← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Regicide
Thread ID: 9731 | Posts: 9 | Started: 2003-09-11
2003-09-11 19:30 | User Profile
I'd like to know what books you'd recommend for keeping inspired and heartened.
I'm not talking about books that describe and analyze the various problems which plague us (immigration, Jewish influence, feminism, affirmative action, socialism, etc.), but rather books that help one to recover from or be immunized to the deleterious psychological effects of constant exposure to these problems.
What books have you found to be particularly inspirational and encouraging?
Alternatively, what books would you assign a home-schooled kid in an effort to keep him on the straight and narrow?
2003-09-12 00:03 | User Profile
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check them out.
I too read the "Chronicals of Narnia" as a kid, and enjoyed them greatly. It wasn't until later that I realized there were Christian allegories and symbolism all throughout.
I read Madeline L'Engle as well, and remember being enthralled. A great introduction to basic cellular biology, if I recall.
I agree that poetry can be highly inspirational. For example, I think this is excellent:
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - The Village Blacksmith
Under a spreading chestnut-tree The village smithy stands; The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands; And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands.
His hair is crisp, and black, and long, His face is like the tan; His brow is wet with honest sweat, He earns whate'er he can, And looks the whole world in the face, For he owes not any man.
Week in, week out, from morn till night, You can hear his bellows blow; You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow, Like a sexton ringing the village bell, When the evening sun is low.
And children coming home from school Look in at the open door; They love to see the flaming forge, And hear the bellows roar, And catch the burning sparks that fly Like chaff from a threshing-floor.
He goes on Sunday to the church, And sits among his boys; He hears the parson pray and preach, He hears his daughter's voice, Singing in the village choir, And it makes his heart rejoice.
It sounds to him like her mother's voice, Singing in Paradise! He needs must think of her once more, How in the grave she lies; And with his haul, rough hand he wipes A tear out of his eyes.
Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing, Onward through life he goes; Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose.
Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend, For the lesson thou hast taught! Thus at the flaming forge of life Our fortunes must be wrought; Thus on its sounding anvil shaped Each burning deed and thought.
His "The Jewish Cemetery at Newport", particularly the last stanza, is interesting though not inspirational. The last stanza can be taken as a warning quite applicable to us:
But ah! what once has been shall be no more! The groaning earth in travail and in pain Brings forth its races, but does not restore, And the dead nations never rise again.
** This last century, which has destroyed (in my mind) Gentile art and literature making ability **
When crap like Ginsburg's "Howl" is held out as exemplifying good poetry, schoolkids are understandably turned off and confused. An innate ability to create good art and literature is still present, but it's harder to give it expression.
The Rilke you posted is pretty dense for general consumption, I think. It certainly requires more than a little wrestling with, from my perspective. I wonder if it is more accessible to a native speaker of German?
2003-09-12 01:12 | User Profile
Wait a sec.
Sorry to tease the thread in a different direction, but did OD's resident Heathen Theologian state that when he's blue he reads C.S. Lewis to inspire him?
:huh:
We've found the chink in your armor WM. You WILL be assimilated into Christ's flock. :hyp:
2003-09-12 01:47 | User Profile
I have to agree with WM in that childrens' literature and poetry are great sources for inspiration. Also reading the old folktales and myths of our people is a great source for me. I especially like history to read about the great heroes of the past and how often they saved their societies from destruction.
As for poets, my favorite are the Russian poets Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov. Pushkin is to Russian what Shakespeare is to English, but yet Russians may even have a stronger love for Pushkin.
One of my favorite poems of Pushkin is [url=http://faculty.ccc.edu/trwebprojects/anushevskiy/assignment02/messagetosiberia.asp]Message to Siberia[/url] to which he wrote in honor of the Decemberists, a group of army officers who tried to overthrow the Tsar. I especially love the last verse of the poem,
** "The heavy-hanging chains will fall, The walls will crumble at a word; And Freedom greet you in the light, And brothers give you back the sword"**
More of his poems are here [url=http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/pushkin/pushkin_ind.html]http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/push...ushkin_ind.html[/url]
Another poet I love is Mikhail Lermontov, whose status in Russian literature is second only to Pushkin. His poem can be read here [url=http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/lermontov/lermontov_ind.html]http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/lerm...montov_ind.html[/url]
Although not related to books, but music can be just as inspiring. Especially traditional European folk music and classical music. There are plenty of ballads and folk songs celebrating the heroic struggles of the past.
I highly recomend the operas of Verdi, since they were written with a nationalist intent. "Don Carlos" is good, its about the famous freedom fighter for Flemish independence from Spain.
Then there's Beethoven's "Fidelio", about a political prisoner whose comforted by his wife who disguises herself as a prison guard named Fidelio(hence the name). I especially love the finale, which is very much a celebration of the dawn of freedom when the prisoners are released.
Another good one is Borodin's opera "Prince Igor". It's about a Russian prince who fights for Russia's freedom from the Tartars. It's especially inspiring since at first the Russians are constantly being defeated, and Igor himself is captured. Russia is sure to be enslaved and conquered. While in capitvity, Igor is in constant pain at the thought of his homeland being enslaved and yearns for freedom so he can liberate Russia.
2003-09-12 06:46 | User Profile
[QUOTE]I have to agree with WM in that childrens' literature and poetry are great sources for inspiration. [/QUOTE]
I remember Tarzan, Robin Hood, Le Morte de Arthur, and the Jungle Books with particular fondness.
[QUOTE]I especially like history to read about the great heroes of the past and how often they saved their societies from destruction. [/QUOTE]
I have never read any biographies. Do you have any favorites?
[/QUOTE]As for poets, my favorite are the Russian poets Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov. Pushkin is to Russian what Shakespeare is to English, but yet Russians may even have a stronger love for Pushkin.[QUOTE]
My favorite class as an undergraduate was Russian Literature. It was taught by a Jew, but he was the most enthusiastic and second-most thought-provoking professor I ever had.
One of the books we didn't read in that class was "War and Peace". When I did read that book, I was struck by the characterizations of Jews it contained. It reinforced every modern un-PC stereotype of their proclivities and inclinations.
I wonder if that's why it has a reputation as a book that's too long to read. I wonder if that's why it doesn't seem to be taught with any frequency in university classes.
2003-09-12 07:01 | User Profile
*Originally posted by wintermute@Sep 11 2003, 20:39 * ** Rilke. Dense. Construction.
No problem: what you need is Rumi. No complicated constructions there. **
But what would be appealing to the modern American teenager to whom the lyrics to rap music are profound, punk music is on par with Beethoven, and Walt Whitman is a good poet?
Many of these kids have an desperate longing for something with meaning and inherent value. What they find is crap at school and crap in popular culture.
As a result, they don't have adequate patience or experience to deal with difficult material.
So they imbue rap, punk, and similar crap with meaning that isn't there.
2003-09-12 16:22 | User Profile
*Originally posted by Regicide@Sep 12 2003, 00:46 * **
**
I have never read any biographies. Do you have any favorites?
Well there are plenty of them. It depends really on what interests you and what your ethnic background is. I've always had a weak spot for the Middle Ages for example.
Here's a small list of European heroes:
[url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03629a.htm]Charles Martel[/url] helped stopped the constant Arab invasions into Europe(which may have saved Western Europe from being conquered by Islam).
[url=http://www2.lucidcafe.com/lucidcafe/library/96apr/Charlemagne.html]Charlemagne[/url] who helped build the Holy Roman Empire and bring stability to Europe after the tragedy of the Dark Ages(which bare resemblences to our current age).
[url=http://cappsfamily.hypermart.net/justinian.htm]Justinian the Great[/url] who helped revitalized the Roman Empire(although now called the Byzantine Empire which was the Eastern Roman Empire) and reunite many territories lost when the Western empire fell. Plus he made major contributions in law, art, and culture.
[url=http://historymedren.about.com/library/who/blwwnevsky.htm]Alexander Nevsky[/url] the famous Russian prince who fought off the Swedes and Teutonic Knights in the 1200's.
And of course much much more.
** One of the books we didn't read in that class was "War and Peace". When I did read that book, I was struck by the characterizations of Jews it contained. It reinforced every modern un-PC stereotype of their proclivities and inclinations.**
Same thing with Dostovesky's books like "Crime and Punishment" and "Brothers Kazmanarov".
** I wonder if that's why it has a reputation as a book that's too long to read. I wonder if that's why it doesn't seem to be taught with any frequency in university classes.**
Probally, or maybe it's simply too great a work of art. I remember how in literature classes we never read hardly anything of interest. Most poetry we read was utter garbage, which was why for many years I hated poetry.
2003-09-12 20:35 | User Profile
This is another one I like:
SONG- TO THE MEN OF ENGLAND by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Men of England, wherefore plough For the lords who lay ye low? Wherefore weave with toil and care The rich robes your tyrants wear?
Wherefore feed and clothe and save, From the cradle to the grave, Those ungrateful drones who would Drain your sweat -nay, drink your blood?
Wherefore, Bees of England, forge Many a weapon, chain, and scourge, That these stingless drones may spoil The forced produce of your toil?
Have ye leisure, comfort, calm, Shelter, food, love's gentle balm? Or what is it ye buy so dear With your pain and with your fear?
The seed ye sow another reaps; The wealth ye find another keeps; The robes ye weave another wears; The arms ye forge another bears.
Sow seed, -but let no tyrant reap; Find wealth, -let no imposter heap; Weave robes, -let not the idle wear; Forge arms, in your defence to bear.
Shrink to your cellars, holes, and cells; In halls ye deck another dwells. Why shake the chains ye wrought? Ye see The steel ye tempered glance on ye.
With plough and spade and hoe and loom, Trace your grave, and build your tomb, And weave your winding-sheet, till fair England be your sepulchre!
2003-09-12 21:37 | User Profile
I am sure this admission will be the cause of much ribbing here on OD, but when I put down the JewCrit, and need to be inspired, I often turn to children's literature.
No ribbing WM, although it has to be said that in landing on CS Lewis, you have chosen a writer whose works for children are still viewed surprisingly tolerantly by our cultural arbiters. This is not say that Narnia is somehow flawed for our purposes, rather that, some for some reason, it has managed to escape being despatched to oblivion like so many other works of children's literature of a comparable style and period.
For example, W.E. Johns, the creator of the Biggles series, Enid Blyton - certain of whose stories dealt with uncomfortable 'cross-cultural' themes, Richmal Crompton, and even some of Roald Dahl are no longer standard reading for our young folk.
These works were immensely popular with both boys and girls in our formative years, but have now attained almost cult status thanks to their disappearance from 'approved' reading lists in schools. Their underlying themes of self-discipline, benevolent hierarchy, racial solidarity, respect for authority, fair play, patriotism, and love of local community have led to them being placed beyond the pale.
Our kids today face a thin gruel of Harry Potter and other disneyesque diversions designed to prepare them for their future roles as dedicated consumers in a world in which their ethnic identity is subsumed 'cos we's all ekwal now ™...
And, to return to the original theme, a book I have returned to more than once for uplift and inspiration is "Civilisation", Kenneth Clark's book accompanying the 1969 television series of the same name. In less than 300 pages, Clark efficiently encapsulates the incomparable greatness of the Western European contribution. Heady stuff.