Shards of Light: Fables, Essays, Sonnets, and Humor

Title

en_US Shards of Light: Fables, Essays, Sonnets, and Humor

Description

en_US This is a hardbound book (hard cover)

en_US This book has a dust jacket (book cover)

en_US First printing

en_US By Neil Millar

Creator

en_US Millar, Neil

Date

2016-01-25T19:50:50Z

en_US 2003-08

en_US 1981

Date Available

2016-01-25T19:50:50Z

Date Issued

en_US 1981

Abstract

en_US This is a posthumous collection of writings from an Australian teacher and writer. He worked after World War II in England and then in Boston. The writings have been gathered by his wife Agnes. They start with a drawing of Millar and a biographical sketch. The biographical sketch has two particularly pertinent comments: The more he wrote, the more he saw himself as an instrument, and his writing as the outcome of his listening (x). The book's first piece is Extended Family (Autobiographical Note). I find it an engaging confession of the importance of his family and the challenge of viewing the rest of humanity--and even the rest of life--as extended family. This piece closes with an autobiographical note that is funny and humble (xiii). The next piece is just one step beyond fable, I believe: On Taking Up An Art. It presents the story of a squirrel's learning to follow his passion to write. It bristles with funny lines, including this presentation of the young squirrel's discussion with his father: It's my right to write, and my right must not be left-- (2). The father's answer includes You'll right no wrongs if your wrong-righting is wrong. The Left isn't always right, you know. The squirrel learns eventually to stop throwing meaning and to start catching it. As for the essays in the book, I like their bearing. They invite to humanity, reconciliation, receptivity, and joy. Do not miss the clever and instructive short story Love and Brevity (40) about the marriage of full stop and comma. Mice of Property (50) includes a proclaimed fable. It is really, I believe, a good short story, in fact about the value of classical literature. Another announced fable is Pellucid and Asphodel (135). Again, it is more complex and heavily laden with levels of meaning than I usually find in a fable, but it is a delightful and instructive piece on the importance of doing what you are made to do. Millar can pun his way delightfully and pointedly through a good piece of literature! I have waited too long a time to catalogue this engaging book! There are, unfortunately, a few typos along the way, like quetions on 42, incicsors on 50, and granduer on 81. An erratum slip is inserted at 68. There is an enjoyable ode at the end to those who have read the book, with a smiling drawing of the author on the facing page (190-91). Originally sold by Waters in Boston.

Identifier

en_US 9780930616045

en_US 6158 (Access ID)

uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10504/81564

Language

en_US eng

Publisher

en_US Foursquare Press

en_US Cambridge, MA

Subject

en_US PR9619.3.M468 S5 1981

en_US Neil Millar

en_US Title Page Scanned

Type

en_US Book, Whole