Classics and the Western Canon discussion
Introductions
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Please introduce yourself~
I think this is a common affliction: people have so much noise in their heads that's all they hear instead of what's on the page. For me the cure has been to read books that get right into my face, so to speak, books written for intelligent adults about things that matter. I've virtually stopped reading contemporary commercial fiction, books designed to be consumed without disturbing the noise in a reader's head. I tried yesterday reading a couple such books, books in which the author has 'learned his craft,' the sort of books I used to consume tirelessly. After a few hours the emptiness of the content became overwhelming and I had to pick up some John Locke. What an engaging writer he is!
Donnally wrote: I've virtually stopped reading contemporary commercial fiction, books designed to be consumed without disturbing the noise in a reader's head.. . ."Adler talks about this when he discusses, the goals of reading. For example, some of them are:
1. Reading for information: Newspapers, magazines, how to.
2. Reading for understanding: Philosophy, etc.
3. Reading for pleasure.
So the first question a reader should ask is, "What are my goals in reading this book?"
Of course there here is a place for all of these goals, and many books meld the lines between them; I think the best ones do. But reading books that challenge the reader to understanding something, i.e., learning more rather than just remembering more is Adler's main focus and reason behind his list of great books. I think this group's bookshelf does a good job of reflecting that.
David wrote: But probably the greatest aid I have found in absorbing a book is to immersion read on the kindle with a matching audible book narration. This is a terrific idea David. I'll look around for an audio solution and see if I can make this happen.
Hi, my name is Brenda. Not new to Goodreads, but just found this group. I hail from the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan.I’ve wanted to expand my reading past what I generally gravitate towards, and I was appreciative of the books your group has read. I have a varied bookshelf and actually have the Kierkegaard book, if it wins, so I’m hoping this group will help me mix things up a bit.
I’ve only been really active on Goodreads for the last 6 months, was never in a formal book club, but really enjoy the group reading and everyone sharing their thoughts and ideas. I find I get so much more out of the book and almost look forward to reading a book more if there is a discussion involved.
I look forward to reading with you!
Welcome, Brenda. I’m just finishing up my first read with the group and I’d never been in a book club/group either. I’ve really been enjoying the friendly, intelligent and genuinely-interested discussions of this group.I hope you have a similar experience and look forward to your input.
Hi Aiden,Thanks for the welcome! It sounds like a great group and just what I’m looking for.
I just received the link for the Poe short read, another author on my shelf that I haven’t read, so looking forward to that and jumping in!
Hello there, I'm Garfield, and I've been spending time with 'The House of Mirth' these days. Pretty interesting it is, really. Wharton makes no effort to hide her characters' flaws and therein lies the beauty of this book. Well, I've never been part of groups on Goodreads, so this is a first of sorts. :-D
Garfield wrote: "Hello there, I'm Garfield, and I've been spending time with 'The House of Mirth' these days. Pretty interesting it is, really. Wharton makes no effort to hide her characters' flaws and therein lies..."Welcome, Garfield! We are glad you decided to join us.
We are currently reading Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling--just started it, in fact. You are welcome to join the discussion any time.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I haven't read Wharton's The House of Mirth. I tried reading it a while back but didn't get very far with it for some reason. I guess the time period doesn't interest me that much. But maybe I should give it another try based on your recommendation.
Looking forward to getting to "know" you on Goodreads.
Take care and all best.
Tamara wrote: "Welcome, Garfield! We are glad you decided to join us.We are currently reading Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling--just started it, in fact. You are welcome to join the discussion any time.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
Thank you for the warm welcome, Tamara! It's great to be here! :-)
Well, 'Fear and Trembling' has me trembling with trepidation (of the good kind, might I add). I read through its overview and the premise is interesting, given that it's been ages since I last read a Biblical tale. And this one takes off with a new angle to it all. I just might sign up for it!
Well, initially, I had written off 'The House of Mirth' as a razzmatazz of exquisite literature, the kind you read to ensure you mention that you've read it in literary circles. I've to admit I was wrong about it for it's such an insight to the insecure, unsure, and indecisive traits of human nature....
Hello to everyone, my name is Mauricio, I’m 20 and I’m from Mexico, I’m passionate for reading classics and philosophy. I spend most of my time thinking, writing, reading or practicing, I’m a pianist and I also write poetry. I study medicine and I want to specialize in psychiatry because the meaning I give to my existence is the permanent understanding of the human being and it’s psyche; especially the latter. I love science but also art and the main way I try to accomplish this titanic journey is through connecting, understanding and empathize with the emotions and feelings that the author wanted to express through their works — this also works for music, paintings and many other kinds of art — the classics in particular have the advantage to shake the deepest part of my self, teach me invaluable things to apply in my daily life while showing you someone’s world in a beautiful way that makes it a joyful experience. I’ll more than happy to study classics with you all and to talk or discuss about all these things I’ve mentioned before, I hope we could make great friendships throughout the process. Greetings to all.
Mauricio wrote: "Hello to everyone, my name is Mauricio, I’m 20 and I’m from Mexico, I’m passionate for reading classics and philosophy. I spend most of my time thinking, writing, reading or practicing, I’m a piani..."Welcome to the group, Mauricio. If you want to study the classics in a friendly, but intellectually-challenging manner, you have come to the right place. We’re just finishing up our 2nd major read for the year, Fear and Trembling by Søren Kierkegaard, and voting for what the third reading should be.
Make sure to vote in the runoff between Gulliver's Travels and Demons here: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Looking forward to your input in the future!
Hi Aman here. Been a classics fanatic for a long time. But always felt this emptiness after reading because I had no one to discuss it with. You have many friends but then you have few who read and then even fewer who read what you read. So finally decided to join. Hoping for a richer experience.
Aman wrote: "Hi Aman here. Been a classics fanatic for a long time. But always felt this emptiness after reading because I had no one to discuss it with. You have many friends but then you have few who read and..."Welcome, Aman! You described almost exactly how I felt before I joined this group six months ago. I come from a family of readers, but not even they read modern literary fiction or the classics, so I missed out on discussing great works.
I hope your experience is as positive as mine has been and make sure to vote on our next read: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Hello, my name is Jenny and I love reading and collecting classics. I joined this group because I noticed that the discussions are in depth and that you all look at the wider picture of the writings, regarding political and social events occurring at the time. I am a business intelligence developer and am finishing up my masters in data analytics in November, so I currently do more collecting and planning my reads than actual reading. However my passions are literature and history. I plan to write a textbook one day that combines data analytics with lit and history. To paraphrase John Gardner in his book on writing, dont actually publish until you have something good. I am married with two daughters and 3 dogs - DJ, a Golden Retriever-Collie mix, Gunner, Great Dane-Black Lab mix, and Daisy - a Pit mix who thinks she is actually a princess. DJ and Gunner are my running partners, and Gunner is a very adept swimmer. He swims out so far into the lake (that we run to in the mornings) that I can't see him, so I bought a lifejacket for him. DJ is like a saintly person, he is probably the being of highest caliber within our house.
Jenny wrote: "Hello, my name is Jenny and I love reading and collecting classics. I joined this group because I noticed that the discussions are in depth and that you all look at the wider picture of the writing..."Welcome, Jenny! So glad you decided to join us. Our discussion threads remain open so feel free to browse and comment on anything that interests you.
Your dogs sound fascinating. I'm not into princesses very much, and I'm far from being saintly, so if I had to choose between the three, I think I would like to meet Gunner. The sight of him swimming about in the lake will do wonders for my eyes and morale.
Welcome, again. Take care and all best.
Jenny wrote: "To paraphrase John Gardner in his book on writing, dont actually publish until you have something good. ..."Welcome Jenny! But as a member of several writing groups, I'll encourage you to keep writing, and writing, and writing until you have that something you are willing to take that arduous route to publication! The best with it to you for it all -- your topic sounds fascinating. And how lucky to have a lake where you can walk to bring distance and focus to those black marks on paper. (Heard a fun speaker last week, a writing instructor at Rutgers and a biker, talk about his use of his motorcycle travels to find perspective and inspiration.)
Thank you, Tamara and Lily! Yes, I am lucky to live so close to a pretty lake. Tamara, you might get a kick out of this story about Gunner. He has an antagonistic relationship with the ducks at the lake. The other day, he was in the water about 20 feet from the shore, minding his own business, and a female mallard duck flew over and landed about 6 feet away from him and watched him until he saw her. Then she started swimming out and he followed her. He always tries to catch them in the water. She kept swimming out, and I couldn't see him for the reflection of the sun on the water. They were very far out on the lake, and I had left his life jacket at home, so I started getting very worried. Finally he swam back. I wondered if she had been a duckling that he chased, or if he had previously chased her ducklings because she obviously had a vendetta. But there have been other times when the ducks have lead him back to shore.
Jenny wrote: "Thank you, Tamara and Lily! Yes, I am lucky to live so close to a pretty lake. Tamara, you might get a kick out of this story about Gunner. He has an antagonistic relationship with the ducks at the..."It sounds to me like the lure of the Sirens. He was lucky to have escaped :)
Hi all! I’m Frances. I’ve always been in awe of people who could read the classics and truly appreciate it: like those people who drink red wine in expensive restaurants and swirl them in their glass... Me, I just figured that if it is considered a classic, it must be good. So I’d pick it up, and read it over, say .... Fifty Shades of Grey. I’ve read Austen, Hardy, some Brontes, and enjoyed them all. Glorious writing. Doesn’t rot my brain -is how I would put it. I’m halfway through War and Peace now and loving it! I’m looking forward to future book reads with you as I saw that Gulliver's Travels seemed like it was a fun one.
Halfway through W&P? So we will see you only in 2021?
Rafael wrote: "Halfway through W&P? So we will see you only in 2021?"Not at all! I can read more than 1 book at a time 😁 -albeit at a 🐌's pace. I'd like to join you when you start your next group read in October (it will be in October, right?).
Frances wrote: "Hi all! I’m Frances. I’ve always been in awe of people who could read the classics and truly appreciate it: like those people who drink red wine in expensive restaurants and swirl them in their gla..."Welcome, Frances!
We're glad you decided to join us. You'll find a lot of kindred spirits here who love reading the classics.
The choices for the next major read are up. Also included is the upcoming schedule. Voting for the 4th major read will begin on September 2, so remember to vote. We follow each major read with a short interim to give us some breathing space before we begin tackling the next major read.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
We look forward to getting to know you and reading your comments.
All best.
Tamara wrote: "Frances wrote: "Hi all! I’m Frances. I’ve always been in awe of people who could read the classics and truly appreciate it: like those people who drink red wine in expensive restaurants and swirl t..."Thank you, Tamara. I took a look at the list. What wonderful books. I hope the ones on my bucket list end up as nominees!
Hi Everyone, I'm to both Goodreads and this group.My name is Gustavo and I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This group immediately caught my eye when I stared exploring Goodreads, I love and have a deep desire to read and understand the books, authors that through time have left a great legacy with tremendous impact on civilization.
So I'm looking forward to have the opportunity to read and discuss such masterpieces with others that have similar interests.
Gustavo wrote: "Hi Everyone, I'm to both Goodreads and this group...."Welcome to the group, Gustavo! At the moment we're caught up in Dostoevsky's Demons. Feel free to jump in and help us untangle this wonderful web.
Hey everyone, I'm Abdullah and I, too am new Goodreads. Tbh I really didn't expect much social interaction here, atleast not at the start but now that I've explored the place for some time, I think this might really be a great experience for me. Although I adore classic literature, I'm afraid that I really don't know much about it and I really hope I won't be judged based on that.
I just want to enjoy my time here while I can and this group seems like a good place to start. I would love to just witness discussions on great literary masterpieces and to learn from them. I'm glad I'm here.
Abdullah wrote: "I think this might really be a great experience for me. Although I adore classic literature, I'm afraid that I really don't know much about it and I really hope I won't be judged based on that. "
Congratulations, Adbdullah. You have met the qualifications for membership -- all that is required is a sincere appreciation for great books and the desire to discuss them. No prior knowledge is necessary. Sometimes it's even better to approach a great book with just your own personal experience and no preconceptions about "literature" or what it's supposed to do.
At the moment we're knee-deep in Dostoevsky's Demons. Feel free to join us!
Well thank you Thomas, I'm glad to hear your response and I'll be sure to keep in touch with the discussion. Thank you for having me.
Hello everyone, my name is Emil. I live in Germany, at the foothils of the Black Forest mountains— pretty close to the birthplace of Hermann Hesse.Besides literature, I enjoy reading history, philosophy, psychology, mythology, comparative religion, or any combination of the aforementioned fields.
I'm on goodreads since ten years, but I've never used the group section before. Why am I here? I love reading classics, but I rarely have the opportunity to discuss them. When we're talking about classics, we're taking about works of genius and it's near impossible for one individual to grasp them in their complexity, so dialogue can only enrich our reading experience. I've just read some of your discussion threads and I think I'm in the right place. I look forward to exchange views and ideas with you guys!
Emil wrote: "Hello everyone, my name is Emil. I live in Germany, at the foothils of the Black Forest mountains— pretty close to the birthplace of Hermann Hesse.Besides literature, I enjoy reading history, phi..."
Welcome, Emile. We're delighted you decided to join us. Living at the foothills of the Black Forest Mountains, you must be surrounded by incredible views. I so look forward to being able to travel, again, once this pandemic is over.
You reminded me it's been years since I read any Hermann Hesse. It's probably time for me to pick him up, again, soon.
We are a fairly eclectic group and bring different backgrounds and perspectives to the readings, which, as you said in your post, enriches the reading experience. We are currently reading Dostoevsky's Demons. You're welcome to join the discussion any time.
We look forward to getting to know you and to reading your comments.
Hi Emil,Welcome to the group. Feel free to dive right in and post to our current read, Demons by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group..., or post to any of our previous reads which we keep open for discussion at any time.
Thank you for the warm welcome! I'm sorry that I haven't found this group earlier, I skimmed through the previous reads and many of my favourite works are already there.Regarding 'Demons', it has been on my to read list for a long time. I have a Constance Garnett translation at hand so maybe I'll be able to catch up with you by the end of the read.
Good evening! I just joined the group, and I look forward to reading "Beowulf" and "The Decameron". I love reading nonfiction and biographies, and I've really tried to read classical literature in the past. Unfortunately, outside of high school and college, I haven't been able to integrate a love of the classics into my life yet. I hope this book club can help!
Peej wrote: "Good evening! I just joined the group, and I look forward to reading "Beowulf" and "The Decameron".Peej, thank you for joining and introducing yourself here. Welcome to the group. We will be posting a Beowulf section soon and get started on it after our Interim Read which is a two week period of short, freely available reads in between the major ones. I am confident that this group will help you stir up some love for the classics. I am looking forward to hearing more from you in the discussions.
Hello, my name is Francine. I also go by Frannie, or Fanny sometimes even. Like Peej, I'm looking forward to the reading on The Decameron and beyond. I haven't read many classics or much from the western canon, but every time I do, I like how (unexpectedly) familiar they are.
I'm a quite a slow reader so I am fond of the rate at which the discussions are held.
Nice to meet you all. :-)
Francine wrote: "Hello, my name is Francine. I also go by Frannie, or Fanny sometimes even. Like Peej, I'm looking forward to the reading on The Decameron and beyond. I haven't read many classics or much from the..."
Welcome, Francine! It's nice to meet you. We won't be starting The Decameron until August. Meanwhile, we've started the discussion of Beowulf. Feel free to jump right in and join us.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
We look forward to getting to know you.
Sophia wrote: "Hi, everyone! My name is Sophia! I’m in high school and I absolutely love the Classics! I have read Beowulf, The Odyssey, The Iliad, The Aeneid, Pride and Prejudice, and excerpts of The Decameron a..."Welcome Sophia!
Sophia wrote: "Hi, everyone! My name is Sophia! I’m in high school and I absolutely love the Classics! I have read Beowulf, The Odyssey, The Iliad, The Aeneid, Pride and Prejudice, and excerpts of The Decameron a..."Welcome, Sophia!
That's quite an impressive reading list. It's wonderful to hear from a high school student who loves the classics. You'll find people here who share your passion.
We are currently on week 3 of our discussion of Beowulf. It's never too late to join. So jump in any time and share your thoughts.
Here's the link for the discussion:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Hello! I'm a high school student, and I think it would do me well to read the classics. I look forward to reading along and contributing to the discussion. Even though I haven't read much (or any, really) of the classics, I hope that I can get started. I'll see what I can do to get a copy of the current reading, Beowulf, and try to catch up.
Hi Damien,Please jump right in with Beowulf. Feel free to read and comment on the previous Beowulf discussion threads. Those, and all of the book discussions never close and someone is always ready to respond to comments posted in past discussions.
Welcome aboard.
Hello, my name is Jacob. I read a few books with this group back in 2014/15 but for some reason I dropped off goodreads after that. Alas, now I look back at the books that you've read here and regret not reading along with a number of these selections. So this is my statement of intent to start up with the next selection, whatever it is. Being motivated to read books I haven't selected myself is reason enough to join back up. And boy do I miss serious conversation about literature.As for me, I'm an American living in Brussels, Belgium. Most of my formal studies have been in philosophy but I'm here for the fiction.
Welcome "back", Jacob. Do stay around and participate. I've been here a long time. Each "conversation" has touched my life, regardless of whether I have been able to show participation for any particular one. I can only wish you a similar experience. I find there to be a wonderful cadre of readers/posters who remain here or float in and out!
Jacob wrote: "Hello, my name is Jacob. I read a few books with this group back in 2014/15 but for some reason I dropped off goodreads after that. Alas, now I look back at the books that you've read here and regr..."Hi Jacob, I float in and out of goodreads depending on all the other things life throws at me. I do love the qualities and range of discussion in this group and it is pleasure when time allows me to be here. I very much look forward to getting to know you better. Have you been in Brussels long?
Clari wrote: "Hi Jacob, I float in and out of goodreads depending on all the other things life throws at me... I very much look forward to getting to know you better. Have you been in Brussels long?"
Hi Clari! I've floated in and out of Brussels for 4 years, and a smaller city outside of Brussels for 5 years before that. I came over as a student and mostly stayed, but I've also spent 2-3 years of that time in the US and elsewhere. I'm a drifter and have a hard time staying in one place. Somehow that applies to where I go online too, hence my absence from this group!
Hi. My name is Titas and I run an active bookstagram account. I write stories and draw apart from reading. Goodreads helps me keep track of my reads
Welcome Jacob and Titas. @Jacob, I hope to Classics and the Western Canon becomes a more consistent reading home to you.
@Titas, I also got started on goodreads by using the app as a place to keep a list of all of my books. I thought it was really cool timesaver to simply scan the barcodes. Then I found this group and started adding books to my list I had once only aspired to and others I knew nothing about. There were quite a few that I never would have considered which have turned into surprise favorites by enjoying them with this group.
Be sure to check out the discussion of nominees for our next big read and let us know which ones you like and will be voting for.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Jacob wrote: "I've floated in and out of Brussels for 4 years, and a smaller city outside of Brussels for 5 years before that."I am the opposite, I've hardly been anywhere, which is why I admire people who travel and see more of the world, I live through books!
Titas wrote: "Hi. My name is Titas and I run an active bookstagram account. I write stories and draw apart from reading. Goodreads helps me keep track of my reads"Hi Titas, what sort of stories do you write? I am a writer too :) I like drawing too, but cannot in any honest say what I produce is art!
Hey Clari! I mostly write flash fiction, most often with a touch of feminism or mystery. I also illustrate book covers of the books I read, just for the fun of it. What kind of stories do you write?
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)
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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)
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Be sure and vote in our run-off poll for our next read between Fear and Trembling by Søren Kierkegaard and Demons by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Our run-off poll is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
RE: the malady you mention. Adler advises active reading:A notepad at the kitchen table, which is neither too comfy nor sleep inducing works for me. The ability to take notes and questions in a Kindle book are also a big help. If you are a fast reader, Adler also suggests reading a book straight through without stopping for anything the first time through, and then take your time on a second read. This works well with this group because we only discuss one section of a book a week and it gives many time for a quick run through and a more thorough second run through along with the discussion.
But probably the greatest aid I have found in absorbing a book is to immersion read on the kindle with a matching audible book narration. For me, reading and hearing it at the same time is akin to reading it twice the first time around. Certain passages tend to make sense and tend to stick more when I read them, and other passages make more sense and tend to stick more when I hear them. Immersion reading lets me do both at the same time and the whole benefit seems greater than the sum of its parts.