Unfortunately, I have yet another Roots of American Order quote. There’s just so much good stuff, so many interesting ideas that I can’t help myself. Please forgive me. 😛

From the rise of civilization onward, there had been men – poets, prophets, philosophers – who had groped for knowledge of the soul. What is the soul? In the dictionary’s definition it is “a substantial entity believed to be that in each person which lives, feels, thinks, and wills.” It is the essence of a human being – what moves his body and gives him his self-consciousness. Though bound up with the physical body, the soul is not identical with that body. The soul is “you” and “I”. We are aware of a personal identity which is not simply a name or a collection of organic tissues. If we are moral beings, it is because we have souls: that is, a spirit within each of us, the soul, somehow permeates or directs mind and body. It is the soul which distinguishes human beings from inanimate objects, plants, and the lower animals.

Russell Kirk,

The Roots of American Order

On my reading list this week:

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas: The second book in the super popular Throne of Glass series. Still thoroughly confused by the main character, Celaena’s, flip-flopping personality. One moment she’s all ruthless and assassin-like and stalking around the castle in a swirling black cloak, and next she’s curled up in bed, with a puppy dog, for goodness sake, reading a book and being all cutesy. I really do not understand this at all. (For a fuller explanation, read my review of Throne of Glass, which tackles this weird dual-personality issue).

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d by Allan Bradly: Yay!!! The next Flavia de Luce has finally come out, and I’ve been listening to the audiobook version. When I have time, of course… 🙂

Wednesday with Words is hosted by ladydusk.