The Education of a Wandering Man: A Lifelong Pursuit of Knowledge
Education is often perceived as a process confined to schools, universities, and guided by professors. However, true education extends far beyond the classroom, accessible to anyone with a thirst for knowledge and the resources to pursue it. This article explores the concept of self-education, drawing inspiration from the life and experiences of Louis L'Amour, a renowned author who exemplified the spirit of a wandering man in pursuit of lifelong learning.
The Essence of Self-Education
L'Amour believed that no university could provide a complete education, but rather an outline, offering direction and guidance. The true learner must actively engage in the process, exploring and discovering knowledge independently. He emphasized that education should broaden one's perspective, foster understanding, cultivate tolerance, and provide a foundation for exploring any intellectual path. Education equips individuals with the tools for continuous learning, enabling them to appreciate life's experiences and comprehend the world around them.
Overcoming Barriers to Learning
A common excuse for not pursuing education is the lack of time. L'Amour dismissed this notion as "absolute nonsense," recounting how he read twenty-five books in a single year while waiting for appointments, traveling, or simply finding spare moments. He argued that prioritizing learning over leisure activities like socializing or attending sporting events is a matter of choice.
The Journey of a Wandering Man
L'Amour's educational journey began in Jamestown, North Dakota. He left school at fifteen, halfway through the tenth grade, driven by economic necessity and the feeling that formal education was hindering his intellectual growth. He found work as a messenger boy for Western Union, where he learned to type. He was growing rapidly. He was already six feet and one inch tall.
His family fostered a love of learning, where literature, politics, history, and even boxing were discussed. They grew up with the names of H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, John L. Sullivan, Bob Fitzsimmons, and Jack Dempsey as familiar to them as those of their own family, right along with Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Sitting Bull, and Crazy House. His sister Edna attended Jamestown College, and his two older brothers and a second sister were in school, constantly discussing and arguing about schoolwork, reciting poetry, and talking of books they were reading. Reading was as natural to them as breathing.
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He read Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. His sister Emmy Lou taught him to read stories to himself rather than to read them to him. His father told him he would give him a three-volume History of the World if he would read it. Other books remembered from those years were Black Beauty, a similar book about a dog called Beautiful Joe (who was not beautiful at all), Little Lord Fauntleroy, Pilgrim’s Progress (which I found very dull), John Halifax, Gentleman, and two old favorites, Cudjo’s Cave and The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come. He read at least a dozen novels by G. A. Henty, a British author. Aside from teaching much more about aspects of history studied in school, they provided at least a passing familiarity with events our schools did not touch upon.
The Power of Books
Books became L'Amour's constant companions, providing solace, inspiration, and a gateway to new worlds. He devoured literature, history, philosophy, and anything that could quench his thirst for knowledge. Books are precious things, but more than that, they are the strong backbone of civilization. They are the thread upon which it all hangs, and they can save us when all else is lost. He read Byron’s Don Juan on an Arab dhow sailing north from Aden up the Red Sea to Port Tewfik on the Suez Canal. Boswell’s Life of Samuel Jackson he read while broke and on the beach in San Pedro. In Singapore, he came upon a copy of The Annals and Antiquities of Rajahstan by James Tod.
He recognized the unique value of historical novels, which offer human stories behind historical events, sparking a desire for deeper understanding. Due to such books, and later reading, he found that no matter what country he visited or whom he met, he knew something of the history or romance of the country, or about a person’s homeland.
L'Amour's father, a veterinarian, was a great storyteller, sharing tales of his boyhood in the lumber woods, a pet bear and deer he owned, of a Huron Indian boy with whom he played. My mother, too, told stories, usually of her relatives in Minnesota or of her father, a veteran of the Civil and Indian Wars who lived with us when I was very small.
Embracing the Frontier
L'Amour's life was an adventure, marked by wandering, seafaring, and working odd jobs across the American West and beyond. He worked as a ranch hand, merchant seaman, boxer, lumberjack, and miner. His hobo travels took him from the deserts of the American West to ports around the world, experiences that profoundly influenced his later writing. He said that his life had been a “story of an adventure in education, pursued not under the best of conditions.”
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The western pioneers were select people, selected by themselves. They chose to break the mold, to leave all they knew behind and venture into a new country, with new problems, new standards. Each one was expected to stand on his own feet. He was a moving of his own volition, on his own support system. Nobody was paying his way or showing him the way; nobody had told him to go, or where to go. He simply packed what goods he could carry and headed west, looking for what chance might offer.
He served in the Army. He spent time in England before Do-Day, traveled in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany and made some good friends in France who are my friends still. There was no time for writing during the war, but one could always think, and one could observe and remember.
The Writer's Perspective
L'Amour's experiences shaped his writing, imbuing his novels and stories with authenticity and a deep understanding of the human condition.
He believed that there were places and people to be seen and remembered, there were stories to be heard, and he was hungry for them all. Ours is a rich and wonderful world, and there are stories everywhere.
Lessons for Aspiring Learners
L'Amour's life offers valuable lessons for those seeking to educate themselves:
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- Cultivate a love of learning: Embrace curiosity and seek knowledge in all its forms.
- Prioritize reading: Make time for books, even in small increments, and explore a wide range of genres and subjects.
- Seek diverse experiences: Travel, work in different fields, and engage with people from all walks of life.
- Embrace challenges: Overcome obstacles and persevere in the pursuit of knowledge.
- Find mentors and role models: Learn from the experiences and wisdom of others.
- Never stop learning: Education is a lifelong journey, not a destination.
The Legacy of a Wandering Man
By the time of his death, L'Amour had sold over 200 million books, leaving a legacy as the bard of the wandering West. His life exemplified the power of self-education and the transformative potential of a lifelong pursuit of knowledge.
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