&#x27;Introduction to Classics&#x27; reading group

Original post by Krollo

After writing the article 'Why read the Classics?' over on the wiki, I've had a little interest in the reading group I proposed, but I'd like to get a few moe people involved. This wouldn't just be fiction; there'd be a wide variety of genres. Is anyone interested?

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This sounds like a really exciting idea, I'm already part of a few book clubs (off TSR) and it's such a good way to get into different books and read a bit more! Hopefully you'll get lots of people to join!

Reply 2

OP

Original post by greeneyedgirl

This sounds like a really exciting idea, I'm already part of a few book clubs (off TSR) and it's such a good way to get into different books and read a bit more! Hopefully you'll get lots of people to join!

Alas, hopefully seems to be the operative word

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Reply 3

Original post by Krollo

Alas, hopefully seems to be the operative word

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Even if you only get 5 or so you can still discuss a book well...don't worry I'll try and get some promo going for you! Your mod team looks out for you :yep:

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Original post by greeneyedgirl

Even if you only get 5 or so you can still discuss a book well...don't worry I'll try and get some promo going for you! Your mod team looks out for you :yep:

Thanks!

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Reply 5

Original post by Krollo

Thanks!

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No worries, so what classics are you thinking about discussing?

Reply 6

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Original post by greeneyedgirl

No worries, so what classics are you thinking about discussing?

It depends how long everyone wants to commit to it. If it's going indefinitely, we could definitely have a stab at some longer works (I'm in the middle of Moby-Dick at the moment, awesome book) whereas if we limit it to the holidays then we'd probably have to stick to longer works.

It's important to remember that classics doesn't necessarily mean fiction, so ideally a mix of social sciences (history etc.), fiction, natural sciences, philosophy would be quite nice. It is meant to be an introduction to classics, so I thought it might be nice to start with shorter essays and stories and eventually work up to the big leagues.

It all really depends on what everyone else wants to do, though.

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(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 7

Angury

18

I used to post in the TSR Bookclub, not sure if that's still running..

I'm also a member of a book forum - it's interesting hearing other people's perceptions of a story. You also pick up on things you wouldn't have known about before.

I'd love to join. :smile:

Reply 8

OP

Original post by Angury

I used to post in the TSR Bookclub, not sure if that's still running..

I'm also a member of a book forum - it's interesting hearing other people's perceptions of a story. You also pick up on things you wouldn't have known about before.

I'd love to join. :smile:

Awesome! You seem to have a lot more experience than me, so have you got any ideas about how to organise it?

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Reply 9

sarcastic-sal

2

Sounds cool, never joined any of TSR's groups as of yet but this actually interests me :tongue:

Reply 10

Original post by sarcastic-sal

Sounds cool, never joined any of TSR's groups as of yet but this actually interests me :tongue:

TSR groups are great ways to get involved and this does sound epic, doesn't it!

Reply 11

Angury

18

Original post by Krollo

Awesome! You seem to have a lot more experience than me, so have you got any ideas about how to organise it?

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Well I wouldn't call myself experienced. :tongue:

Generally people will suggest books, and the ones that are recommended again and again are put to a vote. The book with the most votes is chosen.

You could also work your way through a list such as 'Top 50 classics.'

Original post by Krollo

It's important to remember that classics doesn't necessarily mean fiction, so ideally a mix of social sciences (history etc.), fiction, natural sciences, philosophy would be quite nice. It is meant to be an introduction to classics, so I thought it might be nice to start with shorter essays and stories and eventually work up to the big leagues.

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I also like this idea.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

OP

Two reading lists I like are the 'Gateway to the Great Books' (shorter works) and the 'Great Books of the Western World' (longer works), which combined give us 70 volumes of top-quality material, which should keep us going for quite some time!

Both have a wide variety of material (they in fact inspired the system I described earlier), and together they include pretty much every important book from western society from the past five thousand years. It omits Eastern works though, which is quite suboptimal.

There's a lot of other more contemporary works that might warrant inclusion, but I suppose we can decide as we go along.

One more thing - bearing in minds that a lot of the shorter works can be read in fifteen minutes or so, do you think it might be better to do a few at a time? It'll also stop us stagnating - I don't think we want to end up reading just epic poetry for two months solid, and some of those classics are quite long.

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Reply 13

OP

If anyone's interested, I've found some good books as an intro to classics.

The great conversation - https://ia600208.us.archive.org/8/items/greatconversatio030336mbp/greatconversatio030336mbp.pdf
Check out Chapter Ten specifically.

How to read a book -
http://crap.sceleris.net/HowtoReadABook.pdf

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Reply 14

Angury

18

Original post by Krollo

If anyone's interested, I've found some good books as an intro to classics.

The great conversation - https://ia600208.us.archive.org/8/items/greatconversatio030336mbp/greatconversatio030336mbp.pdf
Check out Chapter Ten specifically.

How to read a book -
http://crap.sceleris.net/HowtoReadABook.pdf

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That's a big list - where would you want to start? I think it may be best to start with just one, as we're just beginning this group. We can then start to build momentum.
Also, I imagine some people have exams at this time, so we may gather more members as we get closer to the summer holidays. :smile:

By the way, you may find "How to read literature" by Terry Eagleton rather interesting. Here's a review of it:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jul/26/how-read-literature-eagleton-review

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 15

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Original post by Angury

That's a big list - where would you want to start? I think it may be best to start with just one, as we're just beginning this group. We can then start to build momentum.
Also, I imagine some people have exams at this time, so we may gather more members as we get closer to the summer holidays. :smile:

By the way, you may find "How to read literature" by Terry Eagleton rather interesting. Here's a review of it:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jul/26/how-read-literature-eagleton-review

I know it's a big list, so we're going to have to be quite selective. A lot of people say that Plato's Apology is a good way to dip your toe in the pool. I read it a while ago - it was full of great insights while still being quite user friendly.

Thanks for the link - it looks ridiculously interesting!

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Reply 16

OP

Bump.

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Reply 17

OP

Bump

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Reply 18

Carpe Diem Jay

21

I'm interested in this!

Reply 19

OP