Tuesday, October 9, 2007

An Introduction to the Night

It's hard for me to imagine any aspect of the natural world as fascinating as the night, nor is there another phenomenon that has been so fully loaded with meaning by humans. From the night sky to nocturnal creatures to our dreams and nightmares, the night is filled with mysteries that can be explored but perhaps never fully understood.

To begin, I'd like to recommend a book: Acquainted with the Night: Excursions Through the World After Dark, by Christopher Dewdney. This fascinating book moves from dusk to dawn, discussing natural and astronomical topics, such as the difference between civil and nautical twilight and the behavior of nocturnal animals, to cultural aspects of the night, including night life, bedtime stories, sleep behavior and dreams/nightmares.

Dewdney provides us with a jumping off point. We have a lot of ground to cover. I hope you enjoy this blog. My goal is to create a peaceful spot in the blogosphere, even as we plumb the depths of ourselves and the night. This is the place to come when insomnia hits, to hear a lullaby for grown-ups or see how the night has influenced art, music and literature. Welcome, and thanks for stopping by.

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