#lefthandrighthand — Public Fediverse posts

All works of art that are purely imaginative --- poems, novels, stories --- are pulled out of the future as you may pluck a roasted chestnut out of the fire, scorching your hand in the process.

But in this cruel and meaningless epoch, behind the bars of which I now write, neither past nor future seem to have any existence; only the present which contains the dead ashes of the past.

Since the whole life and its background is being dissolved to chaos before our eyes, it is impossible --- because our balance from day to day remains too precarious --- to wrest a book from the future. In consequence, I have resolved to start the story of my life.

#OsbertSitwell #LeftHandRightHand

Macmillan 1945, page v

All works of art that are purely imaginative --- poems, novels, stories --- are pulled out of the future as you may pluck a roasted chestnut out of the fire, scorching your hand in the process.

But in this cruel and meaningless epoch, behind the bars of which I now write, neither past nor future seem to have any existence; only the present which contains the dead ashes of the past.

Since the whole life and its background is being dissolved to chaos before our eyes, it is impossible --- because our balance from day to day remains too precarious --- to wrest a book from the future. In consequence, I have resolved to start the story of my life.

#OsbertSitwell #LeftHandRightHand

Macmillan 1945, page v

Spending a couple of days in the splendid home of my aristocratic friend N, house-sitting and dog-sitting whilst he is taking his vintage Bentley to a racing event.

When I stay in another's home, I try to find a book from my host's library that is new to me and that somehow reflects on the host's life and personality.

Today it is Osbert Sitwell's autobiography, Left Hand, Right Hand. In four volumes, 1945-49. (Parts were published earlier in magazines from 1943.)

In my hand I hold the first edition of Vol I, published 1945. It was purchased by N's mother at the time, she signed it on the title page in her beautiful, energetic handwriting. N was a toddler when she read it.

I may quote a few passages over the next few days. Will post these separately, connected via the #OsbertSitwell tag.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osbert_Sitwell

#Sitwell #LeftHandRightHand
#autobiographies #PersonalLibraries

Spending a couple of days in the splendid home of my aristocratic friend N, house-sitting and dog-sitting whilst he is taking his vintage Bentley to a racing event.

When I stay in another's home, I try to find a book from my host's library that is new to me and that somehow reflects on the host's life and personality.

Today it is Osbert Sitwell's autobiography, Left Hand, Right Hand. In four volumes, 1945-49. (Parts were published earlier in magazines from 1943.)

In my hand I hold the first edition of Vol I, published 1945. It was purchased by N's mother at the time, she signed it on the title page in her beautiful, energetic handwriting. N was a toddler when she read it.

I may quote a few passages over the next few days. Will post these separately, connected via the #OsbertSitwell tag.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osbert_Sitwell

#Sitwell #LeftHandRightHand
#autobiographies #PersonalLibraries

Why some people can't tell left from right

Research published by Van der Ham and her colleagues in 2020 found that around 15% of people rate themselves as insufficient when it comes to identifying left and right.

Being a sufferer of left-right directional insufficiency, I am pleased that I am not alone.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230112-why-some-people-cant-tell-left-from-right

#BBC #LeftHandRightHand