Into the Dark: What Darkness Is and Why It Matters
by Jacqueline Yallop
ISBN 9781837730711
I sometimes joke that I must be part bat--usually when Bill asks me, 'How can you see?' I tell him that I can see just fine. I love the dark in its different gradations. I prefer night to day, cloudy days to sunny ones, and dim light to bright. I'm a night owl and I love the long nights of winter. With the exception of the occasional day of sun on a cold day, bright sunshine agitates me while grey days bring a calm feeling. I need light to read, stitch, or do other tasks at night, but I have a portable USB lamp and a headlamp that I can adjust to shine directly on the page or project, leaving the rest of the room dark. I never turn on the overhead lights. So when I saw this book, I was eager to read it. I'm so glad I did!
Jacqueline Yallop has paid attention to the dark since she was 7 or 8 years old and on holiday, spending a night in a farmhouse. It was the first time she ever experienced real darkness--not the kind I described above, but a deep dark that prevented her from seeing the hand in front of her face. From that moment, she was fascinated and paid attention to the dark. This interest only deepened when her father was diagnosed with dementia. One of the things that changed for him was his relationship to the dark. His experience was the opposite of my own. Bright light calmed him and even the fading light of dusk agitated him. He would turn on every light in the house every night. The author knew she could not fully understand her father's experience, but she decided to try to get as close as she could by investigating the dark. What are the ideas we have about the dark? How do we 'see' the dark? How do our bodies process light and dark? This excellent book is the result of her investigation. She observes and cares for her father. She takes herself to unfamiliar places on very dark nights and is very aware of what she is feeling in an attempt to get a little bit closer to understanding the new terrain he is having to navigate.She draws on human experience, biology, philosophy, literature, poetry, visual art, popular culture, folklore, architecture, language, and culture. Her writing is beautiful and often lyrical. There were times I stopped and let the words just sink in.
The book is structured in chapters that go along with the phases of the moon--waxing, full moon, waning--and also her father's progression through dementia. This book is so well written and is such a joy to read.
I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.
10 comments:
Sounds like a great read and one that aligns with your crepuscular bent. In terms of darkness, I am always reminded of the famous wildlife photographer Eric Hosking who was struck by a Tawny Owl that cost him one eye. He couldn’t see in the dark, but the owl could! So if you hear a swoosh, Shari, duck!
I will definitely keep that in mind, David! :-D I was struck by the anecdote she included in the book about a guy who became blind as an adult. He said the thing he missed most was the dark, because he never experienced it anymore. He always saw pops of light and colour, which he described as 'visual tinnitus.'
I enjoy the sun if I'm riding my bike, going boating etc. I'd rather go shopping, out to eat, etc. in the evening. When I'm home and the sun fades, I use Google Nest and a Smart Plug to turn the lights down to however dim I want the rooms.
I'll look for this book.
I didn't know Google would dim the lights--LOL--I remember the old dimmer switches back in the day.
Yes, bike riding and boating would be better done in daylight! They've been pushing the public service announcements here lately about wearing high vis and reflective clothing when out and about, now that the sun sets early. When we first got here, I was surprised to see so many people in the high-vis vests and stuff, but I see why now. Some of the roads are dark, narrow, and curvy with no shoulder or safe place to walk.
This does sound an excellent book, and from your thoughts and review I can understand the times when you just stopped and let the words just sink in.
All the best Jan
I do love it when that happens :-) her writing is superb.
Dear Shari,
it's really fascinating how different people's attitudes towards darkness are. In earlier years, my friend Maria lived in a large house and she told me that she almost fell down the stairs in the dark because her dog was lying on the steps, which of course she didn't see. I asked her surprised "Why didn't you turn on the lights?" and she said she would never do that at night. I, on the other hand, NEED light: I like to SEE my surroundings. And I obviously still carry old childhood fears of the dark inside of me, so many things can be “lurking” there and you can also fall down stairs or bump into something. If something touched me at night that I wasn't expecting, I would have a hysterical fit or faint from shock. Since that conversation with Maria, I sometimes try to go to the bathroom in the DARK at night, but it's always a challenge for me...
Happy weekend and all the best, Traude
🍂🍃🍁🍃 🍂
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2023/11/ausflug-auf-den-harzberg-im-august-ein.htm
PS: I think another comment from me on the previous post remained in the spam folder - could that be?
Yes, I checked the spam folder and there were several of your comments in there--only yours. I think it could be because of the link.
Yes, going down stairs in the dark is dangerous! I wouldn't even attempt it. I have a rechargeable headlamp that I use daily. More during the darker months. Even in summer, when it doesn't get dark until 11-ish, I use it for stitching/reading at night. At this time of year I use it for that as well as every time I go outside in the late afternoon or later. We have steps out our door and the motion sensor light isn't as reliable as it should be, so I bring the lamp.
Enjoy your weekend!
Okay, thanks for checking. I'll try to leave out the link in the future - I hope I'll remember to do that ;-)
We had a headlamp like this on our night hike in Costa Rica :-D
It's a very handy thing, the headlamp :-)
I will try to remember to check the spam folder--I never think of it. I don't know whether it's the link--just a guess. And anyway, blogger should leave it alone, since I approve them individually. If it was spam, it would have been deleted and not published at all! :-)
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