Gentle Regrets: Thoughts from a LifeRoger Scruton is Britain's best known intellectual dissident, who has defended English traditions and English identity against an official culture of denigration. Although his writings on philosophical aesthetics have shown him to be a leading authority in the field, his defence of political conservatism has marked him out in academic circles as public enemy number one. Whether it is Scruton's opinions that get up the nose of his critics, or the wit and erudition with which he expresses them, there is no doubt that their noses are vastly distended by his presence, and constantly on the verge of a collective sneeze. Contrary to orthodox opinion, however, Roger Scruton is a human being, and Gentle Regrets contains the proof of it - a quiet, witty but also serious and moving account of the ways in which life brought him to think what he thinks, and to be what he is. His moving vignettes of his childhood and later influences illuminate this book. Love him or hate him, he will engage you in an argument that is both intellectually stimulating and informed by humour. |
Contents
How I Discovered Culture | |
How I Became a Conservative | |
Stealing from Churches | |
Growing up with | |
Sleeping Cities | |
Opera and I | |
Drinks in Helsinki | |
Impressions dAfrique | |
Returning Home | |
Regaining my Religion | |
Footnotes | |
A Note on the Author | |
By the Same Author | |
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aesthetic animals architecture Armand Gatti attempt Basia believe building called centre child Christian church coloured communist conservatism conservative Conservative Philosophy Group culture Dave discovered door drama Eliot English Europe everything eyes face fact faith father feel Finland Finnish Four Quartets Gothic Revival heart High Wycombe holy hope horse human hunting idea intellectual Jack Scruton judgement kind kitsch labour Léon Krier living look loss marriage modern modernist Monsignor Gilbey moral mother never once opera painting Party person philosophy political postmodernist Poundbury Prague quiet religion religious Rilke Roger Roger Scruton Salisbury Review Sam’s seemed sense Sepanmaa side silence smile social society soul spirit story street suffering T. S. Eliot Tapiola tell things thought town truth turn Vernon vision voice Wagner window woman words Wycombe Yunus