This elegantly written book provide the author's account of her retreat in 1993, to her winter home, alone for 50 days, as a self imposed exile, from the outside world. She traveled into town for essentials and church only. She maintained contact with friends and family through correspondence only-no phone. Her objective was to avoid "the noise of the world." and to restore her inner voice, free from the criticism of others.
I found the concept intriguing. Do we present our 'true' selves to the world or are we living with a pretense, a reflection based on, who we think we should be, based on the mores of society?
At times, the book reads like a prose poem.
"A day began with a fine winter sunrise, a long view of the distant horizon slowly taking on color, the sky glowing brilliant with yellow streaks transmuted into red, even a royal purple. As I watched, the fully lit blue and white day arrived and the pale yellow from sun snow shown like polished ivory."
She ends the book metaphorically, stating that she now needs to live with the "top layer of my person-known to the outside world for social purposes. But, close to the bone, there had to be an inner stratum, formed and cultivated in solitude, where the essence of what I was, an now, and will be, perhaps to the end of my days, hides itself and waits to be found by lasting silence."
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are photos interspersed, as well as discussions, referencing paintings by Edward Hopper, Francis bacon and Pablo Picasso. I found her daily musings and uneventful "events" interesting and thought provoking.
Other Books by Doris Grumbach
Chamber Music 2014
Coming into the End Zone: A Memoir 2014
The Missing Person 2014
The Pleasure of Their Company 2001
The Presence of Absence 1999
Life in a Day 1996
Extra Innings: A Memoir 1995
Magicians Girl 1993
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