"One hundred years from now - all new people."
A trusted friend claims author Annie Dillard is the source of the observation above. Though I've been unable to verify that claim, ever since the words were unleashed on me, they have lingered. What was the last instance you recall when something so self-evident landed as hard with you as those words have with me?
Although I've resisted ever actually tallying how many books that I've read were published during my lifetime, I'm also reasonably sure any guesstimate I make wouldn't be real far off. How about you? Are you more inclined - as I clearly am - to read mostly contemporary literature, or at minimum, mostly books that have been published during your lifetime? If you consider reading a passion - as I do - and yet you read mostly contemporary literature - as I do - what is your educated guess about people who read fewer books than us? Isn't it highly probable those folks also favor contemporary literature vs. the "classics"? I suspect it is.
Which brings me back to a likely reason why Dillard's words have lingered. It's no accident that the word temporary makes up 80% of the word contemporary, a percentage that closely mirrors my now-vs.-then diet in books, tally or not. And one hundred years from now - all new people. This sobering reflection on how ephemeral popular literature can be is likely not consoling news for contemporary authors with an eye on posterity. Apologies, folks. But before licking your wounds, try walking in this unknown blogger's moccasins for just a minute. Ouch.
Reflections From The Bell Curve: Exactly When Does a Classic Enter the Canon?
Good morning, Pat. "One hundred years from now - all new people" - Wow. That definitely had me taking time to think about. So many things come to mind in so few words. Even for the youngest among us - 'all new people'. With the possible exception of those few that live past the age of 100. As for my choices of reading, aside from my fondness of reading plays, written at various times both old and new, and not including the list that has been mentioned previously (lol), my reading tends to be much more contemporary. And I love your breakdown of the word.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post ... thought provoking.
Be well,
Bob
Bob; I'm invariably pleased whenever any reader says they found a post of mine "thought provoking". I'll take only part of the credit here because it was that friend quoting the words of Annie Dillard (?) to me that sent me on a journey down this path.
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