One of my alltime favorite books is called the book of qualities by ruth gendler. Jul 01, 2015 the divine mind is the source of all spiritual qualities, knowing, and expression. Beauty invites us to build bridges and make connections between the senses and the soul, between contemplation and expression, between ourselves and the world. Ruth gendler is an artist, author, and teacher offering her art and books for sale online and a description of the courses and workshops she offers to children and adults. The qualities create two quality personifications similar to the ones that ruth gendler has written.
Pdf the book of qualities the book of qualities tra my. Ruth gendler, a trade paperback from avon, an imprint of harpercollins publishers. Gendler makes each qualityemotion into a distinct human entity in order to expand and detail their essence. When she is considering a potential lover, she takes him to the ocean and. Bring your thoughts, insights and any book suggestions to the meeting. Apr 05, 2010 once upon a time i caught myself reading this book in the halfpriced bookstore at rice village. Have students pick out some of the examples of personification in each piece. Faith from the book of qualities, j ruth gendler when faith was out of town visiting her uncle in the hospital, doubt fed the cat and watered the asparagus fern. Bringing your emotions to life spiritual practices for. Faith is comfortable with doubt because she grew up with him. All of us, then, as the offspring, or children, of god, must naturally possess, and can express, these qualities. One of my most favourite books in all the world is j ruth gendlers the book of qualities. Ruth gendler s book of qualities followed by music composed in the moment based on the same sentiment.
Courage is not afraid to weep, and she is not afraid. Events include potluck meals, shabbat services and workshops with the religious school. Like most good ideas used in my classroom, this one was bestowed upon me by my teaching partner, mariana. Ruth gendler s evocative book has as its cast of familiar characters our own emotions, brought to life with a poets wisdom and an artists perceptive eye. In the book of qualities magical community, excitement wears from beauty to compassion, from pleasure to terror, from resignation to joy here is an insightful exploration of the rich. I think i got it about 20 years ago now, and it is never far away. She is not impressed with powertrippers and she knows first aid. Seriously, in the words of a local icon do yourself a favour. Faith from the book of qualities, j ruth gendler of the soul. Gendler takes dozens of human characteristics and personifies them, taking a word like courage, for. Ruth gendler quotes author of the book of qualities. Initially published in 1984, it is a gorgeous little book of 98 different qualities illustrated through prose and picture. Harper, 1988, 75 abstract qualities come to life, walking and talking, borrowing grandmotheras shawl and telling scary stories late into the night.
The divine mind is the source of all spiritual qualities, knowing, and expression. Its a wonderful book,the book of qualities by j ruth gendler. Notes on the need for beauty an intimate look at an essential quality by j. Ruth gendler is the author of the book of qualities 4. May, 2019 shana has written about the use of ruth gendlers book of qualities for quickwrites. Apr 06, 2020 then, we read a few passages from gendlers book, sharing what we noticed. Ruth gendlers book, notes on the need for beauty, is studded with wise counsel and crafted prose coaxing us gently, to turn from our current ways, to better witness and so be nourished by the infinite beauties of the worldjust as it is. When to say yes, how to say no to take control of your life by. A favorite artlife contributor of mine ruth gendler paints a word picture of trust in the book of qualities. One by one she evokes their personalities with poetic detail, describing each with the skill of someone who is intimately acquainted with them.
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. After a lively discussion and noticings of personification and change, i asked writers to pluck a quality theyd want to write about. In the book of qualities magical community, excitement wears orange socks, faith. The book of qualities presents 74 qualitiesincluding pleasure, anger, terror, beauty, and change as everyday characters who live among. After seeing this animated film, we remembered the book of qualities by j. A series of abstractions and concretisations of human good and bad qualities. Writes books, which include the book of qualities, changing light, and notes on the need for beauty. Shana has written about the use of ruth gendlers book of qualities for quickwrites. The book of qualities presents 74 qualitiesincluding pleasure, anger, terror, beauty, and change as everyday characters who live among us. Sensuality does not wear a watch but she always gets to the essential places on time.
General reading get out of your mind and into your life. Ruth gendlers the book of qualities, 70 abstract qualities come to life, walking and talking, borrowing grandmothers shawl and telling scary stories late into the night. I first read janet ruth gendler s book several decades ago, and ordered this as a gift for a young friend who loves both art and poetry. From beauty to compassion, from pleasure to terror, from resignation to joy here is an insightful exploration of the rich diversity of human qualities. About six years ago, i attended a threeday boothbay literacy retreat in san diego where linda rief would take us through daily quickwrites. Point out to students that in these unique examples of personification, each idea is talked about as if it were a person. If you cant make novembers discussion, join us for. Ruth gendler at least twenty years ago and recently pulled it off my shelf to look at again. In her imaginative work the book of qualities, writer and artist j. Ruth gendlers the book of qualities, select a quality that you can personify. Then, i wrote off the page in front of the kids using my doc camera. Ruth gendlers evocative book has as its cast of familiar characters our own. Scully professor of philosophy and a professor of psychology and cognitive sciences at yale university.
And were using it again with seniors as part of their author study in advanced writing. Harper, 1988, 75 abstract qualities come to life, walking and talking, borrowing grandmothers shawl and telling scary stories late into the night. Aug 20, 2015 it helps a lot if there is something that we love so much that we can rise above and beyond distraction. Despair papered her bathroom walls with newspaper articles about acid rain. She sleeps on a futon on the floor and lives close to the ground. I first read janet ruth gendlers book several decades ago, and ordered this as a gift for a young friend who loves both art and poetry. Ruth gendler assembles an ensemble of human emotions and attributes.
Gendlers qualities arent poems in the formal sense, but rather her reflections on the various qualities that make up the mosaics of our lives. Ruth gendlers evocative book has as its cast of familiar characters our own emotions, brought to life with a poets wisdom and an artists perceptive eye. Faith is not dogmatic in about her beliefs like some of her relatives. In her latest book notes on the need for beauty, she discusses many of the ways in which beauty is far more than skindeep. Ruth gendlers the book of qualities and the personifying abstractions lesson at writingfix, these high school students took interesting approaches as they personified three different emotions. 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. Your reference to j ruth gendler, reminded me of her book notes on the need for beauty which falls into one of my categories of lifechangers in this text ruth talks about the navajo word hozho which translates as beauty and also means harmony, wholeness, goodness.
The book of qualities excerpt by j ruth gendler this isnt strictly a poem but the metaphoric descriptions and visual imagery make this entire book read like a prose poem. On the acknowledgement page of this popular paperback she describes herself as a person who wears orange socks, arranges her clothes by color in the closet, keeps the herbs in alphabetical order, and doesnt understand the separation between work and play. Faith lives in the same apartment building as doubt. User friendly colourful imagery psychology emotions. Buy a cheap copy of the book of qualities by michael mcconnohie. The eternal cycle of night and day editor harper collins 1991 notes on the need for beauty. Much gratitude to you dear iona for your continuing pearls of wisdom that always resonate. Dec 29, 2009 one of my most favourite books in all the world is j ruth gendlers the book of qualities. Fear and whimsy from book of qualities by ruth gendler. The book of qualities excerpt by j ruth gendler indiatopia excitement wears orange socks. As they wrote and revised the final drafts below, they worked especially hard on skills of idea development and word choice. Dear alston, you are whimsy please never, ever change.
Ruth gendler originally selfpublished the book of qualities, now a bestseller with over a quartermillion copies in print. Ruth gendler is an artist, writer, and teacher who believes in the transformational powers of art. Select an emotion and give it the qualities of a human beingpersonification. Ruth gendler, usa submitted by the author the church says. One step to reducing stress change your mind change your. Ruth gendler in which she personified 76 emotional and abstract human qualities from beauty and depression to innocence, honor, and wisdom. Her academic research focuses on issues in philosophical psychology, epistemology, metaphysics, and areas related to philosophical methodology. Gendler s qualities arent poems in the formal sense, but rather her reflections on the various qualities that make up the mosaics of our lives.
I wrote about this mentor text as part of a multigenre project. When faith was out of town visiting her uncle in the hospital, doubt fed the cat and watered the asparagus fern. The book of qualities paperback politics and prose bookstore. Ruth gendler is an artist and teacher who possesses a keen imagination, a poetic sensitivity, and a playful spirit. She then talked to a junior high school english class about her approach to treating the emotions like persons and asked them to. Fear and whimsy from book of qualities by ruth gendler you are to illustrate the following reading from the book of qualities by ruth gendler. The book of qualities j ruth gendler perspectives and. I have searched for two decades to find this book again. Babatope babalobi read ruth chapter 1 4 she was a strong woman. Each year since then, gendlers book has served as staple quickwrite invitation, for it always sparks something special on the page for writers. She was reprimanded in grade school because she couldnt sit still all day long. You may select from the list of qualities that follow or select one of your own. Righteousness seeking peace for friendship, possible. She was especially pleased to put a book on african dyeing called into indigo next to a dark blue blook on jewish mysticism.
Courage is not afraid to weep, and she is not afraid to pray, even when she is not sure who she is. Both personal and impersonal, the qualities convey a variety of human emotions in a simple and entertaining manner. Ruth gendler originally selfpublished the book of qualities, now a bestseller with over a q. You are to illustrate the following reading from the book of qualities by ruth gendler. February 5, 2020 february 8, 2020 allday annual scholarinresidence weekend at beth evergreen with j. The book of qualities harper perennial 1988 changing light. The book describes 99 qualities each quality has a character of its own or better said, an illustration. Sensuality likes to make love at the border where time and space change places. Next, show students the wisdom and excitement examples from the book of qualities by j. Precise, specific images reveal each abstract quality more vividly than any dictionary definition.