Lures of Life

A series of reflective essays considers the attractions that shape human experience, moving from youthful anticipations to the consolations of later life. The author probes happiness, self-denial, the charm of gardens and old objects, reactions to art, personality and pleasant company, social change, and religious practice. Anecdote and observation are combined with philosophical reflection to show how memory, temperament, and everyday things confer meaning, and how ordinary scenes and rituals continue to exert emotional and moral influence.