Q&A with Elizabeth Rosner

 

 

 

Elizabeth Rosner is the author of the new book Third Ear: Reflections on the  Art and Science of Listening. Her other books include Survivor Cafe. She lives in Berkeley, California.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Third Ear, and how was the book's title chosen?

 

A: Although I'd long been familiar with references to a third eye, it was only in encountering Theodor Reik's book Listening with the Third Ear that I became fascinated by the metaphor of a third ear.

 

When I began recalling some of my own most profoundly transformative listening experiences — from early childhood all the way into the present moment — I also felt compelled to learn much more about the soundscapes of the world around me.

 

Having written a previous book of nonfiction that blended memoir with interdisciplinary research (Survivor Cafe: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory), it seemed natural and in many ways irresistible to try something similar with this subject. 

 

Q: The Booklist review of the book says, “Deeply sourced, devotedly researched, and refreshingly candid, Rosner's searing observations on the various ways this crazy world can be navigated, appreciated, and understood open new avenues for thought and exploration.” What do you think of that assessment?

 

A: I'm very grateful for these words! They strike at the complicated heart of my goals—to blend a transparent awareness of my own inner life with the remarkable discoveries of scholars and researchers from a wide variety of fields.

 

I think of myself as more of a collage or mosaic maker than a conventional memoirist, in that I love weaving together disparate fragments to construct something that I hope is greater than the sum of its parts. 

 

Q: You begin the book by saying, “You could say that hearing is a science and listening is an art.” What would you say are some of the most important aspects involved in the process of listening?

 

A: It's so hard to give a short answer to this question, because truly that's what the entire book is attempting to describe!

 

However, I'd say in brief that listening as an "art" means allowing for curiosity and spaciousness and unpredictability. Getting quiet enough to receive whatever the world has to offer, not only through your physical ears but with your open mind and open heart. 

 

Q: What impact did it have on you to write this book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?

 

A: Because I learned so much about the more-than-human world while writing this book, I also got to be reminded about how vast the sonic universe really is. A very humbling and gratifying outcome to say the least!

 

My sincere hope is that readers will feel inspired to reflect on their own listening experiences, past and present, and perhaps to consider the listening practices taking place all around them too. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I'm not sure what my next writing project will be. Mostly I'm absorbed in keeping my eyes (and ears!) open, trying to pay deep attention to the mysteries of beauty and kindness whenever possible. The uncertainties of the world are weighing heavily on my heart. 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Elizabeth Rosner.