Go West, West Man
Posted on January 25th, 2010 in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
In the Times, Cara Buckley interviews Cornel West, who sounds like he leads an unusual life indeed….
NO BREAKFAST I haven’t had breakfast on a Sunday since 1984.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 1984? We won’t go into that. It was a special Sunday. But I always have water. It’s decaf coffee from Monday to Thursday.
HITTING THE BOOKS Downtime is reading; I’m always reading on the plane, whatever the reading is for course work the next week. I’m also always rereading the classics, Plato, St. Augustine.
EVER READ FLUFF? I might pick up Time or Newsweek and take a peek.
PREPPING FOR CLASS I try to shoot to be home by 8 or 9 at night. I like to get home and wash my clothes. I have to read all night; I have to be real fresh for class. I like to read two or three hours every night. Right now I’m reading Robert Brandom, one of the great pragmatic American philosophers. I read until 2, 2:30 a.m. I don’t really need that much sleep.
IN THE COMPANY OF GREATS I’ve been married three times. I’m married to my calling, but I’m not married to a particular woman. I have no pets. My apartment is full of books and records, the light of Toni Morrison and John Coltrane. And Chekhov, everywhere.
Sounds a bit lonely to me. Anyone know what happened in 1984?
One Response
1/26/2010 10:35 am
Not only does it sound lonely, the fact that he hits 3 or 4 cities every single weekend making speeches and appearances, while staying up until 2 or 3am every weeknight preparing for class, suggests that his scholarly output must suffer. That said, who cares as long as he’s a great teacher (and isn’t trying to teach at a place like Harvard).