10 Ways Reading the Great Books Can Improve Your Life

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10 Ways Reading the Great Books Can Improve Your Life

The Master Course in Personal Development May Already B

Sitting On Your Shelf

Reading the great books takes a lot of effort. Studying mastepieces such as the Odyssey or the works of Shakespeare requir

more concentration than picking up a Tom Clancy novel. But, th

payoffs can be tremendous.

If youre not sold on starting a reading plan, consider the benefi

that reading great literature can bring to your life. Here are

ways reading these books can have a real impact on who you a

and how you think:

1. Understand what shapes your thoughts and beliefs.Whether youre conscious of

or not, chances are your belief system is based on social norms that have evolve

through centuries of history. What you think are independent ideas may very well b

philosophies created by the great thinkers of previous generations. Robert M. Hutchin

Editor in Chief of the Great Books of the Western World, explained it this way:

These books are the means of understanding our society and ourselves. They containthe great ideas that dominate us without our knowing it. There is no comparable

repository in our tradition.

Consider your thoughts on subjects such as romantic love, truth, democracy, an

freedom. Are your ideas your own? Or are your thoughts dominated by an outside cu

tural influence? By reading the great books, you can see how ideas developed over tim

and be aware of how they affect you now. You may choose to accept or reject the cu

rent way of thinking. But, either way you will become cognizant that it is a choice angain the agency to make a decision for yourself.

2. Let a little genius rub off on you.When I was growing up, my parents always r

minded me to choose my friends carefully. You are who you associate with, some sa

Perhaps the same is true of books. The great books were written by some of the be


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minds in history. By reading them, your own mind can expand and your thoughts reac

a higher plane. Sir Richard Livingston said:

We are tied down, all our days and for the greater part of our days, to the

commonplace. This is where contact with great thinkers, great literature helps. In

their company we are still in the ordinary world, but it is the ordinary world transfig-ured and seen through the eyes of wisdom and genius.

Reading the great books may not turn us into Platos and Einsteins. But, their words ca

bring out our strengths.

3. Read like an Ivy League grad.When I was teaching high school, I noticed that st

dents on my campus were focusing on popular modern-day books while students in th

preppy private schools received a more liberal education with emphasis on the gre

thinkers of history. The same seems true with colleges. State programs give a curso

overview of the greats while Ivy League graduates complete school with a firmer gras

of important ideas and what they mean in the world today. Proponents of the classics

schools say, Whats best for the best, is best for everyone. No matter what you

background, reading the classics can give you a fuller understanding of the world. It

possible to bring your mind to the same level as Ivy League grads by pursuing a se

study of these important works.

4. Escape from the narrow box of specialization.Focusing your expertise on just on

subject may be a smart way to earn a living. But, by shutting yourself off from a mo

extensive world of knowledge, you limit your ability to excel. In order to truly thrive

any field, people need a broad understanding of the world and how it works. Hutchin

said:

The liberally educated man has a mind that can operate will in all fields. He may be a

specialist in one field. But he can understand anything important that is said in any

field and can see and use the light that it sheds upon his own.

Whether youre in computer science, marketing, healthcare, or any other field, gaining

broad knowledge of the many subjects covered in the great books will help you in you

specialization.


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5. Learn from past mistakes.It is often said that those who forget history are doomed

repeat it. By ignoring the discoveries recorded in the great books, we are bound to mak

the same mistakes both on a societal level and in our own lives. Educational philos

pher Mortimer Adler explained:

People who question or even scorn the study of the past and its works usually as-sume that the past is entirely different from the present, and that hence we can learn

nothing worthwhile from the past. But it is not true that the past is entirely different

from the present. We can learn much of value from its similarity and its difference

We and the ancients share a common human nature and hence certain common hu-

man experiences and problems.

Everyone has to forge his own path in this life. But, why not see how others conquere

the same challenges? Theres no point to wander lost in a wilderness when dozens

guidebooks are freely available.

6. Improve your ability to comprehend. Although the great books werent written f

specialists and experts, they can be a tough read. If youre tempted to trade in Sophocl

for Sue Grafton, realize that stepping outside of your reading comfort-zone can do wo

ders for your comprehension. Hutchins explained:

If many great books seem unreadable and unintelligibleit may be because we have

not for a long time learned to read by reading them. Great books teach people not only

how to read them, but how to read other books as well.

Once you get through a few of the more challenging books, youll find it easier to com

prehend all kinds of works. As a more confident reader, you wont need to shy awa

from academic articles or historical texts. The entire body of English writing will be

your domain.

7. Be truly human. At its heart, reading the great books is about exploring ou

humanity. Rousseau said:

It matters little to me whether my pupil is intended for the army, the church, or the

law. Before his parents chose a calling for him, nature called him to be a manWhen


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he leaves me, he will be neither a magistrate, a soldier, not a priest; he will be a man.

As a pupil of the great books, you enter into a discussion of what it means to be

person. Ultimately, ulterior motives such as appearing smart fall to the wayside. Yo

can forget all the blogs, self-help books, and magazine articles that tell you how to im

prove your life. The great books are the master course in self-development.

8. Find your own answers to lifes big questions. By following themes in the gre

books, youll realize that certain topics are discussed over and over again througho

history: What is our destiny? What is a good life? How can we achieve a good society

What can we learn to guide us through the mazes of the future from history, philosoph

and religion, literature, and the fine arts?

Reading the great books wont give you an ultimate answer to the big questions. Bu

they will offer diverse views and possibilities. By understanding the conclusions th

great thinkers have come to about these questions, youll come closer to settling on a

swers that works for you.

9. Develop a spirit of inquiry.Too many people are complacent about their lives, n

concerning themselves with the ideas that have made the world what it is today. Rea

ing the great books can help you foster your natural curiosity and desire to learn eve

more about the world. Hutchins put it this way:

To put an end to the spirit of inquiry that has characterized the West it is not neces-

sary to burn the books. All we have to do is leave them unread for a few generations.

Thats a pretty startling quote. But, its true. All the discoveries, thoughts, and ideas

the people who came before us are meaningless unless we care enough to explore them

10. Join in the great conversation.Ultimately, the great books make up a conversatio

that spans mortal time and space. The Romans respond to the Greeks, the authors of thmiddle ages express their reaction to the Romans, and so on. Modern-day authors a

responding to ideas first expressed hundreds of years ago. Once you have a grasp

what has been said in this unending conversation, youll be prepared to join in. Write

book, have a discussion with a friend, or post on a message board. Add your 2 cents an

become a part of the greatest fireside chat the world has ever seen.


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(Post Script: For related information check out The Great Conversation book b

Hutchins or the essay Why Read Great Booksby Adler. Also, be sure to keep chec

ing the Great Books tabat the top of this page. Ill be posting articles on the books there

photocredit: Herkie

10 Ways Reading the Great Books Can Improve Your Life

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