A leatherback, she’d once read, must cry two gallons of water every hour, just to keep its blood less salty than the sea.
— Richard Powers, Playground: A Novel (W. W. Norton & Company, September 24, 2024)
Notes:
- Photo via Pexels: River Nelson-Esch
- Post Title Inspired by Albert Einstein’s quote: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.”
- Book Reviews:
- NPR (July 7, 2024): “Pulitzer Prize-winner Richard Powers plunges deep into the ocean in ‘Playground”
- NY Times (Sept 22, 2024): “First He Spoke for the Trees; Now He Speaks for the Sea”
- The Guardian (September, 29 2024): “Playground by Richard Powers review – an electrifyingly beautiful tale of tech and the ocean”
- “That Powers is an outstanding writer is hardly news. But with Playground, he proves himself a wizard. This novel is one long, clever magic trick. You approach the end thinking you have everything figured out. But then the author does something quite extraordinary – a move it would be criminal of me to give away. Let’s just say the reader is left reeling as the book’s conceit is revealed and the novel ascends to the plane of true, indisputable greatness.”
Thank you🙏💕
Thank you!
I’ve been fortunate to dive with some large leatherback turtles. I even had the chance to sit with one on the black sandy beach with a huge one. Turtles are special.
Wow Melinda. I would have loved to dive with these creatures!
Diving is another miraculoius world. Even when a 15 ft shark scares the hell out of you!
I bet it did!
I watched the sea turtle mamas lay eggs and bury them on the beach at night. they are strong warriors, doing what needs be done to keep the species going.
That must have been so cool Beth!
Ike nothing I’ve ever witnessed. But was pouring rain pitch black Gide had to use a red light and we had to watch silently. It was as close to a spiritual experience as I can come
Wow!
oops, ‘guide’ but it was powerful
Simply amazing. Such a gift to be reminded of all that is magical and beautiful in our world, especially now…..
So agree Lori!
Amazing!
Agree!
Turtles seem weird but lovable old cranks, but more importantly, if we didn’t make snow-angels based on angel wings, we’d surely make snow-turtles based on the beautiful pattern they leave on sandy beaches as they *wing* their way back to the sea.🥰
Smiling. Yes!
Fun Fact. Our Rogers International School Mascot. No wonder I am a big crier.
Bought Ty this book. Interested to get both of your perspectives after reading.
Ok!
I loved The Overstory and enjoyed an interview with Richard Powers on Sunday. It’s all wonderful until I read that weatherback turtles have to cry so much and so often. What a sad compensatory adaptation!
Smiling. Loved Overstory too!
I’m sure they take time out to read sad stories and sit and cry. Or maybe they put on the underwater TV and play sad movies. It’s not so outrageous to have underwater TV. We used to have blizzards in our TVs in the 50s.
Laughing. Yes!