Solitude comes in a multitude of forms, some positive, some negative. Before the advent of technology, the world was quieter. There were pockets of solitude that philosophers revered and the public did not fear. For some of us, it is still a gift, but one we have to keep fighting for in this world of incessant noise and socializing.
We each play our own music of life. Sometimes it's a solo piece, others a duet or quartet, at times a whole orchestra. The books I chose this week reflected my subconscious choice to be a solo piece. They range from the life of a park bench to the desolation between siblings.
Park Bench
I was utterly fascinated by Christophe Chabouté's book "Park Bench". Filled with silent drawings of a park bench, the French comic artist brings a new perspective to a long ignored albeit ubiquitous object. The inanimate bench lives a colourful existence, as Chabouté brings in the variety of creatures who interact with it. Never will I look at a park bench the same way again.
Alone
Chabouté strikes again here with his contemplation of aloneness. In "Alone" he takes us into the world of a hermit, living in his solitary lighthouse. The writer explores the inner life and daily routines of this lighthouse keeper who is cut off from the world beyond his rock.
The Lake
Some of us live in the fringes, in the margins. Some of us are relegated there, some of us choose there because in the fringes is where we feel belonging. Japanese writer Banana Yoshimoto slowly unravels this world in "The Lake", where her characters find comfort outside of the center of life. Where they can almost disappear.
Two Brothers
Brazil's twin comic geniuses Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá. do not shy away from hard matters. "Two Brothers" is based on Milton Hatoum's novel about family dysfunction. I found it an interesting and apt choice as Hatoum's story is also of twin brothers, and wonder how close some of the scenes may have hit home for the creators. The graphic novel shines a harsh light on the intention of love and how many ways it can cause wretchedness.
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