A review by tensy
For the Time Being by Annie Dillard

5.0

In this short work of non-fiction, Annie Dillard explores the most basic questions that we ask ourselves, "Why are we here?" "Where do we come from?" "Who or what is God and what does he/she expect from us?" The narrative goes on wild rides from China to Israel and focuses on the writings of the Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin and the Hasidic Baal Shem Tov. Subsections start with a single word: now, clouds, sand but my favorite was 'numbers' and the impact of these statistics taken out of time and somehow relevant in the context of that particular section were illuminating. As you can tell, this book is hard to describe and I read it in two sittings, the first on a long plane ride and the second during a quiet afternoon. I recommend reserving one entire day to reading the book so as to enjoy its connecting ideas in one invigorating intellectual journey.