Leon Kass

(6) Well, now I know why it is students do not develop an appreciation for great literature by receiving instruction -- just wrings all the joy out of something. It is a departure for me to read a textbook of sorts; this collection was on the syllabus for a Medical Humanities class that looked interesting. But reading this cover to cover was a yawn - despite spreading it out in one or two passages at a time over many months.

Even the books I love seemed dull when presented in out of context fragments such as 'Anna Karenina' 'War and Peace,' Middlemarch,' and 'Kristin Lavransdatter.' I really didn't particularly agree with the commentary that preceded each passage and wasn't at all sure what the writers were getting at. I felt the commentary colored my thoughts and dictated to me what the original authors meant and derailed my engagement with the piece.

In any event, some excerpts were mind-numbingly dense and impenetrable. Some were short and not particularly effective in isolation at striking any cord of humanity. On the upside, some highlights that I had never encountered were 'Gullliver's Travels' Struldbruggs, Lori Moore's poignant and funny short story 'People Like That are the Only People Here,' and Walt Whitman's lovely 'I Sing the Body Electric.'

In the main, this cured me of the desire to re-live college as an English major. I am not sure I realized anything true about 'being human.' I think this is aimed at someone with less grey hair who has less life experience and less insight on humanity than I. No new territory for me and reading excerpts of great works with some learned person guiding your thinking is a pale and depressing subsitute for reading the real thing and letting it wash over you without instruction.… (mere)