The Tree of Meaning

For many years, the poet, linguist and typographer Robert Bringhurst has immersed himself in studying the Aboriginal cultures and languages of the Pacific northwest coast, studies that culminated in his acclaimed Masterworks of the Classical Haida Mythtellers trilogy (1999–2001). The Tree of Meaning (Gaspereau) collects thirteen talks given by Bringhurst over the past decade. Several of these talks overlap with and expand upon themes presented in A Story as Sharp as a Knife (1999), the first volume in the Masterworks trilogy, arguing persuasively for the inclusion of west coast Aboriginal cultures as equal with those of the so-called Occident and Orient. Bringhurst does not think—nor does he write—lightly on these matters, offering the reader much “food for the mind” to ponder and debate. In the foreword, he notes that he has left these talks “in their spoken and localized form”; as a result the rhetorical style—effective from the podium—feels a little ponderous when read on a printed page. A lighter touch (or a more rigorous editing of this collection) might have made the same well-considered points more deftly (but this is a minor quibble, not a complaint). One of the standouts in the collection is “Wild Language,” in which Bringhurst explores the parallels between language and landscape, asking what constitutes the wild nature of each. Physically, this is another beautiful book from Gaspereau Press in Nova Scotia: attractive in its design (by Bringhurst and Andrew Steeves) as well as in its printing and binding. I can recommend almost any of Gaspereau’s books for the pleasure they give to the hand; the pleasure provided to the reader’s mind is a welcome bonus.