Welcome to The Occidental Tourist

Oc·ci·dent

/ˈäksədnt/
noun, literary: the countries of the West, especially Europe and America.

This newsletter is for anyone looking to discover or reconnect with the timeless stories and themes that have shaped Western civilization. While broadly reaching toward the aim of a liberal education, my more immediate goal is to raise certain historical questions:

How did the modern world come to its present condition? How did the modern mind arrive at those fundamental ideas and working principles that so profoundly influence the world today?1

I believe the answer can be found in the history of ideas that formed the Western world view over the course of a grand epic drama: from the ancient Biblical narrative to archaic and classical Greece; the rise of imperial Rome; the glory of Christendom, its division, and decline; the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Revolutionary epochs; and finally, modernism and its cultural reaction, post-modernism.

The Occidental Tourist seeks to explore and understand the intellectual history of the Western mind through its literary legacy, one Great Book at a time.

Why Subscribe?

By joining our literary tour, you’ll gain exclusive access to a thoughtfully curated newsletter exploring the rich heritage of Western culture. Each week, we’ll delve into classic works that have stood the test of time—engaging with the philosophies, stories, and ideas that illuminate the human condition.

Our mission is to help you expand your imaginative vision by fostering a deeper understanding of the tradition that has inspired art, literature, science, and politics for centuries.

Humanity, Not Technocracy

Modernity has given us a world of technological marvels but with it, a crisis of meaning. With every issue of The Occidental Tourist, you’ll engage in an ongoing project to resist the reductionism of modernity, embracing instead a classical tradition of learning that cultivates wisdom and makes us free.

Be Part of the Continuum

The Great Conversation was never meant to be static; it flows on in the ways we participate in it as a community today. This isn’t just about reading books then—it’s about thinking deeply and connecting with the essence of what makes us human. Together, we can bring the legacy of thinkers, writers, and creators who have inspired past generations into the present, as we engage meaningfully with their ideas and our own.

Disclaimers:

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a very small commission (at no additional cost to the buyer) from qualifying purchases made through links on my site. It mostly just supports my own reading habit! 🤓

Art: Catherine M. Wood (1857-1939), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons