Dreams of Arcadia

The title of this article is a reference to a recent Twitter “hash-tag” where users listed a book, or the many books, that had a profound impact on their lives.  As the night wore on, and the tag gained recognition, thousands of tweeted titles were shared, critiqued, commented upon, and remembered – usually with a, “Oh man, I almost forgot about that one!”  What is particularly charming about about Twitter memes such as this, is that you slowly begin to develop a deeper understanding for the people you’ve met and made friends with online.  As their favorite books stream before your eyes, you glean subtle insights into their personalities and character that are often more revealing than several months of casual conversation could ever be.  But then again, this is one of the wonders of books as well – that in the midst of storytelling comes a deeper understanding of others.  The dream becomes a lesson, and the lesson becomes a guide for your own life and relations to others. Read the rest of this entry »