Wednesday, February 16, 2005

A few excerpts

Hopefully I don't get sued for posting this, but I finished Tracks, by Robyn Davidson and I loved it! I highly reccomend it to anyone who enjoys travel essays or who has a thirst for exploration of any kind. It struck me as I was reading it and I wanted to post a couple excerpts, in addition to the quote at the top of the blog....

  • "The world is a dangerous place for little girls. Besides, little girls are more fragile, more delicate, more brittle than little boys. 'Watch out, be careful, watch.' 'Don't climb trees, don't dirty your dress, don't accept lifts from strange men. Listen but don't learn, you won't need it.' And so the snail's antennae grow, watching for this, looking for that, the underneath of things. The threat. And so she wastes so much of her energy, seeking to break those circuits, to push up the millions of tiny thumbs that have tried to quelch energy and creativity and strength and self-confidence; that have so effectively caused her to build her fences against possibility, daring; that have so effectively kept her imprisoned inside her notions of self-worthlessness. And now a myth was being created where I would appear different, exceptional. Because society needed it to be so...."
  • "As I look back on the trip now, as I try to sort out fact from fiction, try to remember how I felt at that particular time, or during that particular incident, try to relive those memories that have been buried so deep, and distorted so ruthlessly, there is one clear fact that emerges from the quagmire. The trip was easy. It was no more dangerous than crossing the street, or driving to the beach, or eating peanuts. The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I love travel essays, and the excerpts you've posted make this book sound like a worthwhile read...more than just a travel essay. I'm reading "Stranger Than Fiction," a series of essays by Chuck Pahlaniuk ("Fight Club")and I'm getting some of the same themes from that as you are from "Tracks," I think....basically, dont sit around and wait for life to happen to you....go out and instigate your own meaningful experiences and make your life everything you want it to be...you are doing a great job of that, Lis. You are an inspiration! Love you, Em