Funk Island

Wow...I really liked this reading, especially his style of writing. It was intense, riveting, exciting, and amazingly poetic.

While reading, I kept on thinking of what I was taught in my poetry classes and workshop. Every poetry prof repeats this throughout the semester "show, don't tell". While I read, I kept on thinking of how well Russell was "showing" us the island instead of simply telling us about the island. Of course he told us that it was rock, that there were lots of birds, that it smelled, that there was poop, and dead things, and eggs all over the place,that it was loud, but he shows us all of this and gives it so much more meaning that just saying it.

I appreciate this in writing, especially in writing about the natural world. If you cannot see what they have seen or hear what they hear or smell what they smell, the you must be able to describe it all very well and "show" it to your reader. I believe that Russell did this so well and that this played a major part in making the reading really special and interesting.