Monday, February 13, 2006

52 Books, Week 6: Snobbery

As you may be able to tell, I'm swtiching back and forth between fiction and non-fiction. Going between the two provides a nice change of pace, and so far I haven't felt burned out. Reading is also keeping me from making potentially foolish purchases (including this one).

Eventually, I would be uttering these words, just as Montaigne, "I attach too little value to things I possess, just because I possess them."

Back to the show... Snobbery by Joseph Epstein is really a book about attitudes related to superiority, and the development of "society" (with a little s) in the United States over the past 70 years. If you're interested in learning about what it takes to have a truly elitist attitude, then this might be for you. Epstein, a trained sociologist, offers a well-reasoned critique of snobby ways and attitudes. Even though it might make you wanna puke at some points, still an okay read.

Alas, we may all have a touch of snobbery in us (i know i do, which is probably the reason I grabbed this book). "Snobbery haunts those who are not reconciled with themselves; evolution is the hope of the immature. You cannot be everything. Why not be what you are."

Because its Feburary, i think i'm going on a black history run this month: The Corner; No Longer at Ease, We Who are Dark, and, Is Bill Cosby Right.

RIP Jay Dee

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1 Comments:

Blogger The Generalist said...

Where you been? I know all your readers are getting ready to go crazy in your abscence. I've read all the R. Wright usual suspects (Black Boy, Native Son), and unfortunately my Baldwin reading is incredibly lackluster (although The Fire Next Time is on the list). Sorry to disappoint ya...

12:04 AM  

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