Status
Available
Publication
Penguin UK (2017), 32 pages
Description
From the acclaimed author of The Old Ways and Landmarks -- an essay on the beauty and joy of reading, for anyone who has ever loved a book Every book is a kind of gift to its reader, and the act of giving books is charged with a special emotional resonance. It is a meeting of three minds (the giver, the author, the recipient), an exchange of intellectual and psychological currency, that leaves both participants the richer. Here Robert Macfarlane recounts the story of a book he was given as a young man, and how he managed eventually to return the favour, though never repay the debt. From one of the most lyrical writers of our time comes a perfectly formed gem, a lyrical celebration of the power and preciousness of the given book.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
Robert Macfarlane is well known for his love of walking, climbing and camping in the wilds, and has enthralled his fans with his previous books including The Old Ways and Mountains of the Mind. This latest work is an essay about the great pleasure that derives either from giving or receiving books.
He also recounts his love of Patrick leigh Fermor’s A Time of Gifts, which he had himself received as a gift years ago. Leigh Fermor’s book relates his adventures walking from London to Constantinople in 1933, an adventure that inspired some of Macfarlane’s own expeditions. He now takes great pleasure in giving away copies of that book among others.
This may just be a short essay but it encompasses important themes about the value of literature and friendship and the catharsis of giving, all written with Macfarlane’s customary clarity and simplicity.
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Of course, that sounds rather like a statement of the obvious, but Macfarlane develops his point with great clarity, citing exchanges of books with an old (now dead) friend with whom he worked and travelled in China.He also recounts his love of Patrick leigh Fermor’s A Time of Gifts, which he had himself received as a gift years ago. Leigh Fermor’s book relates his adventures walking from London to Constantinople in 1933, an adventure that inspired some of Macfarlane’s own expeditions. He now takes great pleasure in giving away copies of that book among others.
This may just be a short essay but it encompasses important themes about the value of literature and friendship and the catharsis of giving, all written with Macfarlane’s customary clarity and simplicity.
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LibraryThing member CarltonC
Ridiculously short and ridiculously good.
A well written paean to the joys of reading and of giving physical books, in particular A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor, which is appropriate for a travel writer such as Macfarlane.
A well written paean to the joys of reading and of giving physical books, in particular A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor, which is appropriate for a travel writer such as Macfarlane.
LibraryThing member Nicolai-Michiel
Once again a most interesting little book by my favorite (living) author of the moment Robert macfarlane.
It deserves a warm recommendation for other people enjoying reading.
It is heartwarming to see what emotions and actions are evoked by the giving and receiving of books, the memories that get
Now I also want to gift carefully chosen books to other people, sadly I don't know a lot of similarly minded readers (naturalists, people interested in travel writing and poetry).
I do know this little booklet would be on that list.
This essay has a tinge of sadness, reminiscent of the untimely demise of another author connected with Robert Macfarlane which made me almost weep when finishing this book and reminds me of how we need to value our time more.
In short thanks a lot Robert!
It deserves a warm recommendation for other people enjoying reading.
It is heartwarming to see what emotions and actions are evoked by the giving and receiving of books, the memories that get
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entangled with books.Now I also want to gift carefully chosen books to other people, sadly I don't know a lot of similarly minded readers (naturalists, people interested in travel writing and poetry).
I do know this little booklet would be on that list.
This essay has a tinge of sadness, reminiscent of the untimely demise of another author connected with Robert Macfarlane which made me almost weep when finishing this book and reminds me of how we need to value our time more.
In short thanks a lot Robert!
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LibraryThing member pgmcc
This was a reasonable essay about the benefits to people of giving in general, but in particular the benefits of giving books. It is bracketed by a story of the author's friendship with a colleague and this adds a bit of personal interest to it.
While it is a touching essay with worthwhile comments
While it is a touching essay with worthwhile comments
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about books and giving without thought of receiving anything in return, I do not see it as something that warrants publication. It read more like a magazine article. Show Less
LibraryThing member JBD1
A slight but beautiful little essay about books given as gifts between friends. Lovely.
LibraryThing member spiralsheep
29/2020. The Gifts of Reading, aka I Hate the Poors and Class War Through Dogwhistles, by Robert "Tory Boy" Macfarlane. I mistakenly read this library book because (a) it fits in my bag and (b) I foolishly thought there was a small chance the author might manage to discuss books that inspire him
Reading notes
Macfarlane apparently believes that the Chinese oligarchs running elite tertiary education in Beijing in the 21st century are teaching "Maoism", specifically through the lens of English literature, lol!
He implies Wordsworth's earlier "revolutionary" works, that were "revolutionary" in both style and content, are less likely to "thrill, perplex, and amaze" (college age students) than his "late-life conservative" poems, lol.
Macfarlane mocks the idea (which appears to be his own projection) that within the same Chinese elite tertiary education "Thomas Hood's 'The Song of the Shirt' was the most important Victorian poem". Because literature that fosters overwhelmingly positive social change for working class English women couldn't possibly be as "important" as "late-life conservative" Wordsworth? Lol.
He fetishises a "blue-collar background" white male American poetry teacher as a token of authenticity, then admits he treated this guy badly in real life (because his oxbridge educational privilege made him do it, apparently). Can't lol here because this genuinely sounds like at best entitled obliviousness to a fellow human being in the flesh (unlike the typical war on poor people as a class who are conceptualised as non-human).
Blah blah fetishising Patrick Leigh Fermor's memoir Time of Gifts in which a privileged young man grifts his way across Europe blah blah. I wonder why the author identifies with this? Lol.
At this point there's a German word and definition thereof that gave me a feeling more like fremdschämen than "Sehnsucht".
Then we're treated to a description of the noise and air pollution in 2007 Beijing where the author "tried to look after my two young children adequately" but don't worry because in the next paragraph he's off on a jolly up a sacred mountain far away in the Daxue range (presumably without his children - readers can only wonder which completely invisible person was working at the childcare....).
"Great art 'offers us images by which to imagine our lives', notes Lewis Hyde in his classic 1983 book, The Gift, '[and] once the imagination has been awakened it is procreative: through it we can give more than we were given, say more than we had to say'. This is a beautiful double-proposition: that art enlarges our repertoire for being, and that it further enables a giving onwards of that enriched utterance, that broadened perception." So... like the empathy towards working class women that many readers of Thomas Hood's poem The Song of the Shirt first felt and then acted upon?
Given a choice of many thousands of books to use as an example of uninspiring literature Macfarlane decides on a populist autobiography by a working class Labour (left of centre) politician, because of course he does, lol. I mean, who could possibly be inspired by the story of a working class person uplifted through the trade union movement to become Deputy Prime Minister of his country?
Don't worry though because all the proceeds from this hate-fuelled class war on the poors goes to Migrant Offshore Aid Station, lol. I have no problem with charity beginning abroad but I do think charitability, a charitable attitude to one's fellow beings, should begin nearer home. Shame this author clearly doesn't feel a similar way towards less fortunate people who live closer at hand.
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without boring on about why he hates any literature that might uplift disadvantaged people, but at least it's a short essay.Reading notes
Macfarlane apparently believes that the Chinese oligarchs running elite tertiary education in Beijing in the 21st century are teaching "Maoism", specifically through the lens of English literature, lol!
He implies Wordsworth's earlier "revolutionary" works, that were "revolutionary" in both style and content, are less likely to "thrill, perplex, and amaze" (college age students) than his "late-life conservative" poems, lol.
Macfarlane mocks the idea (which appears to be his own projection) that within the same Chinese elite tertiary education "Thomas Hood's 'The Song of the Shirt' was the most important Victorian poem". Because literature that fosters overwhelmingly positive social change for working class English women couldn't possibly be as "important" as "late-life conservative" Wordsworth? Lol.
He fetishises a "blue-collar background" white male American poetry teacher as a token of authenticity, then admits he treated this guy badly in real life (because his oxbridge educational privilege made him do it, apparently). Can't lol here because this genuinely sounds like at best entitled obliviousness to a fellow human being in the flesh (unlike the typical war on poor people as a class who are conceptualised as non-human).
Blah blah fetishising Patrick Leigh Fermor's memoir Time of Gifts in which a privileged young man grifts his way across Europe blah blah. I wonder why the author identifies with this? Lol.
At this point there's a German word and definition thereof that gave me a feeling more like fremdschämen than "Sehnsucht".
Then we're treated to a description of the noise and air pollution in 2007 Beijing where the author "tried to look after my two young children adequately" but don't worry because in the next paragraph he's off on a jolly up a sacred mountain far away in the Daxue range (presumably without his children - readers can only wonder which completely invisible person was working at the childcare....).
"Great art 'offers us images by which to imagine our lives', notes Lewis Hyde in his classic 1983 book, The Gift, '[and] once the imagination has been awakened it is procreative: through it we can give more than we were given, say more than we had to say'. This is a beautiful double-proposition: that art enlarges our repertoire for being, and that it further enables a giving onwards of that enriched utterance, that broadened perception." So... like the empathy towards working class women that many readers of Thomas Hood's poem The Song of the Shirt first felt and then acted upon?
Given a choice of many thousands of books to use as an example of uninspiring literature Macfarlane decides on a populist autobiography by a working class Labour (left of centre) politician, because of course he does, lol. I mean, who could possibly be inspired by the story of a working class person uplifted through the trade union movement to become Deputy Prime Minister of his country?
Don't worry though because all the proceeds from this hate-fuelled class war on the poors goes to Migrant Offshore Aid Station, lol. I have no problem with charity beginning abroad but I do think charitability, a charitable attitude to one's fellow beings, should begin nearer home. Shame this author clearly doesn't feel a similar way towards less fortunate people who live closer at hand.
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LibraryThing member PDCRead
This story, like so many stories, begins with a gift. That gift, like so many gifts, was a book…
Most people love receiving presents, but for me the best present to receive is a book. A well-chosen book opens up a world of possibilities, it is something that can be treasured for ages and can have
This short, intense, expresso like book is a little gem that will continue to provide insight and delight every time I give or receive a book. This is only available from Independent Bookshops, and monies go towards Migrant Offshore Aid Station.
Most people love receiving presents, but for me the best present to receive is a book. A well-chosen book opens up a world of possibilities, it is something that can be treasured for ages and can have
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a resonance between giver and receiver. In this essay, Macfarlane extolls the deep significance of giving and receiving books as he recalls receiving The Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor from Don, a close friend and past colleague. This simple gift of this book, was what drove him to walk the hills and mountains and in turn has given us, the reader, his own wonderful books.This short, intense, expresso like book is a little gem that will continue to provide insight and delight every time I give or receive a book. This is only available from Independent Bookshops, and monies go towards Migrant Offshore Aid Station.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2016
Physical description
5.91 inches
ISBN
9780241978313