Six members met last night to discuss David Denby's "Great Books: My Adventures with Homer, Rousseau, Woolf, and the Other Indestructible Writers of the Western World." The book's sponsor began by holding up Denby's two subsequent books--"American Sucker," in which Denby tries to make a killing in the stock market and gets clobbered and "Snark," which is about the low level of civic discourse. Denby puts enough of his own story into his writing that "American Sucker," in particular, feels like a sequel to "Great Books."
We were fortunate that one of our group had done six years of graduate work and college teaching in philosophy. She relished Denby's book and deepened our appreciation for it. Another member, recently returned from Ethiopia, found that the Old Testament chapter reminded her of a way of life that still exists today.
The rather small turnout and the fact that only half of those present finished the book suggests that it was a bit long and weighty for our group.
Five out of six members felt, however, that these classics are still relevant for today's college students.
Guest blogger: BB
Guest blogger: BB
Overheard at a party celebrating a new pair of knees:
If you are going to read any chapter read the chapter on Shakespeare. Denby writes about parallels between his mom and the character King Lear and reveals some memoir-like insights on his parents' influence on his life.
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