"Naked Came I" by David Weiss
Two things struck me about this book as I walked by the book lending shelf at a local job site- the title "oooh, it says Naked" and the author’s name – the same as my maiden name. I decided I would pick this 1963 book up not knowing that it was written in my favorite genre – the historical novel (or historical fiction as I like to think of them), but I could not find it at the library. Knowing I would return it, and I did work in the building, I took it from the shelf and brought it home to read. I was up almost two nights straight finishing this book, it was a bit thicker and I was a bit morning sick so reading took a while.
As an art lover, and avid reader, this book opened a door into the life of sculptor Auguste Rodin. Of course I was familiar with "The Thinker" but not much more than that to be truthful. What a truly decadent and unabashed life Rodin lived, a juxtaposition to how most seek austerity through yoga and life these days. Celebrities today have at least one moment of trying to be "serene", we see it all the time – joining Kabbalah, practicing yoga, etc., but this man and his contemporaries lived rich, creative and glutinous lives unabashed, apologizing to no-one, and felt no need to hit the "self-help" section of the store.
At one point Rodin is having affairs with many models, with a "wife/partner" figure at home, and to put it simply states, "this is who I am, you love me as me, I can only be Rodin."
This feeling and attitude to me makes this book more yogic than any of the other stories I read about famous yoga instructors who changed their lives around to be more "yogic", or movie starlets who go on binges, sexcapades, etc. and then avow themselves to live better, only to slip down again. Why not love the way you are, flaws and all? Own your authentic self and experiences? Maybe we can only be the best "us" we can be and when or where is the point at which we stop struggling to become something we are not?
This isn’t a judgement against people who are struggling, nor is it a call to give up on self improvement. I just believe there is something to be said for a person who can look in the mirror and say "Yes, this is me. I love me. Love me as I am." Real change only seems to come when you can accept where you are now. You can’t get past your present into the future – if you have no idea where you are at the moment, how can you possibly know where you are going. Rodin seemed to know this.
I give this book 6 stars:
