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Philosophy 4
Owen Wister was an American writer known for his western novels. He attended Harvard Law School and practiced law in Philadelphia. Wister was fascinated with the culture, lore and terrain of the west. Wister's most famous work is the 1902 novel The Virginian, which is considered to be the first cowboy novel. Wister considered a career in music, worked in a bank and studied law. Philosophy 4 is set at Harvard. In this story the close-knit community formed by college boys is the central theme of the story. No one can understand a community as well as those living within its boundaries. The years at a major university help young people to find their place in society. Who are the leaders and who are not. In Philosophy 4 2 young men are facing the end of the year Philosophy exam.
52 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1903
4 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Owen Wister
292 books63 followersOwen Wister was born on July 14, 1860, in Germantown, a neighborhood within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Owen Jones Wister, was a wealthy physician, one of a long line of Wisters raised at the storied Belfield estate in Germantown. His mother, Sarah Butler Wister, was the daughter of actress Fanny Kemble.
Education
He briefly attended schools in Switzerland and Britain, and later studied at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was a classmate of Theodore Roosevelt, an editor of the Harvard Lampoon and a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon (Alpha chapter). Wister graduated from Harvard in 1882.
At first he aspired to a career in music, and spent two years studying at a Paris conservatory. Thereafter, he worked briefly in a bank in New York before studying law, having graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1888. Following this, he practiced with a Philadelphia firm, but was never truly interested in that career. He was interested in politics, however, and was a staunch Theodore Roosevelt backer. In the 1930s, he opposed Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal.
Writing career
Wister had spent several summers out in the American West, making his first trip to Wyoming in 1885. Like his friend Teddy Roosevelt, Wister was fascinated with the culture, lore and terrain of the region. On an 1893 visit to Yellowstone, Wister met the western artist Frederic Remington; who remained a lifelong friend. When he started writing, he naturally inclined towards fiction set on the western frontier. Wister's most famous work remains the 1902 novel The Virginian, the loosely constructed story of a cowboy who is a natural aristocrat, set against a highly mythologized version of the Johnson County War and taking the side of the large land owners. This is widely regarded as being the first cowboy novel and was reprinted fourteen times in eight months.[5] The book is dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt.
Personal life
In 1898, Wister married Mary Channing, his cousin.The couple had six children.
Wister's wife died during childbirth in 1913, as Theodore Roosevelt's first wife had died giving birth to Roosevelt's first daughter, Alice.
Wister died at his home in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. He is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.
Education
He briefly attended schools in Switzerland and Britain, and later studied at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was a classmate of Theodore Roosevelt, an editor of the Harvard Lampoon and a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon (Alpha chapter). Wister graduated from Harvard in 1882.
At first he aspired to a career in music, and spent two years studying at a Paris conservatory. Thereafter, he worked briefly in a bank in New York before studying law, having graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1888. Following this, he practiced with a Philadelphia firm, but was never truly interested in that career. He was interested in politics, however, and was a staunch Theodore Roosevelt backer. In the 1930s, he opposed Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal.
Writing career
Wister had spent several summers out in the American West, making his first trip to Wyoming in 1885. Like his friend Teddy Roosevelt, Wister was fascinated with the culture, lore and terrain of the region. On an 1893 visit to Yellowstone, Wister met the western artist Frederic Remington; who remained a lifelong friend. When he started writing, he naturally inclined towards fiction set on the western frontier. Wister's most famous work remains the 1902 novel The Virginian, the loosely constructed story of a cowboy who is a natural aristocrat, set against a highly mythologized version of the Johnson County War and taking the side of the large land owners. This is widely regarded as being the first cowboy novel and was reprinted fourteen times in eight months.[5] The book is dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt.
Personal life
In 1898, Wister married Mary Channing, his cousin.The couple had six children.
Wister's wife died during childbirth in 1913, as Theodore Roosevelt's first wife had died giving birth to Roosevelt's first daughter, Alice.
Wister died at his home in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. He is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 28, 2022
The book starts with the following dialogue:
“By starting from the Absolute Intelligence, the chief cravings of the reason, after unity and spirituality, receive due satisfaction. Something transcending the Objective becomes possible. In the Cogito, the relation of subject and object is implied as the primary condition of all knowledge. Now, Plato never–“
“Skip Plato,” interrupted one of the boys. “You gave us his points yesterday.”
No, my rich friends, you cannot skip Plato! This book is about rich boys trying to pass Harvard University by hiring a poor teacher to help them out. One lives frugally, the others in style and money. One truly understands the essence. The others are superficial. The book is full of Greek philosophers and Latin writers so was refreshing to hear synopses of their ideas and thoughts.
It is a good overview also the early Harvard University facilities, schedule and faculties.
It has humour but is not sarcastic; it is a very light novella highlighting the mentality of wealthy students at prestigious universities. Did the mentality change 100 years later? I dont know; I need to go to Harvard one day and report back...
“By starting from the Absolute Intelligence, the chief cravings of the reason, after unity and spirituality, receive due satisfaction. Something transcending the Objective becomes possible. In the Cogito, the relation of subject and object is implied as the primary condition of all knowledge. Now, Plato never–“
“Skip Plato,” interrupted one of the boys. “You gave us his points yesterday.”
No, my rich friends, you cannot skip Plato! This book is about rich boys trying to pass Harvard University by hiring a poor teacher to help them out. One lives frugally, the others in style and money. One truly understands the essence. The others are superficial. The book is full of Greek philosophers and Latin writers so was refreshing to hear synopses of their ideas and thoughts.
It is a good overview also the early Harvard University facilities, schedule and faculties.
It has humour but is not sarcastic; it is a very light novella highlighting the mentality of wealthy students at prestigious universities. Did the mentality change 100 years later? I dont know; I need to go to Harvard one day and report back...
May 28, 2017
Not nearly so engaging as The Dragon Of Wantley, but not wholly without charm and cleverness. And poor Oscar ... Poor, studiou Oscar.
February 9, 2017
An enjoyable short read.
January 11, 2013
Maybe NON fiction? So florid and foreign it may as well have been Shakespeare ... which is what I am finding with these retro works from 100+ years ago. Seemed so coy & cloying one may easily imagine homosexual currents throughout.
Contrasting with coming up on my own comps in a week I found Harvard to be a stunning waste of time by comparison with my experience in this age. I also see the remnants of entitlement echoing through the halls of time.
Contrasting with coming up on my own comps in a week I found Harvard to be a stunning waste of time by comparison with my experience in this age. I also see the remnants of entitlement echoing through the halls of time.
October 13, 2014
Goodreads may very well be an unfair platform for a book like this. In no way is it "good" or worthy of "stars." The book is over a hundred years old and has a thesis more than any development or plot. That thesis seems to be a criticism of traditional academia and a fidelity toward curriculum over open-mindedness and experience. That alone is interesting. The 51 pages of the text are sort of just there.
June 24, 2010
Interesting story.
You get partway through thinking the two rich characters are buffoons, but then at the end they actually have thought about philosophy, while their classmate the tutor has just memorized the professor's lectures.
You get partway through thinking the two rich characters are buffoons, but then at the end they actually have thought about philosophy, while their classmate the tutor has just memorized the professor's lectures.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2012
An easy story that centers around two Harvard University students, Billy and Bertie, and one of their courses, which is of cause Philosophy 4. This book gives the reader a tiny glimpse into one of life's trivial events and would have been much memorable if it had a more rounded plot.
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July 25, 2015It's worthwhile to read this for the picture of the time and place, but I can't quite bring myself to love it thanks to the truly massive levels of racism exhibited by Wister.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews