The Meaning of Culture
by John Cowper Powys
90 Members (4.08)
On This Page
Description
John Cowper Powys could never be straightforward or orthodox but here he sets off with a useful purpose. 'The aim of this book,' he declares, 'is to narrow down a vague and somewhat evasive conception, which hitherto, like ''aristocracy'' or ''liberty'', has come to imply a number of contradictory and even paradoxical elements, and to give it, not, of course, a purely logical form, but a concrete, particular, recognizable form, malleable and yielding enough and relative enough, but with a show more definite and quite unambiguous temper, tone, quality, atmosphere, of its own.' The book is in two parts: Analysis of Culture which deals with, in separate chapters, Philosophy, Literature, Poetry, Painting and Religion: Application of Culture which covers Happiness, Love, Nature, The Art of Reading, Human Relations, Destiny and Obstacles to Culture. John Cowper Powys hoped 'that the fine word ''culture'' . . . might lend itself to an easy, humane and liberal discussion - a sort of one-man Platonic symposium - and even turn out to contain, among its various implications, no unworthy clue to the narrow path of the wise upon earth.' He succeeds completely, in his own idiosyncratic way, in achieving that. 'Mr Powys is to be congratulated on having written a book of the kind that most needs writing and most deserves to be read . . . Here in a dozen chapters of glowing and eloquent prose, Mr Powys describes for very reader that citadel which is himself, and explains to him how it may be strengthened and upheld and on what terms it is most worth upholding. . .' Manchester Guardian show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
111+ Works 3,657 Members
British novelist, poet and philosopher John Cowper Powys was born in Shirley, Derbyshire on October 8, 1872. He was a lecturer for more than three decades, traveling across America but eventually returned to Great Britain. He has written regional romances, historical fiction and critical studies including A Glastonbury Romance and Wolf Solent. He show more died on June 17, 1963. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Meaning of Culture
- Original title
- The Meaning of Culture
- Original publication date
- 1929
- Dedication
- Affectionately dedicated to Warwick G. Powys
- First words
- It is perhaps unwise to attempt any single dogmatic definition of culture; but by approaching the subject first from one angle and then from another it seems as though in a gradual process of elimination and selection a gener... (show all)al attitude of mind to this complicated subject may emerge, which being at once more fluid and more comprehensive than any rigid statement, may bring the problem into regions of concrete experience such as would be impossible of attainment even by the most carefully worded theory.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)For culture has at least this - that it reconciles us to the two destinies, both the inward and the outward, and resigns us to that final shock of death which brings these two incomprehensible things together; brings them together on the brink of a third thing, more incomprehensible still, the great Perhaps of silence.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Philosophy, History, Literature Studies and Criticism
- DDC/MDS
- 301.2 — Society, government, & culture Social sciences, sociology & anthropology Sociology and anthropology Formerly: Culture and cultural processes
- LCC
- LC31 .P75 — Education Special aspects of education Special aspects of education Self-education. Self-culture
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 90
- Popularity
- 357,054
- Rating
- (4.08)
- Languages
- English, French, German, Swedish
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 10
