Saturday, August 11, 2007

MATT MANLEY, RUMI AND ANAIS NIN


Art by Matt Manley
*****
"OPEN THE WINDOW
IN THE CENTER OF YOUR CHEST
AND LET SPIRIT FLY IN AND OUT"
Rumi
*****
I've just discovered a wonderful new collage artist named Matt Manley. As far as I know, he's only available through items produced by a company called "Brush Dance", which makes journals, address books and cards melding Manley's art with poetry by Rumi.
I first heard about this Medieval Persian poet and philosopher through a Loreena McKennitt CD. Lately, I have been seeing references to Rumi in a number of blogs. Also, I have lately been seeing a lot of references to Anais Nin. I've never read Nin but I knew that she wrote erotic literature.
I'd like to read more of their writings, but don't know where to begin. Can anyone recommend any of their works that I might find cheaply on amazon.com used books? (I'd prefer non-erotica by Nin if available.)
Thanks in advance for your help.

7 comments:

Annie Jeffries said...

http://www.rumi.net/rumi_by_shiva.htm

looks like a good place to start, Julie. I've been wondering about Rumi too and now that my poetry workshop is starting, this is a good time to check out his work

Kate Robertson said...

I have loved Rumi' poetry for some time now. i don't have a copy of any of his works though. I have also been thinking about getting some of Anais Nin's stuff to read. Gee have you been reading my mind lately. Kindred spirits I guess..

Kate

gma said...

Hi here is another site
I love this one!!!
You can find Rumi here too.

http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com
/
xx

Bimbimbie said...

I chanced upon Rumi earlier this year. Birdsong is my favourite so far and I have several Anais Nin quotes
tucked into my "little" book *!*

Lila Rostenberg said...

I really like that collage....and the quote from Rumi! Your posts are always so interesting! (I'll have to rest a little from my trip out West before I read your next post about the "Stardust" movie..)

smilnsigh said...

I tried dipping into Anais Nin at one time. I have nothing against her writing erotica, so that didn't turn me off. I'm not sure exactly what did... Maybe I got the feeling of her being a wee bit too self-absorbed?

I tend to this myself, so I probably *know* I ought not read a lot, of someone who's the same way. ,-)

One thing I {think I} remember reading about her... Which can strike anyone, in whatever way they choose... was that she could sit in the same room with her husband, and journal about other man/men.

Here again, what turned me off? Not the having lovers. Maybe because I saw her as just too brazen and self-absorbed, doing this. And............ I was jealous. ,-)

There are some interesting quotes of hers though. And for the life of me, I can't remember any, at the moment. But then, when one is 70, "those forgets" happen a lot. -grin-

Mari-Nanci

nonizamboni said...

Julie--see if you can get your hands on the Illuminated Rumi
Calendar
illustrated by Michael Green (I noticed Borders has calendars on display already). I try to find one every year.
Rumi is definitely worth spending time reading.

Mary Ann