About

Backsheesh (n): “an Oriental term for a present of money, a gratuity, a pourboire.” — William Shepard Walsh in Handy-book of Literary Curiosities, 1892.

In what may be called its most vulgar and aggravating sense, it is the first word to greet the English traveller, and the last to ring in his ears as he turns his face homeward. Probably no other single vocable rises with such persistent frequency as this to the lips of the dusky Oriental. It is like what the mathematicians call a constant quantity, a ground discord which underlies his every chord, a sort of spectral diapason from which there is no escape.—Macmillan’s Magazine, August, 1891.

What is all this nonsense?

I find old books quite fascinating. In the last two years I’ve read hundreds of books from previous centuries. All sorts of books pique my curiosity, but I’m particularly interested in books dealing with history, philosophy, science, and culture and the intersection of these broad fields. Until a few years ago, I only had ready access to the so-called classics- books which have stood the test of time. But now, thanks to massive online repositories, I can access some of the lesser books which were written during past centuries.

Much of what was published is impenetrable to the modern reader. A lot of other books contain ideas which might have been widely accepted at the time of publication, but which the urbane, politically-correct reader might find particularly abhorrent. I am especially interested in these types of books.

Life is short. Why are you searching for bad books?

These books distill views which might have been perfectly acceptable to the writer and his or her audience at the time. I want to read how people who lived in different times and societies perceived the world. I want to read their own words. A paleontologist is intrigued by fossilized insects. These books are my amber.

A second goal is to understand the roots of many of the issues which impact us even today such as imperialism, racism, religious bigotry, and public misconceptions of scientific topics. Times have changed, but surprisingly many of the arguments which were popular in earlier centuries still find favor even though they may have been debunked. I want to read books which are relevant to problems we face today.

Ultimately, the overarching goal is, however, to decipher the logic that governed the thought-processes of men and women of an earlier era. This goal is purely intellectual. For while it is difficult to comment on current issues on which opinion is polarized without being accused of having an ulterior motive, we can just as easily hone our argumentative skills by considering and dissecting arguments from earlier eras. These writers were not idiots, but we can prevail. We can dispassionately judge their arguments. We can cheat our way to victory against dead opponents: we have hindsight.

Can I copy the pictures or quoted texts I see in this site?

By all means. Because the content is quite old, it is now in the public domain. However, even though it may not be subject to copyright laws in your country, please attribute the original source; it is good form.

Lastly, why have you spelled it “backsheesh”?

Because the spelling and definition at the top of this page encapsulates what this blog is about better than anything else I’ve written below it.