Back in the day when I read fiction, I liked to know (and I still do) the sources of the titles. For example, Ernest Hemingway took the title for his novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” from John Dunne’s 1623 “Meditations XVII.” That meditation is my favorite. Here’s that part:
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. … any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
We are all part of the same living tree of life. I recommend reading the whole bit.
Hemingway took the title “A Farewell to Arms” for his 1929 novel from a poem by George Peele. Economist Gregory Clark tipped his hat to Peele and used the homophony in ‘arms’ and ‘alms’ to title his 2007 book, “A Farewell to Alms”, with the subtitle “A Brief Economic History of the World.” I included that book in the reading list for a course on economic development I had taught some years ago. Continue reading “Book Titles”
Atanu Dey : Life is a Random Draw 