Ernest Gellner Quotes:
Ocupation: Philosopher
Life: December 9, 1925 - November 5, 1995
Birthday: December 9
Death: November 5
I am deeply sensitive to the spell of nationalism. I can play about thirty Bohemian folk songs ... on my mouth-organ. My oldest friend, who is Czech and a patriot, cannot bear to hear me play them because he says I do it in such a schmalzy way, 'crying into the mouth organ'. I do not think I could have written the book on nationalism which I did write, were I not capable of crying, with the help of a little alcohol, over folk songs, which happen to be my favourite form of music.
source: "The Social Philosophy of Ernest Gellner". Book by John A. Hall, Ian Charles Jarvie, 1996.
topic: Song, Book, Writing, Oldest Friends, Folk Songs, Czech
