Saturday, September 4, 2010

Why can’t we find the universal in our differences? - Rita Dove



Read an interesting interview with Rita Dove in the July/August issue of the Smithsonian. Rita Dove was the first African American to serve as the US Poet Laureate. The interview titled Speed Reading asked her opinions on the future of literature. Here are 2 items that reasonated with me...

She believes that "blogs, Facebook, or Twitter does not diminish the power of literature because literature is shaped by intimacy."

“Literature is going to be looking for different ways to distinguish itself from the mass media, and it’s going to feel freer to experiment.”

It stuck with me so much that I dug up a few more quotes from Ms. Dove

"I prefer to explore the most intimate moments, the smaller, crystallized details we all hinge our lives on." Rita Dove

"If only the sun-drenched celebrities are being noticed and worshiped, then our children are going to have a tough time seeing the value in the shadows, where the thinkers, probers and scientists are keeping society together." Rita Dove

"There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints." Rita Dove

5 comments:

  1. Enjoyed this bit on your blog. You are having a good time finding fascinating women.

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  2. "If only the sun-drenched celebrities are being noticed and worshiped, then our children are going to have a tough time seeing the value in the shadows, where the thinkers, probers and scientists are keeping society together."

    I sure hope we are not raising a new generation that reallycan't tell the difference between cocaine and gum.

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  3. Thanks Janet. I am enjoying this.

    Taryn - I was watching The Soup last night and the host joked that Paris Hilton is 'the right amount of stupid to think that'

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  4. Another fab woman! Really like how you're exposing us all to unique people - who is worth reading about. Between Paris, the Jersey Shore Crowd (they scare me ... along with all of the housewives)... let's hope kids will learn of of society's gems.

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  5. I agree, Liz, we all need to see a variety of strong, intelligent women who do more than wear designer clothes and get their names in the paper. Thanks.

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