What's So Great About the Great Books?: Why You Should Read Classic Literature (Even Though It Might Destroy You)

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4.9/5
1,941 RATINGS  |  367 REVIEWS

What's So Great About the Great Books?: Why You Should Read Classic Literature (Even Though It Might Destroy You)

N/A

4.9/5
1,189 RATINGS  |  153 REVIEWS

Description: A popular novelist and literary blogger answers those who claim the classics are too difficult, too problematic, and too white—and explains what we gain by reading themWhen she was in her early twenties, then-aspiring writer Naomi Kanakia set out to read the Great Books—humankind’s most highly regarded literary classics, representing “the best that human beings have thought or said,” as determined by the two elderly intellectuals who’d written the guidebook she consulted. After twenty years, she has made her way through about two-thirds of these books, and she’s found reading them to be an immensely pleasurable and insightful activity. Plato, Milton, Tolstoy, Proust, all those dead guys—their books have stood the test of time.But since beginning her journey, Kanakia has found that although reading the Great Books is part of a longstanding tradition of engaging with the thought of previous generations, it is also a highly contingent activity that arose out of a specific time and place, the brainchild of a small group of early twentieth-century popularizers associated with Columbia University and the University of Chicago. And people have always been skeptical about the idea of reading the Great Books, asking if this is truly a realistic or even desirable goal for the ordinary person. A more recent and growing group of Great Books skeptics asks if these works are too problematic, reactionary, and irrelevant to bother reading. Kanakia, a self-described “left-of-center person,” grapples with these objections, attempting to restore context for the Great Books even as she sticks up for them. Because books that expose us to fundamental truths about the nature of beauty and reality are worth fighting for. We have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers. To get started finding What's So Great About the Great Books?: Why You Should Read Classic Literature (Even Though It Might Destroy You), you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed. Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.

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Self-Help Young Adult Religion Art & Photography Humor Thriller Science

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2026

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Ratings & Reviews

Avery King
Avery King November 02, 2025
It completely changed my perspective.
Jason Turner
Jason Turner October 19, 2025
Worth reading for sure.
Abigail Rodriguez
Abigail Rodriguez June 11, 2024
Would recommend it.
Olivia Davis
Olivia Davis July 25, 2024
Very informative yet entertaining at the same time.
Evelyn Garcia
Evelyn Garcia December 18, 2025
Would recommend it.
Jason Turner
Jason Turner February 09, 2024
An unforgettable reading experience from start to finish.
Daniel Wilson
Daniel Wilson March 11, 2024
An exceptional piece of work.
Abigail Rodriguez
Abigail Rodriguez July 16, 2025
Solid content and clear writing.
Victoria Roberts
Victoria Roberts May 11, 2024
This book truly stands out among others in its category.
Harper Lee
Harper Lee December 15, 2025
Very informative yet entertaining at the same time.
Andrew Thompson
Andrew Thompson February 26, 2024
The author did an outstanding job explaining complex ideas clearly.
Harper Lee
Harper Lee December 05, 2025
A powerful story that stays with you long after reading.
Brandon Green
Brandon Green July 07, 2025
A brilliant work that keeps you engaged every page.
Matthew Anderson
Matthew Anderson June 27, 2025
Very informative yet entertaining at the same time.
Joshua Harris
Joshua Harris March 19, 2024
Worth reading for sure.
Anthony Young
Anthony Young November 07, 2025
Enjoyed reading it overall.
Olivia Davis
Olivia Davis February 10, 2025
An exceptional piece of work.
Hannah Mitchell
Hannah Mitchell April 26, 2025
Worth reading for sure.
Adam Campbell
Adam Campbell December 07, 2025
Good overall though slightly slow at times.
David Thomas
David Thomas March 07, 2024
A powerful story that stays with you long after reading.
Grace Adams
Grace Adams August 10, 2024
Interesting and motivating.
Christopher Jackson
Christopher Jackson March 13, 2024
Worth reading for sure.
Anthony Young
Anthony Young May 11, 2024
An unforgettable reading experience from start to finish.
Anthony Young
Anthony Young January 07, 2025
Would recommend it.
Victoria Roberts
Victoria Roberts January 06, 2024
This book truly stands out among others in its category.
Hannah Mitchell
Hannah Mitchell September 20, 2025
Not bad, learned a few things.
Jason Turner
Jason Turner October 04, 2025
This book truly stands out among others in its category.
Emily Johnson
Emily Johnson November 26, 2024
A brilliant work that keeps you engaged every page.
Andrew Thompson
Andrew Thompson January 19, 2025
Very informative yet entertaining at the same time.
Matthew Anderson
Matthew Anderson December 05, 2025
Remarkably well-structured and thoughtfully written.
Emily Johnson
Emily Johnson June 30, 2025
This book truly stands out among others in its category.
Evelyn Garcia
Evelyn Garcia September 29, 2024
I learned so much and enjoyed every chapter.
Evelyn Garcia
Evelyn Garcia June 26, 2025
Solid content and clear writing.
Eric Evans
Eric Evans January 04, 2024
Would recommend it.
Elizabeth Allen
Elizabeth Allen September 30, 2025
A brilliant work that keeps you engaged every page.
Brandon Green
Brandon Green February 10, 2024
It completely changed my perspective.
Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall August 27, 2025
Remarkably well-structured and thoughtfully written.
Adam Campbell
Adam Campbell August 13, 2025
Strong and enjoyable read.
Daniel Wilson
Daniel Wilson April 18, 2024
Worth reading for sure.
Evelyn Garcia
Evelyn Garcia November 13, 2025
Average but still worth reading.
Zoe Phillips
Zoe Phillips March 11, 2024
Good overall though slightly slow at times.
Abigail Rodriguez
Abigail Rodriguez October 03, 2025
Good introduction to the topic.
Jonathan Wright
Jonathan Wright December 02, 2025
An exceptional piece of work.
Aaron Carter
Aaron Carter March 30, 2024
A brilliant work that keeps you engaged every page.
David Thomas
David Thomas January 12, 2024
Helpful and informative.
Anthony Young
Anthony Young November 12, 2024
An unforgettable reading experience from start to finish.
James Walker
James Walker February 11, 2024
An exceptional piece of work.
Andrew Thompson
Andrew Thompson May 29, 2024
Informative but could be shorter.
Harper Lee
Harper Lee April 03, 2024
Helpful and informative.
Aaron Carter
Aaron Carter May 08, 2024
I learned so much and enjoyed every chapter.
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