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The Visible Unseen: Essays

By Andrea Chapela
Edition

Hardcover edition

Publisher Restless Books Imprint Restless Books ISBN

9781632063526

The Visible Unseen: Essays

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SKU
9781632063526J

CONTENT NOTIFICATIONS

Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes

Andrea Chapela, one of Granta’s Best Young Spanish-Language Novelists of 2021, breaks down literary and scientific conventions in this prize-winning collection of experimental essays exploring the properties and poetics of glass, mirrors, and light as a means of understanding the self.



In powerful, formally inventive essays, The Visible Unseendisrupts the purported cultural divide between arts and science. As both a chemist and an award-winning author, Chapela zeros in on the literary metaphors buried in the facts and figures of her scientific observations. Through questioning scientific conundrums that lie beyond the limits of human perception, she winds up putting herself under the microscope as well.



While considering the technical definition of glass as a liquid or a solid, Chapela stumbles upon a framework for understanding the in-between-ness of her own life. Turning her focus toward mirrors, she finds metaphors for our cultural obsessions with self-image in the physics and chemistry of reflection. And as she compiles a history of the scientific study of light, she comes to her final conclusion: that the purpose of description—be it scientific or literary—can never be to define reality, only to confirm our perception of it. Lyrical, introspective, and methodical,The Visible Unseen constructs a startling new perspective from which to examine ourselves and the ways we create meaning.



Sources. List of other lyric essays that served as inspiration. Black-and-white illustrations.
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Adult Crossover High Plus (Grades 11 & Up)

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Adult Crossover High Plus (Grades 11 & Up)

For Grades 11 & Up
Created for older teens ready for more advanced reading, this 14-book collection delivers intricate storytelling, mature themes, and captivating narratives that expand literary horizons. Blending adult fiction with YA titles that have crossover appeal, these selections offer a deeper, more thought-provoking reading experience. Some books may explore identity, relationships, and real-world challenges, including LGBTQIA+IA+ themes, strong language, social issues, and sensitive topics such as sexual abuse and suicide.

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Fiction, Mature Readers, Novels, Realistic Fiction

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