Comments on: Developing a Taste for Good Books http://www.hieropraxis.com/2010/02/developing-a-taste-for-good-books/ Literature and faith, truth and beauty Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:23:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: josephdc http://www.hieropraxis.com/2010/02/developing-a-taste-for-good-books/#comment-78 josephdc Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:48:36 +0000 http://www.hieropraxis.com/?p=445#comment-78 I really love Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. At First, it was difficult, because I'm not much of a reader of classic. But as I become more acquainted with Austen's style, I really got to enjoy it. It was such a pleasurable read. The English language never tasted that delicious! The BBC came up with a list of a hundred "great books" last year. It said most people would have read only 6 out of the 100 in the list. Mine was 12, but I still felt bad because I hadn't really read much of the great books that are available out there. For instance, I haven't read LOTR yet. It made me realize that I really ought to take my reading seriously. I really appreciate this article! I really love Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. At First, it was difficult, because I’m not much of a reader of classic. But as I become more acquainted with Austen’s style, I really got to enjoy it. It was such a pleasurable read. The English language never tasted that delicious!

The BBC came up with a list of a hundred “great books” last year. It said most people would have read only 6 out of the 100 in the list. Mine was 12, but I still felt bad because I hadn’t really read much of the great books that are available out there. For instance, I haven’t read LOTR yet. It made me realize that I really ought to take my reading seriously.

I really appreciate this article!

]]> By: Ali http://www.hieropraxis.com/2010/02/developing-a-taste-for-good-books/#comment-77 Ali Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:23:45 +0000 http://www.hieropraxis.com/?p=445#comment-77 Gosh, I could talk for hours on this subject of reading! I was fortunate to go to a wonderful private girls' school where I was exposed to many of the classics--Dante, the British novelists (not Jane Austen though), the Greeks, etc. I also studied Latin and French so I was fortunate to study great works in the original language. Nonetheless, while immersed in all this formal education, I wanted to read fun, fluffy books for recreation. And I picked up stuff like Danielle Steele and many simple mystery/detective books (think Jonathan Kellerman). It wasn't until I finished law school in my early thirties that I decided to try reading some of the classics I never read in high school. I thought I was done with school--though I do intend to get an MBA--and I wanted to be challenged in my reading. I sensed there was more fulfilling reading out there than Bridget Jones' Diary. So I picked up Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, and I absolutely loved it. Then I decided to try some of the Russian writers because I am Orthodox and attend a church whose tradition comes from the Russians--and I found I loved what the Russians had to say. I also wanted to try some George Eliot, and I found her to be marvelous as well. The more I read of the classics, the more hooked I became. And like you, I no longer enjoy reading fluff. I think the classics are so wonderful because their themes are simply timeless and utterly profound! I find myself having such a deep connection with many of the characters in the classics in a way that I don't have with the characters in works of fluff. Recently I picked up a work that was touted as a great modern, literary work. I read through it quickly, but when I was finished, I felt empty--the book was essentially about vapid ideas. I think it was at this point that I realized that my reading tastes have matured. Gosh, I could talk for hours on this subject of reading! I was fortunate to go to a wonderful private girls’ school where I was exposed to many of the classics–Dante, the British novelists (not Jane Austen though), the Greeks, etc. I also studied Latin and French so I was fortunate to study great works in the original language. Nonetheless, while immersed in all this formal education, I wanted to read fun, fluffy books for recreation. And I picked up stuff like Danielle Steele and many simple mystery/detective books (think Jonathan Kellerman).

It wasn’t until I finished law school in my early thirties that I decided to try reading some of the classics I never read in high school. I thought I was done with school–though I do intend to get an MBA–and I wanted to be challenged in my reading. I sensed there was more fulfilling reading out there than Bridget Jones’ Diary. So I picked up Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, and I absolutely loved it. Then I decided to try some of the Russian writers because I am Orthodox and attend a church whose tradition comes from the Russians–and I found I loved what the Russians had to say. I also wanted to try some George Eliot, and I found her to be marvelous as well.

The more I read of the classics, the more hooked I became. And like you, I no longer enjoy reading fluff. I think the classics are so wonderful because their themes are simply timeless and utterly profound! I find myself having such a deep connection with many of the characters in the classics in a way that I don’t have with the characters in works of fluff.

Recently I picked up a work that was touted as a great modern, literary work. I read through it quickly, but when I was finished, I felt empty–the book was essentially about vapid ideas. I think it was at this point that I realized that my reading tastes have matured.

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