Seeking truth together
In the Hedgehog and the Fox (1953), Isaiah Berlin speculates on Leo Tolstoy’s inner turmoil. The famous Russian author self-sabotaged his own happiness (Valiunas, 1989). And Berlin suggests Tolstoy’s insatiable desire to find life’s unifying and absolute truth or principle may have been one of the reasons for his persistent discontent.
“A Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley challenges the reader to reconsider utopia and the pursuit of happiness. Huxley’s fictional exploration of human civilization and its future sparks thought-provoking questions about the nature of happiness in human society. Do we live for pleasure alone?
The novel “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer, published in 2017, explores the emotional journey of Arthur Less, a middle-aged man seeking security and love. Greer’s portrayal of Less’s complexities and struggles may resonate with those who have faced similar challenges in work and love. Can an insecure person be loved?
In the 1962 book “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin, addresses the divide between people in the 1960s United States and beyond. Baldwin’s writing reflects on the traumas, fears, hypocrisies, and hopes of both majority and minority populations while warning against hate, violence, and oppression.
Deliberating Truth 