THE ART OF CONTENTMENT

by Edgar Andrew -- Ed. Collard ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 11, 1973

A soothing anthology of meditations and observations on life's contentments -- nature, homely comforts, surprise perceptions, etc. -- all contributing to the sense that ""life is good -- at least for the day, or the hour."" The editor draws heavily on the 19th century: Thoreau, Emerson, Santayana, Dickens, Hazlitt, Trevelyan; or bridge-moderns like Virginia Woolf, Thomas Merton, John Muir, J. B. Priestley, etc. And there are curious entries like Pope John XXIII on humility ("". . . joined to cheerfulness of soul, unalterable and blessed"") and Herbert Hoover on the serene joys of fishing. Bits and dabs, some more successful than others, depending on the selection's survival value out of context -- a pleasant breviary for retiring retirees.

Pub Date: Jan. 11, 1973

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1973

Categories: NONFICTION