The Vulgar Eclectic

Vulgar: of the usual, typical, or ordinary kind
Eclectic: composed of elements drawn from various sources

definitions courtesy of Merriam-Webster

recent blog posts

• Comenius and the Beginnings of Educational Reform by Will S. Monroe

  I finished reading Comenius and the Beginnings of Educational Reform by Will S. Monroe (published in 1900). John Amos Comenius (1592-1670), sometimes referred to as the “father of modern education,” was referenced in something else I was reading. When researching who he was, I ended up coming across this book and decided to check it out. It is a combination of a biography of Comenius, an overview of his beliefs regarding education, and a history of educational reform before and after his life.

  

  Monroe tells the story of Comenius’ life in a clear and compelling manner; likewise, his accounting of Comenius’ philosophy and the history of educational reform in the West and some of the most influential names involved is concisely and lucidly written. As I knew nothing about Comenius and very little about the surrounding history, I found this book to be especially informative. The reader comes away with an appreciation for all the work at reform throughout the last 500 years that has brought us to where we’re currently at in education. I find it curious that many of the concerns raised by Comenius are still at the forefront of education today.

  “I care not whether I act the part of teacher or learner.”

  

• Red

  

  

  

  I often walk by this International truck parked in an alley…

• The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

  Here’s an old book jot from February 2021:

  I just finished reading The Unexpected Mrs Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman. It is a mystery novel published in the 1960s and the first in a series. Emily Pollifax is a retired woman who lives a quiet life and yearns for something a little different. And she soon gets involved in something a little different, indeed! 

  This is a fun cold war-era espionage story. I have read very few novels in this sort of genre, and was pleasantly surprised by this one. Gilman’s prose tells a swift-moving story with just the right amount of details. The characters are wonderful, often slightly quirky, and their relationships with each other are a fun element of the book. Gilman includes interesting details about foreign environs and the story is occasionally peppered with philosophical observations on life. 

  I just really enjoyed this, and I’m looking forward to reading more of them in the future.

  Dear dear life, she reflected, and how tenaciously people held on to it and what things they did to remain alive! – that is, physically alive, she amended, for to remain alive inside was far more intricate and difficult and defeating.

  

• New Atlantis by Francis Bacon

  I finished reading New Atlantis written by Francis Bacon and published after his death in 1626. It is regarded as an early example of a utopian novel. In it, a ship of sailors, lost at sea, stumbles upon an island nation. The narrator, one of the sailors, introduces the reader to the land of Bensalem, as he himself learns about the history, customs, sciences, religion, government, and other aspects of the mysterious society.

  Bensalem (essentially Hebrew for “son of peace”) embodies what seem to be essential elements of a good and enlightened society in Bacon’s vision. There is a strong emphasis on exploring and understanding the natural world; in other words, what modern readers would call the scientific method.

  The book is an interesting chapter in the evolution of science (as well as political theory and government), and helps the reader understand the cultural shift Bacon was a part of producing in the early 17th century.

  “I give thee leave to publish it for the good of other nations; for we here are in God’s bosom, a land unknown.”

  

• The Weapon Shops of Isher by A.E. van Vogt

  I just finished reading The Weapon Shops of Isher (1951) by A.E. van Vogt. This science fiction novel combines three previously published short stories, two from the early 1940s and one from 1949.

  It is a novel of ideas, as well as action. It courses along quickly, setting forth a world under the influence of two main powers—the imperial structure of the Empress and the opposing Weapon Shops. These entities create a sort of balance into which the various characters of the story are thrust.

  Van Vogt’s prose hurls along and sometimes the reader feels as if they are catching up, trying to fit the pieces together. At other moments, the narrative is punctuated with beautiful, descriptive writing. These elements work together to create a story with a rhythm that pulls the reader along.

  I thought this was an excellent foray into the golden age of science-fiction. I found the ideas interesting, the philosophy worth thinking about, and the plot exciting.

  His idea was nothing less than that whatever government was in power should not be overthrown. But that an organization should be set up which would have one principal purpose—to ensure that no government ever again obtained complete power over its people.

  

…older blog posts