The poetics of space

Gaston Bachelard's Poetics of Space was published in 1958 as an attempt to describe "lived space" rather than conceptual space.  Over the past few days, the book seems to have come up in conversation surprisingly often.  Ok.  That's mostly because I keep bringing it up.  I've hauled my copy of the book home to my little perch in the sky tonight, and I'm going to start reading.  Anyone interested in reading along with me?  Here's a teaser quote:

"Maybe it is a good thing for us to keep a few dreams of a house that we shall live in later, always later, so much later, in fact, that we shall not have time to achieve it. For a house that was final, one that stood in symmetrical relation to the house we were born in, would lead to thoughts—serious, sad thoughts—and not to dreams. It is better to live in a state of impermanence than in one of finality."

Comments

[Nora Streed]

OK I'll bite. My copy won't arrive til later in the week. I'll try to find a library copy in the meantime.

[Colin]

Fabulous Nora. No hurry. I'm just thinking of posting reactions as I read the book, hoping for comments from co-readers, and inviting guest posts that the rest of us can respond to. It's a small club so far, so still room for more members. Anyone else care to talk about how their homes make them feel? Who doesn't feel those connections between place and emotion?

[Alanna]

Hi Colin
I'm in too but like Nora I still need to get a copy.

[Colin]

That's great Alanna. I'll probably start getting some reactions down soon (in fact perhaps right after coffee today) but this book seems better suited for slow exploration (like a great house) than a quick tear, so you've got loads of time.

[Nora Streed]

I did pick up a library copy yesterday, and spent much of this morning in waiting rooms, waiting. Do youall ever run smack up into something completely unexpected when you are on your way somewhere else and it turns out to be a huge important piece of what you maybe should have been looking for all along? That's what just happened.

This is going to be really interesting.

[Colin]

Nora, that's exactly what is happening to me as well. I have a professional interest in the book, but our reading of it is taking place at a pivotal point in my life and one always wonders how those kinds of strands happen to come together at just the right time. But I suppose the skeptic could argue that a book about intimate spaces is going to trigger interesting growth in any thoughtful person. We'll see. When you feel like posting something you know how to reach me and we'll set it up. We should go slowly though so that Alanna and Carin have a chance to keep pace.