Paths of Their Souls

Christ Stopped at Eboli: 

The Story of a Year 

by Carlo Levi

“The greatest travelers have not gone beyond the limits of their own world; they have trodden the paths of their own souls, of good and evil, of morality and redemption.” ― Carlo Levi, Christ Stopped at Eboli: The Story of a Year






The moving and powerful memoir "Christ Stopped at Eboli" by Carlo Levi provides a rare window into the lives of poor peasants in the isolated southern Italian region of Lucania (now Basilicata) during the Fascist era. Levi, a sophisticated urban intellectual, painter, and doctor from Turin, was exiled to this remote region in 1935–1936 for his anti-Fascist views. At first, he feels a great sense of cultural shock and alienation.

The region's sense of complete forgetfulness and isolation from civilization, progress, and even Christian compassion is reflected in the title, which is based on a local proverb. Levi eloquently describes a world that appears to have remained unaltered by time, where everyday life is governed by antiquated traditions, superstitions, and a pervasive fatalism. He painstakingly details the difficult terrain, the primitive way of life, the occurrence of malaria, and the intricate social networks of the peasant societies. I found the book to be a loving tribute to another place and time.

Literary Impressions

Old School 

by Tobias Wolff

“We even talked like Hemingway characters, though in travesty, as if to deny our discipleship: That is your bed, and it is a good bed, and you must make it and you must make it well. Or: Today is the day of the meatloaf. The meatloaf is swell. It is swell but when it is gone the not-having meatloaf will be tragic and the meatloaf man will not come anymore.” ― Tobias Wolff, Old School





Set in the sacred corridors of a prestigious New England boarding school in the early 1960s, Old School is a gripping book that explores the complexities of ambition, identity, and the enticing power of literature.  The narrative is told by an unidentified scholarship recipient, a gifted but insecure young man who is desperate to pursue a career in writing and is trying to find his place among his wealthy peers.

The main idea centers on the school's custom of inviting three well-known authors annually: Ernest Hemingway, Ayn Rand, and Robert Frost. Every visit includes a literary contest, with the winner receiving the coveted chance to meet the esteemed visitor. The narrator and his classmates' lives revolve around these visits and the competitions that follow, which exacerbates their fierce rivalry and highlights their weaknesses.

The narrator, who hides his working-class upbringing and Jewish ancestry, longs to be accepted. In an attempt to obtain a sort of "anointing" that will validate his destined greatness, he first looks to literary idols for validation. His interactions with Frost, and particularly the divisive Ayn Rand, have a profound impact on how he interprets literature and the life of the author. He becomes briefly enamored with Rand's philosophy of radical individualism but ultimately finds her worldview and characters unrealistic and cold. This leads him to a deeper appreciation for the nuanced humanity in Ernest Hemingway's work.

Nuggets of Wisdom

The Passionate State of Mind: 

And Other Aphorisms 

by Eric Hoffer

"Every intense desire is perhaps basically a desire to be different from what we are." - Eric Hoffer







This book is characterized by its concise and impactful statements. Each aphorism is a nugget of wisdom, often challenging conventional thinking and offering fresh perspectives on familiar themes. This format makes it a book that can be savored slowly, with each sentence prompting reflection. Hoffer's aphorisms are not always comforting or predictable. He often presents paradoxes and challenges readers to question their assumptions about themselves and the world around them.

One of the main themes, as the title implies, is how emotions, especially strong ones like passion, love, hate, fear, and vanity, influence both individual behavior and large-scale movements. Hoffer investigates the causes, expressions, and effects of these.

Hoffer's strength is his capacity to condense difficult concepts into straightforward but impactful assertions. He makes observations on a wide range of subjects, such as self-worth, leadership, creativity, social change, and the nature of belief, based on his extensive reading and firsthand experiences as a longshoreman.

Even though "The Passionate State of Mind" was written decades ago, its insights are still relevant today. His insights on the dynamics of social unrest, the pursuit of belonging, and fanaticism are still remarkably applicable today.