I have spent the afternoon reading or re-reading the first 3 books. The Great Conversation and The Great Ideas. (I've never been good at reading one thing at a time). Sardine Mama at sardinesinacan offers to join me. Austen and I discuss theories on what a liberal education is.
I get all excitable and start trying to include the boys..and then catch myself.
I realize when Sardine Mama asks which specific books to read, that I need this thing called a plan.
Hmm.
I plan to read books 1-5 by mid January...focusing most of my time and attention on Book 5 Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes. This is simply because I have read 1-4 before. So it's sort-of a cheat..I know. Basically, the first 3 books are an explanation of the "conversation" per se..and then summaries of the ideas. (I know..did not do the books much justice). Book 4 is Homer..the Illiad and the Odyssey..which I know that Sardine Mama and her crew are fairly familiar with. So..I propose to host one "Socratic Saturday" a month. Anyone that has read all or some of these readings are welcome to join. It will be very informal. We will serve tea (hot or cold depending on weather), lemonade and alcohol. We will enjoy some snacks and maybe take a walk, fish, swim or get warm by a fire. (once again..weather depending) as we discuss.
February books 6-8: Herodotus/Thucydides, Plato and Aristotle
March books 9-11: more Aristotle, Hippocrates/Galen, and Euclid/Archimedes/Apollonius of Perga/Niomachus
April: books 12-14: Lucretius/Epictetus/M.Aurelius, Virgil and Plutarch
essentially, 3 volumes a month (after the initial cram 5 books in a couple of weeks). This would put us completing the set in June of 2011..which gives us a little "wiggle room" for life..since I am determined to do this by Sept. of 2011.
And no. The World will not end if this does not happen. I just gotta see if I can do it:)
If someone has to miss a month..it is okay. If someone just wants to listen to the discussion but has not read..that is okay too. Essentially, all are welcome just know we will be discussing these thinkers for the day.
This is a crazy amount of reading..and I know by condensing things I really don't give any of the authors justice.
But that is how it's gonna be.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
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2 comments:
Did you say alcohol? Because that sweetens the pot and we shall be there (me and El and possibly Joel although he is a slow reader so maybe not....but he can read 1 and join in that discussion, at least).
Absolutely alcohol:)...I was thinking the same with Cody and Austen..sometimes/not always and maybe select one or two essays (not necessarily an entire volume, even..unless they just can't put it down!) for each month.
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