
Full-body reading - diodorus
https://aeon.co/essays/how-a-medieval-mystic-was-the-first-creator-of-fanfiction
======
pm90
So, the point of the article seems to be that "Full Body reading" is a way of
reading in which one is so immersed in the story that one can vividly imagine
being involved in an intimate way in the story; that itself creates other
stories (fan-fiction). Is that what the author is talking about or did I miss
something?

On a side note, complete immersion is what makes books like Harry Potter and
LOTR so gratifying to read (at least for me). They are believable enough that
you just slide into that world.

~~~
chris_st
I think you nailed it, but I'd add that it was also about how 'literary
criticism', at least the kind taught in the school(s) she went to, seems to
try to avoid all that 'emotional' stuff for a purely intellectual analysis of
the text.

So she felt like she 'wasn't supposed' to do that 'complete immersion' think
that you (and I!) like so much.

------
chris_st
I think this shows, to me, why I like Michael Dirda's book reviews for the
Washington Post so much.

He understands the criticism ("mind" part, I guess) of literature, and can
help me understand that side of things.

But he _loves_ a good book, and can really communicate that "full body" sense
of how wonderful reading can be, when you really lose yourself in a good book.

Gee, maybe I should tell him that I appreciate his work :-)

------
mcguire
In _The Bestseller Code_ , Archer and Jockers touch on this to explain why
literary criticism is out of touch with popular reading. They mention _Uses of
Literature_ by Rita Felski as as a "manifesto" of sorts about how criticism
could take it more seriously.

I haven't completed it, but the sample from Amazon looks promising.

------
xherberta
Some take-aways and wonderings:

Margery Kempe (circa 1550) was long dismissed/diagnosed with various mental
illnesses. Nowadays, (with maybe more seeking than ever for psychidelic
experiences) it seems she had something interesting to say.

If you like to read and are heading to grad school, be careful not to lose the
joy.

Probably people of all descriptions could enjoy a shift away from how hetero
romances dominate mainstream storytelling.

On the plus side, it sounds like there's starting to be more of a place at the
serious/critical table for people interested in exploring the bodily delights
of reading.

How would it upend "religion" if more people went to the bible and other
"serious" texts looking more for visceral, bodily feeling rather than
doctrine/dry facts?

~~~
itwaseverything
"people of all descriptions could enjoy a shift away from how hetero romances
dominate mainstream storytelling"

I wouldn't ever expect this to happen. The super majority are heterosexual and
gravitate to the relateable and familiar. Nothing short of everyone turning
homosexual will change this fact.

