stanford, i wish, i wish
I am reading Dante’s The Paradiso from his Divine Comedy. In 2005, I went through Inferno and was amazed; not necessarily for the content, but rather due to the concepts. It was similar to how I reacted to Plato’s Republic - impressed and intrigued but no less ready to argue my own point.
The greatest part of my Divine Comedy trilogy is that it is translated and wrapped up by John Ciardi who appends clever commentary and subtle wit where most laymen expression would not tread. Not that I enjoy the elitism of the division, but rather the different manifestations of humor in areas that a great many people don’t usually hunt for it. This is also why I love reading my texts in their entirety in order to pick out the few (the proud!) quips that authors toss it at random. Dry humor kills me.
Where am I going with this? Nowhere; I was just considering what I’ve read so far in The Paradiso and smiling at ease. When I am swamped with educational material to educate myself with, it’s nice to look into a book not boiling over with formulae or standardized, tabulated charts. It’s a respite, a retreat, a real oasis.
Maybe I should wrap this up with a word of encouragement to the illiterate. Or I could just say I’m behind Google’s Book Search and hope that you watch this video to keep the rights of knowledge in the hands of the people. Watch out - I can become a one-man protest on a dime.