When Hutchinson, Adler, and the team at Britannica undertook the work of compiling and publishing their 54 volume Great Books of the Western World (GBWW) set in 1952, they embarked on an ambitious and probably expensive undertaking to write the Syntopicon. Occupying volumes II and III of the commercially successful set of classic books, theContinue reading “A Brief Guide to the Syntopicon”
Tag Archives: Great Books
[Video] 5 EASY Books of Philosophy
The great books often appear daunting, especially for novice or younger readers. Many of the books are long, containing hundreds of pages or several volumes. Even experienced readers can be turned off from difficult topics like philosophy or theology. Therefore, it is helpful to highlight some of the “easier” classics that may lead one toContinue reading “[Video] 5 EASY Books of Philosophy”
Great Books of Christianity: The Modern Era
The most challenging period in which to select the great books of Christianity is the modern era. The sheer volume of Christian literature produced in the last two centuries makes extracting out “the best” a difficult task. Moreover, books written closer to the present have not yet been sorted by the harshest critic of all:Continue reading “Great Books of Christianity: The Modern Era “
Great Books of Christianity: Reformation and Enlightenment
In our third installment of the Great Books of Christianity, we explore the works hailing from one of the most tumultuous times in Christian history: the Reformation. As new forms of Christianity spread throughout the West, theologians on all sides sharpened their pens and duked it out on parchment. The theological battles that raged foreverContinue reading “Great Books of Christianity: Reformation and Enlightenment”
Great Books of Christianity: The Medieval Period
Christianity is no stranger to the great books of the West and stands out among the great books as the inspiration for many of the foundational works of philosophy, literature, and science. Thus, there are a subset of great books in the West that aim to study Christianity itself. The Medieval period (~600 AD –Continue reading “Great Books of Christianity: The Medieval Period”
Great Books of Christianity: The Early Church
Perhaps no other topic has been written about in the West more than Christianity. In the past 2,000 years, tomes on the faith have been written by kings, monks, prophets, and laymen alike. One might conclude that no other faith has inspired, and been inspired by, great literature quite like Christianity. Therefore, in our nextContinue reading “Great Books of Christianity: The Early Church”
TW on YouTube: Christianity in The Lord of the Rings (part 1: The Threefold Office)
Despite numerous attempts to discredit the Christian elements in the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien himself admits his greatest work is indeed a Christian, even a Catholic, work. Here, I revisit an old video topic and cover the priest, prophet, and king elements in the figures of Frodo, Gandalf, and Aragorn. More videos on otherContinue reading “TW on YouTube: Christianity in The Lord of the Rings (part 1: The Threefold Office)”
12 Great Books of Western History
Much of what we know of the past three thousand years relies largely on the great historians of the millennia. Through excellent scholarship, tedious compilation, clear prose, and entertaining color commentary (sometime at the expense of accuracy), these historians and their famous works have shaped the western world’s ideas about its development. Though the bulkContinue reading “12 Great Books of Western History”
6 Horror Classics to Make Your October Spookier
It’s officially Halloween season, which means scary movies, trick-or-treating, and costume parties. If you’re a book-lover, then it might also include picking up a spooky novel to enjoy around a fireplace while sipping a warm beverage (pumpkin spice latte perhaps?). Lucky for you, we have some suggestions on which books might be perfect for that.Continue reading “6 Horror Classics to Make Your October Spookier”
6 Classic Book Collections for Your Kids
Getting your kids to read books is important. Getting your kids reading the right books is even more important. Yet, selecting appropriate reading material for children has become increasingly difficult in our modern society. With the introduction of ideologically driven literature in schools and other public institutions, one can be at a loss for whichContinue reading “6 Classic Book Collections for Your Kids”