'For the Love Of It: Amateuring and Its Rivals'

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the book 'For the Love Of It: Amateuring and Its Rivals' by Wayne C. Booth. According to this paper, Booth explores the concept of amateurism, the amateur that pursues the given task or discipline for the love of doing so and not for pecuniary rewards. This paper discusses how the amateur pursues any discipline or skill for its own sake.

From the Paper:

"Booth discusses the issue beginning with reference to music and how the disappearance of amateurism in the traditional sense has altered the kind of music that is even written. He cites Daniel Barenboim to the effect that chamber music has been disappearing in part because it was "linked to playing music in private homes -- not only by amateurs, but by professionals, too. Now people have less time, and a great interest in passive musical appreciation and listening" (Booth, 1999, p. 15). Booth discusses the issue in terms of his own experience, noting how he started playing the cello when he was 31 years old and then experiencing decades of disappointment and frustration as well as hours of happiness while playing. Being an amateur himself, he sought to know more about the idea of and practice of amateurism and traces the concept through different manifestations and different types of activity, finding in particular that the idea has long held sway in music and in sport more than in other disciplines."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Booth, W. (1999), For the love of it. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
• Brett, J. & Smith, G. (1998). Nation, authenticity and social difference in Australian popular music: Folk, country, multicultural. Journal of Australian Studies, 3.
• Henry, B. (1981). An approved history of the Olympic Games. Los Angeles: The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games.
• Teachout, T. (1999). Tchaikovsky's passion. Commentary, Volume 107, Issue 3, 55.

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