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essjay1's review against another edition
4.0
There is no doubt TBD is an excellent writer, just as you are left in no doubt with this collection that she is a teacher. I didn’t feel like this was a collection so much as a handy readers guide, and probably one to revisit, especially if you are in a reading lull and need to be inspired.
justapileofrats's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
jaclyn_sixminutesforme's review against another edition
2.0
Conversations around the joy readers find in language and books is my cat nip—I love the connections we draw between what we read and other aspects of our lives because nothing we read is ever in a silo. I recently caught such a conversation on YouTube between Charlotte Wood and Tegan Bennett Daylight (“Two Friends Talk About Reading” via #MWF2020 if you’d like to watch too, I recommend it!)
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I was encouraged by these discussions so wanted to check out THE DETAILS—admittedly it left me a little flat. The joy of language is certainly there, and I think the essays are strongest when they’re drawing on the ways the author has these literary connections so entwined with memories with her children and her late mother. The way this speaks to love and grief was really beautifully written. By the same measure, the way the author writes about her body, specifically childbirth, was gripping (read the VAGINA chapter particularly if you enjoyed Meaghan O’Connell’s AND NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING).
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That said, the collection as a whole had a disorder to it that felt careless and structurally didn’t always make sense. In terms of subject matter, I struggled with the discussions about the teaching of English—the deep-dive chapters (particularly into Helen Garner and George Saunders) will be a delight for fans of their writing, and the energy that Bennett Daylight takes from their work and how much it has taught her about writing is palpable.
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That said, there were comments about students as non-readers and not being well-read that were bristling to say the least—this idea of literary merit, specifically the (overwhelmingly white) texts chosen as textual examples, were disappointing. While there were some really interesting points to these discussions, particularly around how consumer driven the tertiary education sector has become and what that means for the quality of education, I still struggled.
.
I was encouraged by these discussions so wanted to check out THE DETAILS—admittedly it left me a little flat. The joy of language is certainly there, and I think the essays are strongest when they’re drawing on the ways the author has these literary connections so entwined with memories with her children and her late mother. The way this speaks to love and grief was really beautifully written. By the same measure, the way the author writes about her body, specifically childbirth, was gripping (read the VAGINA chapter particularly if you enjoyed Meaghan O’Connell’s AND NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING).
.
That said, the collection as a whole had a disorder to it that felt careless and structurally didn’t always make sense. In terms of subject matter, I struggled with the discussions about the teaching of English—the deep-dive chapters (particularly into Helen Garner and George Saunders) will be a delight for fans of their writing, and the energy that Bennett Daylight takes from their work and how much it has taught her about writing is palpable.
.
That said, there were comments about students as non-readers and not being well-read that were bristling to say the least—this idea of literary merit, specifically the (overwhelmingly white) texts chosen as textual examples, were disappointing. While there were some really interesting points to these discussions, particularly around how consumer driven the tertiary education sector has become and what that means for the quality of education, I still struggled.
davidup_15's review against another edition
challenging
funny
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
The first essay collection I've ever read and it was a wonderful one to start with! Daylight deals with a variety of topics with empathy and nuance, but perhaps most inspiringly, with an awareness of and openness about the way her life as a reader has influenced everything she does. 'The difficulty is the point' and 'Inventing the teenager' were my favourites if for no other reason than that I, a 17-year-old, found myself very, very challenged by both of them, 'Detail II' is a heartbreaking account of what it is like to lose a loved one, and while 'Vagina' was not exactly something I loved and want to read every day, it was definitely very interesting (especially as a guy) to hear a woman write in such visceral detail about the experience and aftermath of giving birth.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Death
bertharochester's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Brilliant book about reading , writing
Teaching , l loved it. About how reading can enhance your life.
Teaching , l loved it. About how reading can enhance your life.
megdrury's review against another edition
5.0
This book was stunning. The author has such a way with words that instantly fills the pages with colour, as if you’re experiencing everything right there with her.