Even in our Western democratic societies that have preached the value of being able to do and be whatever one wants in life, there are some choices that are seen as being better than others. One of the most maligned choices, perhaps surprisingly, is to lead a simple, quiet life. We applaud those who take … Continue reading Wisdom IN Literature: Leonard and Hungry Paul on Simple Lives
There’s a famous moment in the classic ‘nineties movie A Few Good Men when a military leader, played by Jack Nicholson, screams “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” As much as that character is an antagonist in the film, he hit on something true. We all say we want openness, honesty, and … Continue reading Wisdom IN Literature: The Nimbus on the Uncanny and Transcendent
Every now and then, when I have a couple weeks to spare in between series, I take the opportunity to talk about books, and specifically the spiritual themes in them. As I like to say, as much as a good novel entertains us, it also gives us a window into something true about the human … Continue reading Wisdom IN Literature: Fifteen Dogs on the Tragedy of Human Nature
I'm back from a lovely vacation on the West Coast and settled back into normal routines. This week I'll do my usual roundup of what I've been listening to and reading before taking a look at this year's Booker Prize winner and the idea of literary prizes more generally. Roundup Music While we're still in … Continue reading Culture Roundup (November 15, 2025): On the Booker Winner and Other Thoughts on Prizes
While this will publish according to normal schedule, I've written this a few days early as I'll be on vacation by the time you read this. So, there's only about ten days' worth of content to catch up on. But there's been some great stuff during this time that I can't let go unmentioned here. … Continue reading Culture Roundup (November 1, 2025): Seasonality in Reading
Matthew Root 