An Education In Books

A couple of years ago, I was a member of a book-of-the-month club. One book I got during that time was called THE WELL-EDUCATED MIND by Susan Wise Bauer. I recently, finally, picked it up again.

The subtitle on the book is "A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had." Specifically, it refers to an education in literature and how to interpret and think logically about what you have read.

I don't know about you guys, but my education didn't include the classics like it did for some people. I was that kid in the back row of the class, reading Stephen King or romance novels while everyone else was reading SILAS MARNER. I didn't read much of the assigned reading, and when I did, I mostly skimmed through it. And my college experience was abbreviated, at best.

However, I have always felt this lack and I found the concept of Ms. Bauer's book to be interesting. Each chapter includes theory, history and exercises for critical thinking, along with book descriptions and reading lists.

Despite feeling like my brain is a mite sluggish (therefore causing me to have to reread paragraphs a couple times to make sure I get the point), the book is pretty well organized and easy to digest.

Ms. Bauer suggests setting a few times a week to read and study, concentrating on learning the subject matter. She specifically suggests the morning for this, but anyone who knows me knows I don't do mornings.

For those who have wanted to brush up on their classic literature, this book is a wonderful source. Whether you went to a university or the college of life, this book can help you with finding classics to explore as well as the skills needed to appreciate them. Even if you aren't a fan of school, this might be just the ticket for you, as it allows you to move at your own pace and pick the books you are going to learn about.

Nicole