When I went to the Toni Morrison reading at The New York Public Library last week, I didn’t have high hopes for the conversation part of the event. I’ve been to countless readings over the years, and the moderated discussion is never very thought-provoking.
To my delight, Toni Morrison’s conversation with Fran Lebowitz was just that, a conversation. Both women had interesting things to say and very different personalities. Toni Morrison has this calm, Earth Mother kind of vibe, whereas Fran Lebowitz peppers her speech with one-liners and bemused grins. I read that some people call her “a modern Dorothy Parker,” and I can see what they mean. (I love me some Dorothy Parker, though, and I resist the idea that she can - or should - be replicated).
I’ve often heard people say that they just can’t get into Toni Morrison’s books, that they’re too metaphorical or inaccessible or slow-moving. Personally, I think that page upon page of her writing is gorgeous. I don’t mind letting something marinate.
In the conversation, Fran Lebowitz said that the problem with too many readers - the kind who may reject Toni Morrison’s work - is that they seem to think literature should be a mirror, instead of a door. It’s easier to digest a book that looks like your life with characters who look like you and the people you know.
I think Lebowitz was right on. Books are meant to challenge us and make us see things in a new way, perhaps even see things we never knew of. Not every read should be difficult, and comfort ones can be great once in awhile, but books give us chances to be someone else somewhere else. A relatable book is not necessarily the most relevant or helpful.
Next time you pick out a book, go for the door. Maybe it’s uncomfortable or heavy, so slowly go inside. Go somewhere you do not call home.
