C.S. Lewis said that. He's brilliant. And right, of course. That's one of the things I love most about books, reading or writing. When we read, our consciousness connects with that of the author, and we realize that other people out there think like we do and feel like we do. We write as a means of reaching out to other people, to share a bit of ourselves.
I don't know if this is going to happen with every book or every writer. And it happens to varying degrees, too. But that's one reason why I personally like Lewis so much; because I read some of his stuff and it feels like he's expressing what I've been feeling all along, only he knew how to say it. I had that kind of experience when I read his quote that I've got up on my header. But obviously not everyone is going connect with everyone I connect with, perhaps Lewis in particular. George Elliot and Wallace Stegner are other authors that really hit home for me.
Anyone who reads has writers like that, authors who feel more like soul mates than people you've never actually met. Now I want to know you're experience. Who are your literary soul mates? Which books have you read that when you're done, you feel like the writer knew you better than you knew yourself?
Sarah Allen
wow. what a great question.
ReplyDeleteAnd since you're bringing up CS Lewis, I will just say that he's not one that rings true to me. I think he says some great words and he writes brilliant stories, but he doesn't know me. Maybe email me and we can have that conv about Mere Christianity.
As for my literary soulmates...
Virginia Woolf--she knew what I was feeling before I ever did, and she helped me realize a few things about myself.
Kate Chopin--she was probably a troubled woman, but her prose is beautiful and she definitely understood me on a level not many have.
Ann Dee Ellis--holy potatoes! that woman is best friends with my 13-year-old soul.
Lately, I've found some great artists who've written exactly what I feel. They're not book writers, but song writers. The Weepies is the main one right now. Their songs "Simple Life" and "Can't go back now" are especially wonderful. Take a look at my Lyrics as Poetry post for more about "Simple Life".
I would have to say Jane Austen. I just love her sense of humour.
ReplyDeleteThis was kinda hard, so I had to go with the authors of books I have read more than once. JK Rowling of course fits that bill, as does Timothy Zhan, Tracy Hickman, Margaret Weis and Richard Knaak.
ReplyDeleteFrom the hundreds if not thousands of book I have read, ones that get read a second time are quite rare.