[MD] Art and Stories

[Steven Peterson]

Hi All,

Just finished Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel, the latest from the
author of Life of Pi--one of my all-time favorites:

"Fiction and nonfiction are not so easily divided. Fiction may not be
real, but it’s true; it goes beyond the garland of facts to get to
emotional and psychological truths. As for nonfiction, for history, it
may be real, but its truth is slippery, hard to access, with no fixed
meaning bolted to it. If history doesn’t become story, it dies to
everyone except the historian. Art is the suitcase of history,
carrying the essentials. Art is the life buoy of history. Art is seed,
art is memory, art is vaccine."

“In addition to the knowledge of history...we need the understanding
of art. Stories identify, unify, give meaning to. Just as music is
noise that makes sense, a painting is colour that makes sense, so a
story is life that makes sense."

Have you read this? I'm not sure what to say about that last bit right
now other than that it grabbed me. I'd be interested in hearing your
thougts while I wait for the dust to settle.

Best,
Steve