TITLE: It's usually counterproductive to be doctrinaire
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: May 26, 2023 12:37 PM
DESC: 
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BODY:
 A short passage from <em>Innocence</em>, by Penelope Fitzgerald:

 <blockquote><em>
 In 1927, when they moved me from Ustica to Milan, I was allowed
 to plant a few seeds of chicory, and when they came up I had to
 decide whether to follow Rousseau and leave them to grow by the
 light of nature, or whether to interfere in the name of knowledge
 and authority.  What I wanted was a a decent head of chicory.
 It's useless to be doctrinaire in such circumstances.
 </em></blockquote>

 Sometimes, you just want a good head of chicory -- or a working
 program.  Don't let philosophical ruminations get in the way.
 There will be time for reflection and evaluation later.

 A few years ago, I picked up Fitzgerald's short novel <em>The
 Bookshop</em> while browsing the stacks at the public library.  I
 enjoyed it despite the fact that (or perhaps because) it ended in
 a way that didn't create a false sense of satisfaction.  Since
 then I have had Fitzgerald on my list of authors to explore more.
 I've read the first fifty pages or so of <em>Innocence</em> and
 quite like it.
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