Why?
These days, there are at least three reasons for a person to start a Blog.
- He wants to spend a lot of time writing words that only his rabid fans will read.
- He has no rabid fans, but he is contractually obligated to start a Blog.
- He thinks that a Blog a is good platform to share helpful content.
My reason is a Frankensteinian blend of the three. First, I have no problem addressing a few, so long as we are a happy few. Second, my position as Head of School carries the tacit expectation that I will model a Christ-centered intellectual curiosity at least as often as I require it from others. Finally, many blogs have been helpful to me and I would like to return the favor.
What?
Rest assured. This is not a Blog about Blogs. This is a Blog about books, specifically books I am currently reading. Actually, the word “books” is too broad. My interest is in passages, paragraphs, and phrases that stop me in my tracks because I think they will be helpful for a school community to ponder.
Put another way, I am not necessarily interested in writing book reports that will inspire you to start reading Proust. I am interested in sharing thoughts on passages that made me stop reading, until I could find a pen.
I have chosen a Blog title born of my three great loves: books, poetry, and puns. The result?
“Song of My Shelf.”
If you are rolling your eyes with a reluctant smile on your face because you recognize that the title is a pun derived from a nineteenth century poem, I am not surprised. I get that a lot.
The Blog’s premise is simple. I read broadly. I will share briefly. The books will require hours of my time. My writing will require only minutes of yours.
How does this accomplish my mission as the leader of a classical Christian school? The answer is, “indirectly.” My hope is to spend less time simply talking about the “nuts and bolts” of classical education (although I will do that from time to time) and more time participating in a central priority of classical Christian education: glorifying God in the hunt for the true, the beautiful, and the good in books – the storehouses of the Great Conversation.
Let’s have fun with this.