So here we are at the end of our one year long friendship. It has been a rocky ride and I admittedly didn’t think much of this whole experiment at the beginning of the semester, especially when I actually got my book. I didn’t feel connected to it and there was a lack of interest which decreased with time. The more I spend time with it and studied it the more I enjoyed the experience. I do have to say that it was a little bit strange spending so much time with a book that I have never actually read. I was really surprised how our forced relationship evolved into actual friendship.
As soon as I saw my book in the beginning I was shocked I had to read all that. The book seemed long and the themes throughout the book were not necessarily what I would consider interesting. But carrying out the tasks actually changed my perception of it. It is carefully thought out and really goes into detail about columns. Even though I was a bit afraid of it’s size in the beginning I quickly realized that half the space of the book was taken by illustrations which makes sense seeing how the main themes of the book are columns and their geometry.
For me our friendship took the next level once I held it in my hands in task 2. I was lucky enough to have had a physical meeting with the book. It amazes me how books are able to stand the test of time. That only shows how books can be remained with good care. It felt sort of unreal holding such an old writing in my hands and I couldn’t believe that someone in the 18th century had written and published this piece of information that now was analyzed by me.
The biggest problem in our friendship was the language difference and the times we each were born. If it wasn’t for Google or Italian-speaking people in our surrounding it would have been very difficult to form any kind of relationship let alone a friendship.
The main thing I learned from the book was to not be afraid of size of disinterest at the beginning. Books like that are masterpieces in my eyes and you can learn a whole lot from them. I don’t think we realize what kind of impact these books have on today’s education. It is kept simple but the essential elements are carefully presented and explored. The second main thing I learned was how to have a friendship with a book which I never had or even intended to have before.
With this little text I wanted to thank the book for showing me how literature and architecture worked back in the earlier days and I will definitely take the lessons I learned from it to further establish my knowledge of older books since I do not really read old books about architecture.
A special Good-Bye to my book and now friend and a shout-out to Paolo!
Your friend from Generation Y,
Sali.