Kirin Narayanrsquo;s imagination was captured the very first time that; as a girl visiting the Himalayas; she heard Kangra women join their voices together in song. Returning as an anthropologist; she became fascinated by how they spoke of singing as a form of enrichment; bringing feelings of accomplishment; companionship; happiness; and even good healthmdash;all benefits of the ldquo;everyday creativityrdquo; she explores in this book. Part ethnography; part musical discovery; part poetry; part memoir; and part unforgettable portraits of creative individuals; this unique work brings this remote region in North India alive in sight and sound while celebrating the incredible powers of music in our lives.With rare and captivating eloquence; Narayan portrays Kangra songs about difficulties on the lives of goddesses and female saints as a path to well-being. Like the intricate geometries of mandalu patterns drawn in courtyards or the subtle balance of flavors in a meal; well-crafted songs offer a variety of deeply meaningful benefits: as a way of making something of value; as a means of establishing a community of shared pleasure and skill; as a path through hardships and limitations; and as an arena of renewed possibility. Everyday Creativity makes big the small world of Kangra song and opens up new ways of thinking about what creativity is to us and why we are so compelled to engage it.
#2895238 in eBooks 2016-12-16 2016-12-16File Name: B01MZ15V8S
Review
57 of 59 people found the following review helpful. for they allow us to gain a better understanding of how far our society has comeBy JayahThis autobiography was assigned to me when I was a junior in high school. Three years later. as a sophomore in college. I was asked to read the book again for my class on Black Thought and Literature. I wish that I had taken the time to slow down and analyze Frederick Douglass narrative from a literal. analytical. and figurative perspective. Had I done that the first time aroundmdash;as opposed to treating the book as another required reading that I needed to speed-read throughmdash;I believe that my understanding would have been more in-depth and meaningful. The emotion and conviction with which the author writes is not only poetic and moving. but captivating as well. The imagery. combined with Douglass views on religions role in the enslavement of black bodies. masterfully paints a story that (in combination with other narratives) has. unfortunately. been lost throughout time. In fact. many Black writers during this period refused to publish their experiences for fear that they will be caught and returned to slavery. In other cases. some writers used pen names to add some anonymity to their experiences. Nevertheless. such works should be cherished and valued; for they allow us to gain a better understanding of how far our society has come. and how much more needs to be done to ensure a future where everyone is equal (in the truest sense of the word).0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Compelling narrative regarding the horrors of chattel slaveryBy gymgokiThis should be required reading for American history classes. Whereas the steady diet of slaveholder cruelty is burdensome at times. it must be endured because that is merely the truth. Douglass makes the intriguing observation that the institution of slavery turns humans into slaveholders with the attendant qualities of cruelty and blindness to their religious hypocrisy.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Must-Read for Every AmericanBy Paul WoodwardThis book should be required reading for every American. It is the true first-person account of a slave woman who lived in the mid-nineteenth century South I have never read anything that so thoroughly embedded me in the culture of the time. The effects of this terrible stain on our national history are still being felt today.
