Classics and the Western Canon discussion
Introductions
>
Please introduce yourself~
message 101:
by
Roger
(new)
Sep 12, 2009 07:57AM
I live in the mid-Hudson, about 15 miles from Poughkeepsie. The Loeb Art Center at Vassar there has an exhibit of drawings and watercolors from the NY Historical Society though 1 Nov. You also shouldn't miss Minnewaska State Park--absolutely beautiful mountain lake walks. The Vanderbilt mansion in Hyde Park is also worth a trip. West Point, where I teach, has lots of history and a stunning location overlooking the Hudson. In Yonkers, the Hudson River Museum has a Hudson River School collection also.
reply
|
flag
Welcome, Roger. What do you teach at West Point?
I went to St. John's college, right across the street from the Naval Academy -- your second favorite school after West Point, right? :)
I teach systems engineering, in particular math modeling.Indeed St. John's is my second favorite college. I went there too.
Hello everyone,I'm glad I stumbled across this website and this reading group. I live in Auckland, New Zealand. 31 years old. Getting married in a couple of months. I work for Nestle Purina Petcare.
This year I started a blog on reading the classics. You can check it out at:
www.thewesterncanon.wordpress.com
I'm 75% of the way through Don Quixote at the moment, and have read some Sophocles, so I'm not too far behind. I'm going to rush out and buy Les Mesirables today, so I can join in the discussions.
Steve
Stephen wrote: "Hello everyone,I'm glad I stumbled across this website and this reading group. I live in Auckland, New Zealand. 31 years old. Getting married in a couple of months. ...This year I started a blog on reading the classics...."
Welcome -- glad you found us.
Nice blog. You should fit right in. Do get LesMis as soon as possible!
If you want to start reading right away, you can download the free Mobipocket ebook reader to your computer from this site
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/Download...
and then download a free mobi copy of Les Miserables from this site
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/135
It's not as good as reading a real book, in my opinion (I'm NOT a fan of the bookless library discussed in the article referenced on your blog), but it's a way to get started while you're waiting for the book to arrive. (I do have and use a Kindle, but I still prefer actual books when I have the choice.)
Hi! Joanie in Dublin here,
home to a disproportionate number of 'literary heavyhitters' from the small green patch where the air is so soft, it smudges our words. Adore the classics. Just started my degree in Eng Literature (mature student! not very mature) so am being pentametered within an inch of my iambic at the moment! as well as challenging canons of 'bonnes lettres' and belles lettres' Mudder of Gawd! the World gets braver and newer by the second, only now!...I have to 'contextualise it! Lovely to be here...J.
Oh! and lastly, a timely quote for the moderator from Ms Eliot.
'Delicious Autumn! My very soul is wedded to it and if I were a bird, I would fly about the Earth seeking successive Autumns'
Joanie wrote: "Hi! Joanie in Dublin here,"
Welcome! If we ever get to tackling one of your Irish writers, we will definitely call on you for guidance. In the meantime, I hope you're planning to cross the Irish Sea and then the Channel with us and spend a few weeks in Paris (and wherever else this book takes us).
Hello to all,I am in Southeastern PA, USA. 48 yrs old, married, 4 children, 3 grandchildren. Love, love, love to read. The only thing I like better than reading a book, is discussing it. I love the power of words. Books are a new interest to me. I struggled all through my years, and still do, with a word processing problem. To understand the word, and then to express it. So I will be here, a little sloppy in my writing, and expression, but none the less---participating. So I apologize now, for whatever disasters may come your way. (sorry)
The classics are definitely my favorite. I am looking forward to this very much. With work (accounting clerk), family and you know....life, I will be as involved as time allows.
I would love to read 'War and Peace', and of course anything else, but that seems to be one book that keeps calling my name. I obviously haven't answered.
Some of my all time favorite books are: 1st---Dracula, also: The Three Muskateers, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Scarlet Letter, Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, The Scarlet Pimpernel, A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice....just to mention a few.
Welcome to Debbie and Sue. Good to see new exciting people here!Good to touch base with you again, Debbie. Any more sailing plans for this fall, or is the boat packed away?
Where in SE Pa are you, Sue? I lived my first 5 years in Philadelphia (Hamilton Street), then we moved out to Southampton where I lived until after college. I also worked for two years in Wallingford, which is right by Media. And my sister went to Swarthmore, and I used to go over to visit here and explore that area from time to time. So I know SE Penna fairly well. Or I should say I used to know it. Haven't been back in 40 years or so, and I'm sure it's changed since then!
Not sure whether I need to do this. I am not exactly a new member- but I left the group a while (due to the chaos that comes with completing an Mphil. Now that's in, and I have time on my hands, so I'm back. Looking forward to reading Les Misérables with you.
Welcome back, Vikz. Glad to have you with us for this journey into France.
Where in SE Pa are ..."
Well Everyman, I am right in the middle of all that. My father's side of the family is from S Philly---cheesesteaks, hoagies and mummers. I grew up in a very little town in the suburbs, Aldan. I went to Swarthmore to 'check it out' for college, but never went. I wouldn't mind going there now, great classes in literature. I am now in the West Chester area.
Sue wrote: "Well Everyman, I am right in the middle of all that. My father's side of the family is from S Philly---cheesesteaks, hoagies and mummers. I grew up in a very little ..."
You nostalgate me!
Hi,I live on Long Island and I am a children's librarian who spends far too much time reading picture books and children's novels. I recently attempted to earn a second masters degree through Stony Brook's online graduate program, but bailed after only completing five classes. I am married and have two children, a daughter at Haverford College in Pennsylvania and a son who is a senior in high school. I am looking forward to reading and discussing Les Miserables.
Welcome, Sally! (Good name; it's my mother-in-law's, who lives with us.)My wife was a first grade teacher for 25 years, and my daughters are elementary school teachers, so I've been surrounded with children's books for what seems like forever. In fact, my wife took over a significant portion of the upstairs of the library I built for myself (ha!) in our retirement home.
I love Haverford -- my grandfather taught there, as did several other relatives.
Greetings to all, and hello. A few years ago I decided to attempt a self-education in the “classics” (using a very open-ended definition for now). The process proved to be hit or miss so I began writing about what I read. While this slowed things down, I’m building a nice database on what I’ve read…plus I retain what I read much better if I know I’m going to try and write about it.Reading time is very limited, unfortunately. I’m a controller for a start-up company in Silicon Valley, so the hours are long, plus trying to spend time with the wife and two little boys absorbs the remainder. But I muddle along and read when I can. I hope to synch what I plan to read with some of the group reads soon!
(FYI—I discovered Good Reads through Stephen’s site—message 114.)
Welcome, Chrees. I was the VP-Finance for a start-up here in Washington a few decades ago, so I understand what you're going through! (I also had three small children at the time.)We'll look forward to whatever time and insights you can spare for us.
Chrees, two book that I liked for supplementing my own education were:The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had
by Susan Wise Bauer
How to Read a Book
by Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren
Welcome Chrees, I also read the books listed by Alias Reader, for my 'self-educating' desire.
Here are a few more suggestions:
The Little Guide To Your Well-Read Life by Steve Leveen
Book-Lover (1885) by James Baldwin (not the same author as 'Go Tell It On The Mountain')
How to Read & Why by Harold Bloom
Improve Your Reading by Ron Fry
How To Read Novels Like A Professor by Thomas C. Foster
How To Read Literature Like A Professor by Thomas C. Foster
The New Lifetime Reading Plan by Clifton Fadiman & John S Major
So many books, so little time...ha Enjoy
Thanks all. I have some of the books mentioned (and have even read some!), but greatly appreciate the additional recos.
My name is Rachel. I'm 37 years old. I live in historic Hudson NY. Not too far from the Catskills, which I see from my kitchen window. My husband and I are in the process of trying to buy a home here in the Hudson Valley. We just moved from NJ and a hellish life-changing situation almost a year ago. I'm an out of work cook/caterer/sous chef. I love the arts. I love to paint (although I can't), I love music (mostly jazz/latin jazz/salsa) I'm of Puerto Rican Descent.I also love to read. The first book I ever voluntarily read was "The Knights of the Round Table".
For the past 10 years or so I've immersed myself in Art books, essays, bio's, soft novels.
Four years ago I read my first classic, "Lolita". I wasn't familiar
So far these are the ones I've read:
Lolita-Vladimir Nabakov
The Count of Monte Cristo- Alexandre Dumas
Pride & Prejudice- Jane Austen
To Kill A Mockingbird-Harper Lee
The Secret garden- Frances Hodgson Burnett
Anthem- Ayn Rand
Madame Bovary-Gustave Flaubert
Jane Eyre-Charlotte Bronte
Don Quixote_Miguel De Cervantes (favorite)
I'm currently reading:
Crime and Punishment- Dostoevsky
Leaves of grass-Walt Whitman
next in line and on my bookshelf here at home are: Tale of two cities-Charles Dickens
Les Miserables-Victor Hugo (of which I know absolutely nothing about)
Farewell to Arms-Hemingway
The Prince-Niccolò Machiavelli
War and Peace-Leo Tolstoy
Story of Art-Ernst H. Gombrich
The idiot-Dostoevsky
Mythology-Edith Hamilton
Not sure if all would be considered part of the western cannon collection of literature.
Many others on my list of which I don't not own yet. I do not borrow, I buy. I bond with all the books I read and therefore I must keep them. Returning a book I read and bonded with would be like returning a beloved pet. I love my collection of books. They are my pride and joy. My bookshelf is my indoor garden. I nurture it, I spend time with it, touch it, reminisce with it, and love it.
It's nice to finally find the right group that seems to be a better fit for me. I'm not into contemporary reading fads.
I welcome suggestions and advice. Thank you and hope to get to know each and everyone of you.
Welcome, Rachel. Your love of books fits right in with many of us here.You said "Not sure if all would be considered part of the western cannon collection of literature." Other than the Story of Art, which is quite good but of fairly recent vintage, and perhaps Anthem, all the rest certainly qualify as part of the canon.
The only suggestions I would make are: 1) move Les Miserables up on your reading schedule so you can participate in the discussion now going on here, and 2) be a bit flexible in your reading plan so that when we choose our next work here -- which we will choose probably in November or early December and start reading in January -- you'll be free to decide whether to read it with us.
I'm sorry you didn't find us in time to participate in the Don Quixote discussion, since it's a favorite book for you, but now that you've found us, we look forward to your sharing your journey into the classics with us.
Rachel wrote: "My name is Rachel. I'm 37 years old. I live in historic Hudson NY. Not too far from the Catskills, which I see from my kitchen window. My husband and I are in the process of trying to buy a home he..."I feel the same way about my books I have to own them and have a hard time sending even the ones I hated to a used book store. Welcome.
Everyman wrote: "Welcome, Rachel. Your love of books fits right in with many of us here.You said "Not sure if all would be considered part of the western cannon collection of literature." Other than the Story o..."
I would love to read with everyone here. I'll keep my options open for the next pick.
I'm delighted to join your group. I've been looking for a reading group of this caliber for some time. Les Miserables has been on my short list so I'm thrilled to be part of this group discussion. I'm a mother of two and a professional services consultant in Los Angeles to US and Chinese public companies. I love books and reading, being in my library, French cooking and wine, my three dogs and visiting museums.Best wishes,
Kristen
Welcome, Kristen. Hope you can catch up with the reading soon so we can get some of your insights.
Hello! Here in chapel Hill, North Carolina, I'm a children's librarian looking for an opportunity to talk books with adults. I have a wonderful classics book club at a local independent bookshop, but I'd like to try the virtual book club too. The classics have so much to teach us about the human condition. I'm looking forward to a little peer pressure to keep me focused.
Welcome, Susan! How wonderful to have a local classics book club to attend. I wish I had one here, but ...
What are some of the books you've read there recently?
Are you new to Les Miserables, or have you read it before?
Everyman wrote: "Welcome, Susan! What are some of the books you've read there recently?
Are you new to Les Miserables,..."
We've been going 7 or so years. Here are a few recent reads:
D. H. Lawrence Aaron's Rod
Fyodor Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment
Leo Tolstoy Hadji Murad
Hardy, Tess of the D'urbervilles
Bronte, Jane Eyre
Henry James Golden Bowl
Fitgerald Great Gatsby
Thomas Wolfe You can't go home again
Edith Wharton Ethan Frome
Hemingway For Whom the Bell Tolls
Evelyn Waugh Brideshead Revisited
Graham Greene Power and the Glory
Wilkie Collins Woman in white
Natsume Soseki Kokoro
I've started Les Mis. I hope to catch up!
Susan wrote: "We've been going 7 or so years. Here are a few recent reads:D. H. Law..."
Neat group! If you think any of those would make particularly good discussion books here, feel free to add them to the to-be-read bookshelf. Our selections are chosen from that list.
I wish I'd found this group at the beginning of September, I've always wanted to read Les Misérables. I actually have two copies of it - I'm a bit of a book collector. One copy is from a set I rescued from a dumpster when I was 12 years old. They are leather bound with beautiful plates (I think they call 'em that) inside the front covers and they were printed in 1895! I can't stand to see books in the trash. The other copy is a more ordinary paperback optimistically placed on my TBR (to-be-read) shelf. While most readers I know have a tottering TBR pile next to their favourite reading spot, mine has had to be contained for the safety of children and pets to a bookcase which at last count numbered 183 volumes shuffling and jostling for my attention.I’m a freelance writer (book reviews, buying books, reading books, travel and books – there is a theme here) and a stay at home mum to a single child who also loves and collects books. My husband does like to read, but his collection fits on a single shelf in his den. However, endearingly he lets me talk ‘at’ him about anything I’m currently reading, which usually includes three to four titles at the same time: something for review, something on the mp3 player, something on the nightstand and something for the travel bag. I have a Kindle and I LOVE it. A lot of what I receive to review is in ebook format and not having to read at my desk is a distinct pleasure. I will never stop collecting ‘real’ books, however.
When I’m not at home reading and writing I volunteer at my local library. I help sort book donations for our annual sale. While the work and the company of the other volunteers is richly rewarding, the best perk of this position is having first pick of whatever comes through the door.
Finally, the biographical and geographical data: I’m 41, married to a lovely and tolerant man, have a precocious and intelligent daughter, two lazy cats, and two extremely noisy budgerigars (parakeets for those of you who don’t speak ‘Commonwealth’). I’m Australian, but I currently reside in the mountains (ahem, hills) of N.E. Pennsylvania.
Welcome, Sisimka. You'll fit right in here. I hope you can pull one of those copies of LesMis off the TBR shelf and catch up with us. But if you can't, we understand how TBR shelves are. (I haven't counted my TBR books, but they occupy a full section, 8 shelves, of my floor-to-ceiling bookcase, plus a pile on the counter, a mere 10 books, that are my "pick from this pile first" TBR books. (And like you, I keep buying books even though I have more than enough waiting to read. It's an addiction, no doubt about it, but cheaper and healthier than cocaine!)
Several of us here have Kindles as well as huge numbers of real books, so you're in good company there, too.
I wish I had a wife who was as patient letting me read passages to her as your husband is tolerant of you, but the few times I can persuade her to lift her eyes from her own book for a few minutes she usually just grimaces and goes back to her own reading. Suffice it to say that our reading tastes differ; I doubt that in the past thirty years, though we both read voraciously, we have read more than two books in common, if that. I basically only read books written before about 1950, and usually way before that, and she almost never reads anything more than ten years old.
But at least we never argue books, which is a blessing iteslf!
BTW, I know what you mean about Penna calling mere hills mountains. I was brought up outside Philadelphia, and thought the Poconos and Alleghenies were mountains until I moved to Washington State and learned what real mountains are. (From where I live I can see two mountain ranges, the Olympics and the Cascades, both of which are snowcapped all year. Try finding a single snowcapped mountain in Pennsylvania in August!)
Anyhow, welcome, and we look forward to hearing from you as soon as you're able to get into LesMis or one of our future books.
Welcome, Sisimka. I, too, am a lover of used books. So much for so little investment!
Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Sisimka. I, too, am a lover of used books. So much for so little investment! "Not to mention that many of the books I read are long out of print and only available used.
I love the old Dent Everyman editions. Many years ago I had a relationship with a small bookshop in London, the Compton Bookshop, long out of business, which would get me these books very cheap, even counting cross-Atlantic shipping. Many of my favorite books are those old editions.
I'm pleased that the Everyman imprint is back in business, but the new Everymans just aren't the same thing.
I currently live in Northen New Mexico, where I teach Kindergarten at a small school just off the Jicarilla Apache reservation. I got my undergraduate degrees last December, in Music Education and Spanish. However, my real passion has always been literature (I majored in Music in college mostly because it was the only way to get an elementary teaching certificate along with what I considered a "real" degree). Both of my parents love the classics, and they shared them with me from a young age, not as something to be intimidated by or revered, but as great stories. Therefore, I was in high school before I was introduced to the idea that Macbeth (which my brothers and I had had great fun acting out ad nauseum) was something you were supposed to find boring and difficult. Starting in high school, I gradually found out that reading the classics is the easiest way to ensure that you're always reading someting good, and I now rarely read in any other grown-up genre. Since I no longer have Spanish literature classes to look forward to, I was glad to find that there's a place where I can look forward to real literary discussion. Besides, when left to my own devices, I almost never read anything but fiction; it looks like this group will get me motivated to read some of the philosophical works that have been languishing on my TBR shelf for some time.
Audrey wrote: "I currently live in Northen New Mexico, where I teach Kindergarten at a small school just off the Jicarilla Apache reservation. I got my undergraduate degrees last December, in Music Education and..."You're in the right place, Audrey! Enjoy those little ones, too. I taught first grade for four years right after I finished my undergrad work.
Hi, i'm an austrian woman in her early thirties, living with her greek forever-almost-husband in beautiful salzburg. at the moment i work at university, but i've done loads of other stuff from tour guiding to working in a beer museum. since the age of four, i'm a book-eater, and i'm so happy to have found goodreads and groups like this as most of my "real-life" friends don't read too much and care even less for discussing books with me - so i'm really looking forward to getting ideas, input and reading recommendations from you guys as well as sharing mine.......
Audrey wrote: "I currently live in Northen New Mexico, where I teach Kindergarten at a small school just off the Jicarilla Apache reservation. I got my undergraduate degrees last December, in Music Education and..."Welcome, Audrey You're in the right place!
My wife taught first grade in a small community school for nearly 30 years, and Laurel was a first grade teacher, so you're in good company.
Julia wrote: "Hi, i'm an austrian woman in her early thirties, living with her greek forever-almost-husband in beautiful salzburg. at the moment i work at university, but i've done loads of other stuff from tour..."Welcome, Julia! Does your husband read classical Greek? It would have been fun to have a true Greek reader with us for the Oedipus Rex discussion. (My Greek was 40 plus years ago, and is long gone, sadly.)
Thanks for the warm welcome! Well, Kostas had to study ancient greek at school, of course, and i suppose it comes way easier to greeks as the difference to new greek isn't that huge, still he's completely out of training (who knows if your greek isn't better after all?) it's a pity you've already discussed Oedipus Rex, but I'll try to get a bilingual copy and maybe i can lure my husband into reading it along with me....
Hello everyone (Thanks for the invite Everyman).I'm an Artist, painting in Oils ... so not well off (ha!) but happy. I live in London in Clapham,not far from where William Hogarth retired and like Hogarth I am a Londoner. Self-taught in most things - never been to University. But have always read books as a matter of course. I have a particular interest in English Folklore and collect illustrated books.
Hi, everyone. I've been around since the last quarter of Don Quixote (which I pounded through in 16 days, to catch up), so I'm not exactly new, but I do see that the group size has about doubled since then. I'm Canadian, living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, although my heart belongs to the southern coast of B.C. My two favourite genres are classics and science fiction/fantasy. Like others here, I am seldom without a book. I am happy to have found a reading group with such rich discussion; I generally read "alone," because few people I know like to read what I like.
It seems late to welcome you, Peregrine, since you've been posting delightfully for some time, but since you've officially introduced yourself, I'm happy to officially welcome you!
Welcome to Audrey, Stephen and Julia! I need to get back to introductions page more often as I miss such interesting things. Peregrine, I feel like I already know you from discussions.
Hello!I recently joined this group after finally coming to grips with the reality that my reading tastes are vastly different than most of my literate friends. Reading has always been a passion of mine. I remember growing up sounding out words in TIME magazine on my grandfather's lap. Later on, my mother read us her own edited version of 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' and then onto the Lord of the Rings series. I became hooked and was seldom found without a book in my hands a child. Upon having my own children, I found my reading time had diminished substantially. Now that my kids are a bit older, I'm back to living with 'book in my hand'! I'm just now rolling around to pursuing more classics and I'm glad to have found a forum where others also enjoy classic reads!
Welcome, Amanda! I'm curious, did your mother edit Uncle Tom's Cabin as she read or did she have a kind of expurgated edition? I sometimes found when my kids were younger, I'd start reading something to them and find myself in a corner with some piece of material I thought would be too much for them. I remember trying to read and self-edit Tom Sawyer when reading to a seven year old, as I couldn't see myself repeating some of the stereotypes of native Americans to a child who had no personal experience with Native Americans.
When I shared that, I almost expounded upon it a bit further. My mother did edit heavily. She also possessed a fabulous knack for paraphrasing. She censored minimally. Some portions were difficult to understand, but the story was still illuminating. Particularly since we lived in a rural area where the community overall was still rather intrenched in unthinkingly racist dogmatic beliefs. Even at my young age, Uncle Tom's Cabin opened up a level of thinking in my own consciousness that even as an adult I can now appreciate. And no, I have not read it to my own 9 year old daughter......as of yet.
Welcome, Anna and Amanda. I think we can all understand overcommitment, Anna, and will just be glad for any contributions you are able to make. You sound like you would have a lot to add, especially if Middlemarch is selected.
Amanda, you've definitely landed in the right place. Great that you finally have more time for reading (and for talking about your reading here!) A bit of advice based on experience: take advantage of that lull between children and grandchildren. I've passed the lull -- two grandchildren living next door and two more on the way, so more and more of my time is spent once again visiting and reading the wonderful children's books of my childhood to the next generation.
Ah, yes! Thanks! That's advice I'll gladly take! We do still have a small tribe of children at home, yet I'm still managing to find a fair amount of time to enjoy my own reading in addition to the children's stories! Looking forward to discovering the final poll results!
Classics and the Western Canon
Books mentioned in this topic
Metamorphoses (other topics)Gilgamesh: A New Translation of the Ancient Epic (other topics)
The Portrait of a Lady (other topics)
Ficciones (other topics)
Dracula (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Søren Kierkegaard (other topics)Dorothy L. Sayers (other topics)
John Ciardi (other topics)
Alexis de Tocqueville (other topics)
Dani Shapiro (other topics)
More...
