A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.
James Freeman ClarkeRead
When I consider what some books have done for the world, and what they are doing, how they keep up our hope, awaken new courage and faith, soothe pain, give an ideal life those whose hours are cold and hard, bind together distant ages and foreign lands, create new worlds of beauty, bring down truth from heaven; I give eternal blessings for this gift, and thank God for books.
Interpretation
Books profoundly impact lives, offering hope, courage, and a connection across time and place.
In this quote, James Freeman Clarke expresses the transformative power of books, highlighting their ability to inspire hope, awaken courage, and provide comfort during difficult times. He celebrates books as a vital gift that connects different eras and cultures, creating a beautiful world of imagination and truth that enriches human experience.
In practice
During a book club meeting, I would quote this to highlight the importance of literature.
A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.
Knowledge of human nature is the beginning and end of political education.
The main difference in the effectiveness of teaching comes from the thoughts the teacher has had during the entire time of his or her existence and brings into the classroom. A teacher concerned with developing humans affects the students quite differently from a teacher who never thinks about such things.
Literacy is the most basic currency of the knowledge economy.
The cognitive skills prized by the American educational establishment and measured by achievement tests are only part of what is required for success in life. Character skills are equally important determinants of wages, education, health and many other significant aspects of flourishing lives.
The idea of a book that can make a change to your life, that can affect your perspective, is a beautiful and great ambition: one that Seneca, Nietzsche and Tolstoy would have sympathised with.
Many think of memory as rote learning, a linear stuffing of the brain with facts, where understanding is irrelevant. When you teach it properly, with imagination and association, understanding becomes a part of it.
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