Introduction (and Conclusion) to the Senses
So, I probably should have started writing these posts sooner than halfway through finals week, huh. The one benefit of starting now is that I'm able to write these posts as a retrospective, given everything we have learned. Thinking all the way back to when we read Natural History of the Senses , I remember first the criticisms that everyone had for the book. It's sensational, or it's culturally fetishizing, or it's mostly just an excuse for Ackerman to write about herself. Pretty much all of the criticisms that I heard people voice are fair, in my opinion. Still, I actually enjoyed the book. It wasn't an academic text at all really, but that's kind of the point. Natural History is a deeply personal account of how one person can be completely swept away into a world of sensorial pleasures and experiences. Of course the book is self-centered, how can someone possibly describe with nuance of what makes sense experiences so important and visceral? You can write ...