a new novel as well as a book of creative nonfiction. I've just begun going through your posts, and I'm looking forward to reading you more regularly (and if I ever start to make money again, I'll gladly pay)... You're approach has given me a really grounded direction for how I might reshape my own Substack. If you have the time, I'd love to hear what you think of some of my work. You might be most interested in my Poetry section, though I see other intersections with my focus on philosophy and art and how they are essential "layers" in my vision. Thanks for what you've done and continue to do here.
Sounds like we have a lot in common! Thanks so much for the kind words. Really happy this resonated with you and you can even consider your own Substack through this. I’ve had a quick look at your post on “coffee” (because I’m making some now) and love this play of language - spondee - will check more out soon! Be well, Annie, and thanks again.
I am so excited right now listening to this. Like my heartrate is actually racing a little and I feel giddy. Deep breaths, Simon, step back...
A life time ago, I was an undergraduate anthropology student at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. In year's two and three I took courses led by Professor Trevor Marchand. His expertise were in the field of space, place and architecture, craft, apprenticeship and embodied knowledge. He sent us off to the Sir John Soane's Museum in London to get lost in rooms of mirrors. I was enchanted and inspired by the various ways of seeing space, and especially the city.
That led to an MA in city space and culture and later a PhD. But I fell out of love with academia and returned to my creative writing. Which is where I am now. Trying to write stories, trying to write whatever it is I am supposed to be writing.
Anyway, listening to this podcast just fires my imagination and helps me make all kinds of connections. You are engaging with all these ideas at a creative, curious level that I find just immensely rewarding. I will be definitely following along as you delve deeper.
And as someone who doesn't speak French, I am looking forward to you helping me out with Derrida!
Thanks Simon! That is so interesting about your academic background and turn to fiction (like me!).
I think you'll find in these first ten weeks I'm sort of setting the scene, sharing some frames to work from. After that I'll take some deeper looks at texts in relation to fiction - this is where I can do a bit more with Derrida! So do let me know which things I bring up that you would enjoy a follow up on.
Thanks for joining me here. Would love to hear your ideas along the way.
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this on my plane journey home yesterday. So many ideas and things to think on, plus I obviously loved the inclusion of Murakami 😊
This is positively brimming with ideas, Kate, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this leads you. I’m teaching “A Room of One’s Own” this week, and I regularly teach Derrida’s late essay on the animal. Also, *Kafka on the Shore” is probably my favorite Murakami novel.
PS I have not done anything with the animal essay before. Intrigued!
I teach in along with texts on ecological criticism, as a way of thinking about de-centering the human. It’s a beautiful essay and surprisingly readable in translation.
In case there is some synergy, The Elephant Vanishes, a short story by Murakami, brilliantly (because it's so subtle!) exposes the imbalance between human and animal.
Oh I haven’t read this one! Cool. Is it in his collected stories or a separate publication?
It was in the New Yorker recently but also is in his collection of short stories by the same name.
Thanks so much, John! I have noted through your work that we have some similar favourites - or shall I say “personal cannons”? The texts you mention just keep giving, don’t they?
Top Murakami is always a tough pick for me. It's certainly between 1Q84, Wind-up Bird and Kafka, but I think 1Q84 snatches it for me.
I'm so glad to have found your Substack. Your voice is natural and compelling, smart without being condescending, informative, welcoming.... I also find many similarities with what I'm attempting in my own Substack. I was an educator for over 25 years, and I recently resigned from a relatively cushy teaching job to jump full-on into my writing and podcasting. I have an MFA in fiction, and am working now on a new novel as well as a book of creative nonfiction. I've just begun going through your posts, and I'm looking forward to reading you more regularly (and if I ever start to make money again, I'll gladly pay)... You're approach has given me a really grounded direction for how I might reshape my own Substack. If you have the time, I'd love to hear what you think of some of my work. You might be most interested in my Poetry section, though I see other intersections with my focus on philosophy and art and how they are essential "layers" in my vision. Thanks for what you've done and continue to do here.
Sounds like we have a lot in common! Thanks so much for the kind words. Really happy this resonated with you and you can even consider your own Substack through this. I’ve had a quick look at your post on “coffee” (because I’m making some now) and love this play of language - spondee - will check more out soon! Be well, Annie, and thanks again.
I am so excited right now listening to this. Like my heartrate is actually racing a little and I feel giddy. Deep breaths, Simon, step back...
A life time ago, I was an undergraduate anthropology student at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. In year's two and three I took courses led by Professor Trevor Marchand. His expertise were in the field of space, place and architecture, craft, apprenticeship and embodied knowledge. He sent us off to the Sir John Soane's Museum in London to get lost in rooms of mirrors. I was enchanted and inspired by the various ways of seeing space, and especially the city.
That led to an MA in city space and culture and later a PhD. But I fell out of love with academia and returned to my creative writing. Which is where I am now. Trying to write stories, trying to write whatever it is I am supposed to be writing.
Anyway, listening to this podcast just fires my imagination and helps me make all kinds of connections. You are engaging with all these ideas at a creative, curious level that I find just immensely rewarding. I will be definitely following along as you delve deeper.
And as someone who doesn't speak French, I am looking forward to you helping me out with Derrida!
Thanks Simon! That is so interesting about your academic background and turn to fiction (like me!).
I think you'll find in these first ten weeks I'm sort of setting the scene, sharing some frames to work from. After that I'll take some deeper looks at texts in relation to fiction - this is where I can do a bit more with Derrida! So do let me know which things I bring up that you would enjoy a follow up on.
Thanks for joining me here. Would love to hear your ideas along the way.
I am looking forward to you setting the scene. Derrida can wait I'm sure.
Well there is some next week 🤗
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this on my plane journey home yesterday. So many ideas and things to think on, plus I obviously loved the inclusion of Murakami 😊
Great Nathan, thanks a lot!
Murakami?!
Didn't you speak about Kafka on the Shore in this episode? Or did I dream that? 🤣
I do!! Sorry JK. I talk about him so much that people must think I’m obsessed 😆
Hehehe you got me ;)
Well, that makes two of us!