At a moment of procrastination, curiosity overtook me and I began counting the number of books in my room rather than revising for an in-course assessment/test-thing coming up this Thursday. As it turns out, as yet I have 180 books in my 8ft.x8.2ft bedroom: 153 of which happen to be fiction ;-). (I haven't added to this number my vast collection of New Scientist and Poetry.com magazines) I know that by regular library standards these happen to a quiet a small numbers, but I'm not sure how this stands in comparison to regular 'bedroom' standards. Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter one way or another.
So, on to the main topic for today: Cranioklepty: Grave Robbing and the Search for Genius
by Colin Dickey. 
First things first, despite the fact that this book is about stolen skulls, I greatly enjoyed reading it and absorbing all this morbid information about musical and medical geniuses, told in such a humorous and entertaining prose. Despite the vast cast of persons whose tales are related intimately, Colin Dickey's voice and unique manner of writing still shines through. I now know more more about Joseph Hayden, Joseph Carl Rosenbaum, Sir Thomas Browne, Beethoven, Rokitensky, Mozart and Louis Pierre Gratiolet than I would have cared to know just a few months ago. But more than anything, this book is about the evolution of the science and study of the concious in the universally revolutionary 19th century; how we perceive the norms of society, and how this changes over time related through four or five well researched anecdotes.
by Colin Dickey. First things first, despite the fact that this book is about stolen skulls, I greatly enjoyed reading it and absorbing all this morbid information about musical and medical geniuses, told in such a humorous and entertaining prose. Despite the vast cast of persons whose tales are related intimately, Colin Dickey's voice and unique manner of writing still shines through. I now know more more about Joseph Hayden, Joseph Carl Rosenbaum, Sir Thomas Browne, Beethoven, Rokitensky, Mozart and Louis Pierre Gratiolet than I would have cared to know just a few months ago. But more than anything, this book is about the evolution of the science and study of the concious in the universally revolutionary 19th century; how we perceive the norms of society, and how this changes over time related through four or five well researched anecdotes. But there are some things in this book that were far more relevant to me personally. For example, here is a quote from the book that I particularly like, from a passage about Sir Thomas Browne:
"...There had been no contradiction between a man of science and a man of religion. They provided different means to the same goal: understanding the works of God."
Those two sentences summarise the majority of my beliefs quite eloquently. But you, my dear reader, are welcome to disagree with me, I'm not here to force my opinions/beliefs on anyone.
Anyway, that is all I have to say about this book for now. Until next time with another Book, another Blog, another Review.
Nida
P.S. - Recently I've gone back to listening a lot to one of my old favourite bands Jimmy Eat World. So I thought I might share the video of one of my favourite songs by them, Always Be. Enjoy. Or not (it might not be your time of thing at all).
Nida
P.S. - Recently I've gone back to listening a lot to one of my old favourite bands Jimmy Eat World. So I thought I might share the video of one of my favourite songs by them, Always Be. Enjoy. Or not (it might not be your time of thing at all).
You're right... I do like the quote! =)
ReplyDeleteSamia x
The theft and fight between church and hospital over Browne's skull for over 80 years was a shameful episode. However, it was seeing a replica of Sir T.B's skull in a display-case at the Norfolk and Norwich which sparked W.G.Sebald's interest and writing on him. One good example of a skull inspiring someone. Yes, it was in Browne's lifetime that the schism between science and religion began, starting with Galileo and Newton. It looks an interesting book
ReplyDeleteSkulls have always held and inspirational and symbolic quality, as far back as Shakespeare (the image of Hamlet comes to mind, holding the skull of the Clown as he recites "Alas, poor Yorick!...) and further back still, stretching across continents and cultures (Genghis Khan who was thought to collect the skulls of his enemies to strike fear in the heart of others). And even I admit that there is something particularly moving about Sir Thomas Browne's skull; especially the image of it sitting atop some of Browne's best works.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.literarynorfolk.co.uk/images/Thomas%20browne%20skull.jpg
The phrase: "immortality beyond the survival of the body" comes to mind.
Anyway, "Cranioklepty" really is a good and comes highly recommended.