Invitation to the Classics

Are you yet another shameless philistine? Most likely not, since you're considering reading this book. You're here, thus this book is for you! A strange conclusion, I know. Let it stand. Avoiding every brand of fashionable nonsense that's infected today's literary criticism, editors Louise Cowan and Os Guinness here offer an excellent guide to the foundational works of Western Civilization. They've assembled, in addition to themselves, a worthy team of writers who approach each work or movement not as museum pieces, but as rooted in the permanent things and hence eternally alive. Its first three prefatory chapters alone are worth its price. Read this book. Become a custodian. Let today's catastrophic decay compel you to do so. Also see: The Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What It Means to Be an Educated Human Being & The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to English and American Literature (Politically Incorrect Guides) Finally, see my various lists and guides here, accessible via my profile, for more.

While there are many "guides" to the Classics out there, this one is one of my husband and my favorites; I am a graduate of St. John's College (MA in Great Books) and my husband had one of the authors (Louise Cowan) for undergrad... We like the book for the philosopy it espouses...Christian humanistic but much smarter than your average "Christian" book. It is a great resource for overviews on the great thinkers and provides questions and good resources for more info. on each of the "great" writers." I find the questions to be more substantive and the resources to be more carefully researched than in other "guides" that I have read.

I buy copies of this for every college-bound teen at our church. It features articles by a very eclectic mix of Christian literary critics (though evangelical Reformed/Presbyterians and Roman Catholics predominate). It is fair and balanced in its treatment of works that are often very hostile to the faith. Beautifully illustrated.

This is a wonderful overview of classic Western literature from a Christian perspective. With a wide scope and a clarity of expression, there is likely something that any reader can enjoy and understand within these pages.More significant than any of this, however, is that the book has something that far too many "contemporary Christian" books do not have: fundamental fairness. When dealing with unorthodox or non-religious opinions (take Nietzsche for example), the editors neither preach nor abdicate their religious duties. Instead, they urge the reader to consider the author's viewpoint, relate it to their beliefs and experiences, and take away from it what they may.Any book which shares the good news of God's love and encourages critical thinking is a welcome addition to any bookshelf... whether a Bible shares the shelf is completely irrelevant.

After recently perusing "The New Lifetime Reading Plan", I dug this book back out to do a comparison. "Invitation to the Classics" has more of a particularly Christian approach, including works by Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Weil, and Lewis that other such surveys might omit. It also focuses on western literature, leaving out some of the great Japanese and Chinese classics that would give one more of a well-rounded education. Most authors included here are represented by only one work, and some choices are curious indeed (for Faulkner, "Go Down, Moses" was selected over "The Sound and the Fury", for Joyce, "Dubliners" got the nod over "Ulysses"). That does not diminish the value of this book, however. This is more than just a reading list. It is a beautiful book in its own right, with color photographs and illustrations to enhance the experience. All in all, I highly recommend this volume.