I belong to an online reading group that is reading “The Great Books”, as I wrote back in a post on April 2, 2006 . The group has gone through some changes since I wrote about The Great Conversation last April. The online reading group changed leadership and then it split into two different “tracks”, and then into two different groups. I am attempting to keep up with both of them.
One of the groups is (more or less) following Adler’s 10 year reading plan listed in the first volume of Encyclopedia Brittanica’s Great Books. We’re currently reading Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War. If you're interested the website is at greatconversation. I was happy when the group decided to extend the reading time through July, since I am still on Book One. But I intend to finish it by the end of July to stay on track with the group. In August we’re reading Plato’s Statesmen, Euclid’s Elements of Geometry, Book 1, and Aristotle’s On Interpretation and Politics. That should keep me busy.
The other “track” is called “Mare Nostrum” and it’s focusing on Greek History for the rest of the year and then on Roman History next year. This group is finishing Thucydides in June and moving on to Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens by James Davidson
in July and Fox’s Alexander the Great in August. I have some reading to do…
(You can find the Mare_Nostrum reading group in yahoo groups.)
But I also have my own list of books I want to read this summer…
Books I’m currently reading:
Thucydides (as mentioned above)
The Holiest of All by Andrew Murray
Studies in Words by C.S. Lewis
Genesis and the Big Bang by Gerald L. Schroeder
Decoding the Universe by Seife
Kenilworth by Sir Walter Scott
Rahsi’s Daughter: Joheved by Maggie Anton
Under Crescent and Cross by Mark R. Cohen
Other Books I want to read:
Biography:
John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Johnathan Aitken
Infernal World of Branwell Bronte By Daphne DuMarier
Time to be in Earnest by P.D. James
Science:
Privileged Planet by Guillermo Hernandez
The Edge of Evolution by Michael Behe
Novels
Waverly Novels Sir Walter Scott
Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers
Lucky Jim by Amis
The Collector by Balladuci
The Bronte Project by Jennifer Vandover
The Nanny Diaries Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus
How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved my Life by Mameve Medwed
The new Jasper Fford Novel: Thursday Next scheduled to be released on July 24
I've got to run, I've got some Thudydides to read!
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Celebrating Books
Did you know that March 1 was World Book Day? That is if you live in the United Kingdom or Ireland it is.
The organizers polled around 2000 people for their list of top 10 books they can't live without. The results are listed below and more information is available on the web page. I find it somewhat disturbing that the Bible comes in 6th, behind Harry Potter and To Kill a Mockingbird.
If you missed the celebration on March 1, as I did, there is another (competing?) world book day celebrated on April 23. April 23 is World Book and Copyright Day. It was established by UNESCO in 1995.
According to the website, April 23 is a symbolic date in world literature, marking the birth or death of such writers as Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.
Here is an excerpt from the (March 1) world book day web page:
World Book Day 2007
In a survey to mark the tenth anniversary of World Book Day, a survey has been conducted to find the ten books the nation cannot live without. Over 2000 people voted online at www.worldbookday10.com
Results reveal that Pride and Prejudice tops the list, with Tolkein’s fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, in second place. Two of the Bronte sisters appear alongside Charles Dickens, showing that classics are still the most essential reads. The Bible is also still relevant to many, coming in sixth in the poll.
The top ten are as follows:
1) Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen 20%
2) Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkein 17%
3) Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte 14%
4) Harry Potter books – J K Rowling 12%
5) To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee 9.5%
6) The Bible 9%
7) Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte 8.5%
8) 1984 – George Orwell 6%
9)His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman 6%
10) Great Expectations – Charles Dickens .55%
The organizers polled around 2000 people for their list of top 10 books they can't live without. The results are listed below and more information is available on the web page. I find it somewhat disturbing that the Bible comes in 6th, behind Harry Potter and To Kill a Mockingbird.
If you missed the celebration on March 1, as I did, there is another (competing?) world book day celebrated on April 23. April 23 is World Book and Copyright Day. It was established by UNESCO in 1995.
According to the website, April 23 is a symbolic date in world literature, marking the birth or death of such writers as Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.
Here is an excerpt from the (March 1) world book day web page:
World Book Day 2007
In a survey to mark the tenth anniversary of World Book Day, a survey has been conducted to find the ten books the nation cannot live without. Over 2000 people voted online at www.worldbookday10.com
Results reveal that Pride and Prejudice tops the list, with Tolkein’s fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, in second place. Two of the Bronte sisters appear alongside Charles Dickens, showing that classics are still the most essential reads. The Bible is also still relevant to many, coming in sixth in the poll.
The top ten are as follows:
1) Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen 20%
2) Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkein 17%
3) Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte 14%
4) Harry Potter books – J K Rowling 12%
5) To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee 9.5%
6) The Bible 9%
7) Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte 8.5%
8) 1984 – George Orwell 6%
9)His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman 6%
10) Great Expectations – Charles Dickens .55%
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