Modern Athenas

Have you ever felt adrift and alone, as though you don’t belong to any one community? Have you ever been to a foreign country, and not known the language? Have you ever set out to learn a new skill or area of knowledge and been left frustrated by being unable to grasp the skill as quickly as you would have liked? In Other Words is centered around the themes of identity, alienation and belonging. As we discuss this book and the author’s use of language to traverse these difficult topics, we invite you to consider your own life and your own feelings of identity and belonging. 00:00-2:40 Intro and Summary of the Book2:41-6:48 The Lake Metaphor: Facing Challenges6:49-12:31 The Pocket Dictionary: Security Blankets12:32-15:20 Language as a Relationship15:21-23:15 The Locked Gate Opens: Jumping off into the Unknown23:16-33:58 The Gardener: Importance of Imperfections33:59-42:01 Discipline in Learning42:02-45:52 Being Comfortable with Self45:53-47:49 Why do I Write?47:50-52:48 Never Reaching Perfection