"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
In Great Books, Denby lives the common adult fantasy of returning to school with some worldly knowledge and experience of life. A gifted storyteller, he leads us on a glorious tour--by turns eloquent, witty, and moving--through the works themselves and through his experiences as a middle-aged man among freshmen. He recounts his failures and triumphs as a reader and student (taking an exam led to a hilarious near-breakdown). He celebrates his rediscovery or new appreciation of such authors as Homer, Plato, the biblical writers, Augustine, Boccaccio, Hegel, Austen, Marx, Nietzsche, and Virginia Woolf. He re-creates the atmosphere of the classroom--the strategies used by a remarkable group of teachers and the strengths and weaknesses of media-age students as they grapple with these difficult, sometimes frightening works. And all year long he watches the students grow and his own life and memories break out of hiding.
The result is an extraordinarily engaging blend of criticism, reporting, autobiography, and cultural commentary, a book about self-discovery. Denby offers a nonprofessor's look at life on campus; he addresses the vexing questions of political correctness and relativism, and he suggests that a larger crisis surrounds the teaching of the humanities. A liberal defending "the canon," Denby places literature in its revolutionary role as the source of powerful stories--the most powerful stories that we tell about ourselves. For the reader who once read these works, the book is a brilliant reprise; for the reader unfamiliar with them, Great Books offers an irresistible introduction. By the end, the great works are revealed again in their power to disturb and give pleasure.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Book Description hardcover. Condition: New. New. Seller Inventory # 27-07469
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # DADAX0684809753
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0684809753
Book Description Condition: new. Seller Inventory # FrontCover0684809753
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think0684809753
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard0684809753
Book Description Condition: New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 1.25. Seller Inventory # Q-0684809753
Book Description Condition: new. First Edition, First Printing. Book is in NEW condition. Satisfaction Guaranteed! Fast Customer Service!!. Seller Inventory # PSN0684809753