【Sisters Slave】
From the Notebooks of John Cage
Document
John Cage. Photo: Betty Freeman.
To put it mildly, John Cage’s Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse)is no ordinary account of days gone by; a plain record of events would be too simple for such a daring and meticulous artist. The product of thirty years,Diary allows us a glimpse of the late twentieth century through Cage’s eyes.His insights and observations reveal a generous, openhearted view of the world in tumult. In keeping with this openness is the book’s methodology: using a number generator based on theI Ching,Cage would allow chance to determine each entry’s word count, left margination, and typeface. Like much of Cage’s oeuvre, the complexity of this process melts away in the experience of the work. Here, for instance, is the first page of Part II, which was originally published in the Winter–Spring 1967 issue of The Paris Review:
At first glance, it scans as chaos. In practice, it reads like poetry, though the typographical pyrotechnics lend it a unique tactility, as though the letters are swelling off the page. In 2015, Diaryappeared in a single volume for the first time, published by Siglio Press. A new paperback version has just been released, now with a selection of pages from the unpublished ninth installment in Cage’s project (he had planned ten parts in all but completed only eight by the time of his death, in 1992). Six facsimile pages from Cage’s notebooks appear below.
All images from Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse), by John Cage, published by Siglio Press.
Search
Categories
Latest Posts
The Man Who Knew Nothing at All
2025-06-26 02:35Whiting Awards 2017: James Ijames, Drama
2025-06-26 02:18Whiting Awards 2017: Francisco Cantú, Nonfiction
2025-06-26 01:53Remembering Robert Silvers, 1929–2017
2025-06-26 01:02This Is Not a Blip
2025-06-26 00:12Popular Posts
Comrades at Arms
2025-06-26 02:44Best AirPods deal: Apple AirPods (2nd gen) are $69 at Walmart
2025-06-26 01:01'Grand Theft Auto 6' trailer reveal set for December
2025-06-26 00:30Looking for Twin Peaks
2025-06-26 00:26Featured Posts
Stormbound
2025-06-26 02:41Ticketmaster is down thanks to Taylor Swift's Eras tour presale
2025-06-26 02:32The Poetry of Pop: Nine Poets on Their Favorite Song Lyrics
2025-06-26 00:53Staff Picks: Fleur Jaeggy, R. Sikoryak, Brian Blanchfield, and More
2025-06-26 00:44The Thou of Zadie Smith
2025-06-26 00:08Popular Articles
Amnesiac Nation
2025-06-26 02:39Best AirPods deal: Apple AirPods (2nd gen) are $69 at Walmart
2025-06-26 01:01Whiting Awards 2017: Phillip B. Williams, Poetry
2025-06-26 00:41GeForce RTX 2080 Ti & 2080 Mega Benchmark
2025-06-26 00:16Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.
Comments (88419)
Pursuit Information Network
It’s Fun to Be in the DSA!
2025-06-26 02:37Exquisite Information Network
Best Peloton deal: Get a Peloton Bike for under $1,100 at Amazon
2025-06-26 02:04Happy Information Network
I don't want a Twitter checkmark anymore
2025-06-26 01:25Miracle Information Network
'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for November 9, 2023
2025-06-26 01:00Ignition Information Network
The Online Culture Wars
2025-06-26 00:45