4 Resources for the Great Books

Titles Which Will Guide a Student of the Classics

Jul 24, 2008 Emily Adams

Determining to read the Great Books of Western Civilization is a noble ideal. Unfortunately, the amount of classical reading material available is immense.

Fortunately, there are a few resources that can help a classical scholar in his study of Western Civilization. A number of books about the Great Books are available.

Unfortunately, these resources are of varying quality. Some of these overviews of classical literature are simply a waste of time and others are less than useful. However, there are a few books out there that are truly gems. These books not only direct their readers towards the best Great Books, but themselves inspire their readers with their beautifully crafted prose.

Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide to Literature

Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide to Literature (Crossway, 1990; ISBN-13: 978-0-89107-582-0), written by Gene Edward Veith, Jr., is a well-written book about all things literature. Veith discuses literary periods, literary genres, and literary forms and helps Christian students understand the impact of each. It provides thought-provoking reading and also is a wonderful reference tool.

On the Reading of Old Books

On the Reading of Old Books is an essay by C. S. Lewis included in the book God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (William B. Eerdmans, 1970; ISBN: 0-8028-0868-0). This carefully crafted essay provides a number of reasons to read the Great Books. Lewis makes an especially valid point when he notes that books of other times allow readers to see past the blindnesses of their own. This essay also provides specific guidelines for a reading plan.

An Experiment in Criticism

Another wonderful work on the classics by C. S. Lewis is An Experiment in Criticism (Cambridge, 1961; ISBN: 0-521-42281-7). Lewis discusses literary terms, literary genres, and literary criticism with a practical eye. His keen insight will be invaluable to any undergraduate or graduate student of literature. However, any book-lover would benefit from a reading of this short book.

A Student's Guide to Liberal Learning

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute published a small book by James V. Schall entitled A Student's Guide to Liberal Learning (Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 2000; 188292653-6). This book truly is a wonderful. Short, meaty, simple, and frank, this book acknowledges the pitfalls of modern academic institutions. However, this book does not simply criticize. Schall points his readers to the classic works of Western Civilization as the most valuable teachers of our time.

These books are wonderful resources to any person wishing to study the Great Books. They provide interpretive opinions and helpful analyses, as well as reading lists. The authors write in an approachable, delightful style. The books listed above will be a wonderful addition to the bookshelf of any lover of the classics.

Lewis, C. S. An Experiment in Criticism. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1961.

Lewis, C. S. God in the Dock. "On the Reading of Old Books". Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1970.

Schall, James V. A Student's Guide to Liberal Learning. 2nd ed.Wilmington, Delaware: ISI Books, 2000.

Veith, Gene Edward, Jr. Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide to Literature. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1990.

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