Gardens in the Desert: Classical Educators in Local Community
The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts. – C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts. – C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
Efficiency might be the highest virtue of our age, but what does this do to the way we educate?
Homer’s epic poems tell of rage and war, shipwreck and conquest, friendship and home. The Aeneid, Beowulf, The Song of Roland, and more all tell of brave heroes, fierce battles, and even gruesome monsters. Yet, now, in the minds of too many young men, poetry conjures up images of bongos and greeting cards, with sappy …
Wendell Berry very rarely gives television interviews, but in 2013 he agreed to sit down with Bill Moyers as part of a conference at St. Catharine’s College. Take 40 minutes to watch this. Berry speaks on topics close to his heart, and he reads several poems aloud. It’s worth the watch just for that! My …
An interesting discussion popped up on my Facebook about some of the ideas we’ve been talking about on Close Reads as we work our way through Berry’s Jayber Crow. Here are some highlights. One of the big ideas that Berry is showing us in Part Two as he repeatedly presents community as a non-sentimentalized ideal, …
The Necessity of the Imperfect Community (Inspired by Jayber Crow) Read More »
A look at a new book of essays from one of America’s pre-eminent writers
Why real community is painful and sometimes tragic but always a beautiful thing