Good day, readers. Today is June 10th, the 162nd day of the year 2024, with 204 days remaining.
Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.
Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Today in Literary History:
On this day in 1928, Maurice Sendak, a pivotal figure in children’s literature, was born. His most celebrated work, Where the Wild Things Are, has captivated generations with its profound narrative about childhood, imagination, and the complexities of emotions that both children and adults navigate.
Notable Birthdays:
Saul Bellow, born on June 10, 1915, was a Canadian-American writer known for his vibrant portrayals of the modern individual’s chaotic psychology and his novelistic explorations of the complexities of urban life. His works, such as Herzog and Humboldt’s Gift, earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1976.
Today’s Readings:
From One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez: “He really had been through death, but he had returned because he could not bear the solitude.”
Literary Fact of the Day:
On June 10th, 2001, the original manuscript of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick was sold at auction for $1.5 million, highlighting the enduring value and fascination with this monumental work of American literature.
Poem of the Day:
“Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen:
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
Owen’s poem, a critical commentary on the horrors of World War I, uses vivid imagery and sound to convey the senseless devastation of war, questioning the very nature of mourning and remembrance in the face of such mass destruction.
Advice for Writers:
Inspired by Maurice Sendak’s exploration of the inner worlds of children, consider how you can delve into the complex emotions and imaginations of your characters, regardless of their age. Think about how the simplicity or complexity of narrative voice can bring depth to their inner lives and struggles.
Wishing you a day of reflective reading and insightful writing, dear readers. Until tomorrow, may your own reflections in the mirror of literature inspire new understandings and creations.