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A review by bishop_504
For the Time Being by Annie Dillard
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
This was another book that I read for a class.
Initially, I disliked this book. There was little in the way of an introduction, and I thought that the subject matter was unnecessarily depressing. However, as I continued reading, I understood that this sad but true subject- infants born with severe physical disability- had sparked this huge conversation within the author. Throughout the book the author tries to answer the questions that are posed in the first couple pages. What are humans? Why are we what we are? Does it mean something that we are here? What is religion? Is there one true religion? Is there God? Is God all powerful? If God is all powerful, why do bad things happen? In that vein, what is morality? It was fascinating to see how one idea blended into the next as well as the various sources that Dillard used to try to make sense of our place, both in this universe and outside it.
Not only were the questions raised interesting in themselves, the way that Dillard explored these ideas was extremely effective. Each chapter is divided into headings, and each heading picks up more-or-less where the last chapter’s heading did. So each heading was not only connected to its own chapter, but also to sections of a story across every chapter of the book. This had to have been very difficult to write: making sure that each chapter was coherent without sacrificing the different questions or themes that each heading consistently discussed. Additionally, I believe that the headings help give the book rhythm and organization in what could have easily turned into an incomprehensible stream-of-consciousness disaster. I think the organization of the book could easily be glossed over as unimportant, but in my opinion, it is the thread that is holding the whole book together. This shows Dillard’s skill as an author, because she is able to weave together several paradoxical ideas into one compelling narrative.
Initially, I disliked this book. There was little in the way of an introduction, and I thought that the subject matter was unnecessarily depressing. However, as I continued reading, I understood that this sad but true subject- infants born with severe physical disability- had sparked this huge conversation within the author. Throughout the book the author tries to answer the questions that are posed in the first couple pages. What are humans? Why are we what we are? Does it mean something that we are here? What is religion? Is there one true religion? Is there God? Is God all powerful? If God is all powerful, why do bad things happen? In that vein, what is morality? It was fascinating to see how one idea blended into the next as well as the various sources that Dillard used to try to make sense of our place, both in this universe and outside it.
Not only were the questions raised interesting in themselves, the way that Dillard explored these ideas was extremely effective. Each chapter is divided into headings, and each heading picks up more-or-less where the last chapter’s heading did. So each heading was not only connected to its own chapter, but also to sections of a story across every chapter of the book. This had to have been very difficult to write: making sure that each chapter was coherent without sacrificing the different questions or themes that each heading consistently discussed. Additionally, I believe that the headings help give the book rhythm and organization in what could have easily turned into an incomprehensible stream-of-consciousness disaster. I think the organization of the book could easily be glossed over as unimportant, but in my opinion, it is the thread that is holding the whole book together. This shows Dillard’s skill as an author, because she is able to weave together several paradoxical ideas into one compelling narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death