BooksBarbecue
Back All the Water in the World
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. PART I
  4. Eve
  5. 1
  6. Maddy
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. Eve
  12. 6
  13. Maddy
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. Eve
  19. 11
  20. Maddy
  21. 12
  22. 13
  23. 14
  24. 15
  25. PART II
  26. Eve
  27. 16
  28. 17
  29. 18
  30. 19
  31. Maddy
  32. 20
  33. 21
  34. Eve
  35. 22
  36. 23
  37. Maddy
  38. 24
  39. 25
  40. Eve
  41. 26
  42. 27
  43. PART III
  44. Eve
  45. 28
  46. 29
  47. 30
  48. 31
  49. 32
  50. 33
  51. 34
  52. 35
  53. 36
  54. 37
  55. 38
  56. 39
  57. Coda
  58. 40
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. Reading Group Guide
  61. About the Author
  62. Copyright

I studied Jack’s photographs of Serenity and drew her in my sketchbook. I got a sneaky pleasure out of drawing the statue. Not that I wanted her to crumble. But considering that she had crumbled, she had been damaged by something she had in no way asked for and could in no way change, I wanted her crumbling right out in the open, for everyone to see. I made drawing after drawing of myself and drawing after drawing of the statue’s gouged-out face, knowing I couldn’t show these to my mother. Could I? I just had to keep going and see what happened. Nowadays that was my motto: Keep going and see what happens.

I called Jack to tell him I had an idea. I didn’t want to tell him over the phone, so we arranged to meet at his house after school. As it turned out, something better happened that day, and weeks went by before we thought about the animation again.

Hello Antonio,

Back again! We were away. Do you always email me from work? Your research sounds amazing. Although—poor rats! Do you also try to discover things like why music is so emotional when it’s just sound waves going into our ears? Or what happens after you die? Or is that just not possible??!! You didn’t answer my questions about your (my) family. But I guess I didn’t tell you what you wanted to know about Mom, so we’re even. I’d still like to know, though.

Are the boys glad summer is coming? Is London always rainy and cold? I don’t think I could stand that. I love hot weather. Though in DC it gets incredibly hot and everyone stays indoors in the AC.

Maddy

Maddy,

Music has a profound effect on us. Most things that have a profound effect on us gave us an evolutionary advantage at some point. My research is very specific, about the biochemistry of the brain and maybe a bit boring to the average person. But it is really about some of the most interesting human questions. Like, how can we remember a phone number or recognise an apple? How can a memory last a lifetime? And eventually, what’s happening in the brain when we listen to music or feel happy, sad, etc.

I think what happens when we die is not something science can research. Not all scientists are atheists but I myself am an atheist and I have quite a pragmatic approach to these matters. You will discover your own ideas as you grow older.

I hope you had a great holiday. I guess American schools are more relaxed about kids going on holiday during term time. Here it is almost a criminal offense.

Antonio

14