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[ariel05]

This isn't really fiction. It might be classified as prose poetry, but I don't know enough about the form to say. Maybe it's just an extreme form of magical realism.

I found this old friend when I was sorting through books, and had to immediately sit down and re-read it. Then I had to replace it, because it was old, and falling apart.

From the back:

"From Beauty to Compassion, from Pleasure to Terror, from Resignation to Joy - here is an insightful exploration of the rich diversity of human qualities. J. Ruth Gendler's evocative book has as its cast of familiar characters our own emotions, brought to life with a poet's wisdom and an artist's perceptive eye. In _The Book of Qualities'_ magical community, Excitement wears orange socks, Faith lives in the same apartment building as Doubt, and Worry makes lists of everything that could go wrong while she is waiting for the train. In portraying the complexities of the psyche, Gendler uses the Qualities to bridge the distinctions between literature and psychology, and has created an original work that challenges us to look at our emotions in new and inspiring ways."

One of the Qualities from the book:

"Inspiration

Inspiration is disturbing. She does not believe in guarantees or insurance or strict schedules. She is not interested in how well you write your grant proposal or what you do for a living or why you are too busy to see her. She will be there when you need her but you have to take it on trust. Surrender. She knows when you need her better than you do."

This is one of my favorite books. I was very glad to see it was still in print.