Maps to Anywhere

Maps to Anywhere

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     There were a few stories in particular that really stuck out to me from Cooper's book, Maps to Anywhere.

      By Any Other Name was a great read. I loved the levity of the section. The opening, describing a young boy and his friends creating their own fun with a phone book and an empty afternoon, reminded me of a younger version of myself. The feeling that came over me after reading this was a combination of nostalgia and words that left me pondering my future. I never really thought about the meaning behind a name until I read this. I think we, as a society, take names for granted. We just accept them at face value and allow them to define a person, when in reality, it is the person that impressions the name. Cooper's allusion to Shakespeare's famous notion, 'A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet,' really opened my eyes. I hadn't really given thought to the effect the sound of an object on the way its perceived. His mention of limburger made me think of asparagus and cauliflower and other horrible sounding words that were reflected through the object itself. Then I concluded that the name was insignificant. The object doesn't change. If asparagus was called long-green-bumpies I would still detest them.

     Capice left a great impression. The piece really displays the beauty that is language. The author depicts a time when he was in Italy and the events that occurred, only to reveal that the sole purpose of the words was to tell a story, that he had never been to Italy, he had never met the people he claims to have met, never taken an Italian class. This just really captures my belief on writing. I also think Capice in particular is the essence of the book and the title, Maps to Anywhere, is exemplified in this piece of writing because of the honesty of the author. Cooper does a wonderful job of leaving the reader with the sense that the words on the page can take him to far off places, really anywhere he wants to go.

     Que será será had a profound effect on me as well. It was a great reminder to not sweat the small stuff and to live life to the fullest. Carpe Diem I am reminded by a movie I once saw. The story itself was short, yet eloquent and easy to identify with. I often wonder about my former classmates and the impression I left them with. Yet I am forced to remember that it does not do well to dwell in the past. After reading this I really felt like I had learned something.