The Well-Educated Mind

[AbbyR]

Has anyone read this and tried her program of reading? I'm thinking about doing it and was wondering if any had, or if anyone has any interest. I've pulled out the first few recommended fiction books, but looked ahead and am really looking forward to doing the biography section.

Opinions?

[Drum]

1. never heard of this program,

but will be interested in hearing more...will check back when yr post has gotten some more responses.
Drum

[AbbyR]

2. It's a book I got recently

The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had by Susan Wise Bauer. She tells you how to really read a book to learn from it, not just for pleasure, as I usually do. I have always read a lot, but after I got out of graduate school, I swore I'd never again read anything I didn't want to read. It's funny, but now I want to expand my horizons.

[Drum]

3. Sounds interesting,

and I applaud your motivation!

[lindisfarne]

4. I learn a lot from the books I read for pleasure.

Twilight in the Desert, Perfectly Legal, Richard Clarke's book, The Price of Loyalty (lots of political reading these days), An Unexpected Light, the Lobster Chronicles, the Known World, Dreams from my father, anything by Bill Moyers, Jimmy Carter, Barbara Kingsolver. Peter Mayle. For the Common Good. One Market Under God. The Affluent Society. Red Sky at Dawn. Any of the Harry Potters. The Barnyard Dance. Corduroy. The Going to Bed Book. Where the Sidewalk Ends. The Giving Tree. The Snowy Day. Waiting for "Iraq Confidential" & "American Theocracy". Democratic Underground - the longest book known to man.

How can one not learn from a book if one reads it (unless one speed-reads it without really comprehending)? Whether or not one engages in pseudo-intellectualism or even writes a paper discussing the book does not mean one learns more. I think how much you learn depends on the degree to which you create an environment while reading which allows you to concentrate.

I think the author may be a bit full of herself. What does she mean by "classical education"? What is generally mean by "the classics" leads out a whole lot of great literature!

Maybe it's good for someone who doesn't think they can read "serious" books and needs a little confidence building. Practice, Practice, Practice is the answer.

Publishers Weekly
Bauer's The Well-Trained Mind (which she co-wrote with Jessie Wise) taught parents how to educate kids; her latest is designed for adults seeking self-education in the classical tradition. Reading-sustained, disciplined and structured-is her core methodology, so she starts with tips on improving reading skills and setting up a reading schedule (start with half-hour sessions four mornings a week, with daily journal writing). Reading is a discipline, like meditating or running, she says, and it needs regular exercise. To grow through reading-to reach the "Great Conversation" of ideas-Bauer outlines the three stages of the classical tradition: first, read for facts; then evaluate them; finally, form your own opinions. After explaining the mechanics of each stage (e.g., what type of notes to take in the book itself, or in the journal), Bauer begins the list section of the book, with separate chapters for her five major genres: fiction, autobiography/memoir, history/politics, drama and poetry. She introduces each category with a concise discussion of its historical development and the major scholarly debates, clearly defining all important terms (e.g., postmodernism, metafiction). And then, the piece de resistance: lists, in chronological order, of some 30 major works in each genre, complete with advice on choosing the edition and a one-page synopsis. Bauer has crafted a timeless, intelligent book. (Aug.) Forecast: Bauer's book has a large potential readership. For serious self-educators, it's a well-balanced, long-lasting reading program. For book-clubbers, it's a brilliant guide on to how to analyze any given literary work-even if it's not on Bauer's list. And for college students in trouble, it's a quick gloss of books there wasn't time to read, plus sound advice on spotting critical fallacies. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

There's nothing worse in my opinion than over=analyzing a book, which is why I cannot stand bookclubs. If you really want to analyze, you have to do a lot more than read the book: you have to understand the author, understand the context in which the book was written, and so on. Which involves a lot more reading. Which is fine. If you want to. It's rewarding. But goes well beyond reading the book.