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great books, big ideas
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A channel for BookTubers who appreciate great books old and new: literature, philosophy, history, social sciences, and more. We focus on big ideas and themes that contribute to "The Great Conversation." You'll also find information and tips about book collecting, favorite editions, book reviews, reading updates, and audio readings.
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The Great Ideas Today, 1961. A Book Tour
What's inside Britannica's The Great Ideas Today, 1961? A lot! Here's a guided tour.
If you'd like to read this volume online, check it out at Archive.org
archive.org/details/greatideastoday00hutc
Intro to the Great Ideas Today series:
czcams.com/video/ZLMfcvM8f0M/video.htmlsi=Qq_4TxNEve3bh30o
Contents of The Great Ideas Today 1961:
The Great Debate of the Year (William 0. Douglas, Peregrine Worsthorne). Is Democracy The Best Form of Government For The Newly Formed Nations? 1-76.
Seventeen New Nations-Colonialism Comes To An End. Milton Mayer. 79-101.
Youth-The Young Go "Boom." Milton Mayer. 125-140.
The Great Game-America Elects A President. Milton Mayer. 101-124.
Literature, The Year's Developments In. Mark Van Doren 142-187.
Physical Sciences, Technology, and Astronomy, The Year's Developments In. Walter Sullivan188-243.
Social Sciences, Law, and History, The Year's Developments In. Edward A. Shils 244-289.
Biological Sciences and Medicine, The Year's Developments In. Gilbert Cant 290-335.
Philosophy, Religion, and Theology, The Year's Developments In. George P Grant 336-376.
Experience and Education. John Dewey. 379-419.
Relativity: The Special and General Theory. Albert Einstein. 421-477.
The School For Wives. Moliere. 479-527.
Three Essays. Arnold J. Toynbee. 529-562.
If you'd like to read this volume online, check it out at Archive.org
archive.org/details/greatideastoday00hutc
Intro to the Great Ideas Today series:
czcams.com/video/ZLMfcvM8f0M/video.htmlsi=Qq_4TxNEve3bh30o
Contents of The Great Ideas Today 1961:
The Great Debate of the Year (William 0. Douglas, Peregrine Worsthorne). Is Democracy The Best Form of Government For The Newly Formed Nations? 1-76.
Seventeen New Nations-Colonialism Comes To An End. Milton Mayer. 79-101.
Youth-The Young Go "Boom." Milton Mayer. 125-140.
The Great Game-America Elects A President. Milton Mayer. 101-124.
Literature, The Year's Developments In. Mark Van Doren 142-187.
Physical Sciences, Technology, and Astronomy, The Year's Developments In. Walter Sullivan188-243.
Social Sciences, Law, and History, The Year's Developments In. Edward A. Shils 244-289.
Biological Sciences and Medicine, The Year's Developments In. Gilbert Cant 290-335.
Philosophy, Religion, and Theology, The Year's Developments In. George P Grant 336-376.
Experience and Education. John Dewey. 379-419.
Relativity: The Special and General Theory. Albert Einstein. 421-477.
The School For Wives. Moliere. 479-527.
Three Essays. Arnold J. Toynbee. 529-562.
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Video
haiku: an introduction
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What is haiku and how does it accomplish so much in such a small poem? Featuring selected haiku readings from Haiku Mind: 108 Poems to Cultivate Awareness and Open Your Heart by Patricia Donegan www.shambhala.com/haiku-mind-684.html
Friday reads and channel updates, August 16, 2024
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Books discussed: Mountolive by Lawrence Durrell (finished) Timon of Athens by Shakespeare (finished) Haiku Mind by Patricia Donegan (finished) Menagerie Manor by Gerald Durrell (in progress) Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (in progress) Aristotle for Everybody by Mortimer J. Adler (in progress) The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (in progress) At the Existentialist Cafe by Sarah Bakewel...
World Book Encyclopedia haul!
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I got a full set of World Books and 11 annual supplements for $10! Yikes! Do print encyclopedias still have a place in your personal library? I think so. Let me explain why. You'll also find a book tour of a sample volume and the 1986 annual volume. The World Book is still in print by the way: www.worldbook.com/encyclopedias.aspx Want to get a used encyclopedia set on the cheap? Browse Facebook...
Friday reads, August 9, 2024
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I finished Plutarch's Lives! Which great book should I read next?? Also discussed: Aristotle's Metaphysics Epictetus Timon of Athens by Shakespeare Finnegans Wake by James Joyce A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake Future Shock by Alvin Toffler Bag of Bones by Stephen King, The World as Will and Idea by Schopenhauer The Rebels by John Jakes Lawrence Durrell's Mountolive, book 3 of the Alexandria Qu...
Intro to Britannica's "The Great Ideas Today" series
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A brief introduction to the annual supplements to the Great Books of the Western World, offered by Britannica from 1961 to 1998. This is part one of a series of book tour videos going through all the volumes one by one. Many volumes are available online at archive.org: archive.org/search?query=the great ideas today An index of works covered in the series: thegreatideasfromthegreatbooks.blogspot...
Britannica Great Books of the Western World: book design pros and cons
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Is the type size too small? Are the books actually readable? Let's have a look at the design and layout. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Friday reads, August 2, 2024
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Discussing books finished, new acquisitions and some bookshop jaunts. Books: Vacuum Diagrams by Stephen Baxter Plutarch's Lives Mountolive by Lawrence Durrell The Civilization of Rome The Great Ideas Today 1970 Kim by Rudyard Kipling Zadig and LIngénue by Voltaire A Treatise of Human Nature by Hume Vanity Fair by Thackeray
The Library Tag
zhlédnutí 107Před 14 dny
I was tagged by Denise www.youtube.com/@UCCPyx_6GIMvYutvif6pQ9bg and the original creators of this tag are www.youtube.com/@UCrj6tJF-3E2OsjyQXiygZZA If you DO go to the library… (answer these) 1. How often do you go to the library? 2. Do you belong to more than one library system? 3. What percent of books you read come from the library? 4. Do you listen to audiobooks or get e-books from the lib...
Plutarch and political violence
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What can we learn from the history of political violence in Ancient Greece and Rome, as told in Plutarch's Lives? How does this compare with political violence in American history?
Friday reads, July 19, 2024
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Featuring the Oxford History of English Literature, Vacuum Diagrams by Stephen Baxter, Finnegans Wake, and Plutarch's Lives
Intro to Heritage Press, a most affordable illustrated classics used books option
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Heritage Press, published by the George Macy Company, produced heaps of lovely hardcover illustrated classics for a good chunk of the 20th century. Let's dive into what makes them special. I also talk about the one book that got me hooked on this publisher.
Great books of the western world 2nd edition, compared to the first edition
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When Britannica issued a new edition of the Great Books of the Western World in 1990, they made a lot of changes. Let's discover the differences: cuts, additions, and new translations. Note: I skipped over a few of the English language authors like Shakespeare and Milton. 26:10 The 20th century additions, none of which were part of the first set. 31:48 Recap of major changes between sets. The f...
Friday reads, July 5, 2024
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Reading update. Books discussed include A Great Idea at the Time (for full review see czcams.com/video/b18l59neB7k/video.html ) To Kill a Mockingbird My Death Neuromancer Future Shock Works of Hesiod The Sea Bag of Bones Stories of Gogol
A Great Idea at the Time: The Rise, Fall and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books by Alex Beam
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A book review and summary. Where did the Great Books fad come from and what happened to it? Alex Beam's 2008 book has some answers!
Book Unhauls: Telling Stories, In the Palm of Your Hand, and Writing Alone and With Others
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Book Unhauls: Telling Stories, In the Palm of Your Hand, and Writing Alone and With Others
The Great Ideas Program: Another way into the Great Books of the Western World volumes
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The Great Ideas Program: Another way into the Great Books of the Western World volumes
Impressions on rereading Ulysses by James Joyce, the Gabler edition
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Impressions on rereading Ulysses by James Joyce, the Gabler edition
What to do with my old classic teaching texts?
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What to do with my old classic teaching texts?
Unhaul video: The Mirror and the Lamp by M.H. Abrams
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Unhaul video: The Mirror and the Lamp by M.H. Abrams
Approaches to reading The Great Books of the Western World 1952 edition
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Approaches to reading The Great Books of the Western World 1952 edition
The Great Conversation, Chapter 10, A Letter to the Reader
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The Great Conversation, Chapter 10, A Letter to the Reader
The Great Conversation, Chapter 9: East and West
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The Great Conversation, Chapter 9: East and West
It was awesome to listen about books we never heard about. Wish you could have taught one of those stories in oates anthology. Since creative writing is an obsession with many people . Today people who couldn't try being anacrobat or try to fly a plane think they can write. So a class on creative writing could explain to these hopefuls how difficult it is to write a satisfying story. Wish you could do it with some of your great books too. Thanking you
I just bought the whole series on eBay. Nowhere near as good a deal as you got, but the information contained within is well worth what I paid. Especially since I am helping to homeschool my grandchildren. I will also be able to pass along the collection to my family when I'm gone which will hopefully ensure these "Great Ideas" don't fade into obscurity.
They really are chock full of information. A treasure trove.
@@greatbooksbigideas Since the implosion of the American Education system, I have been investing in classic literature and all of the "Great Books" affiliated series. The only significant purchase I have left is a complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica; getting a newer set with all of the annual updates comes with some sticker shock. 😂
@@asdisskagen6487 I hear you! I recently scored a World Book Encyclopedia set with 11 annual updates for a grand total of $10. But Encyclopedia Britannica sets are going for A LOT more money. Maybe I'll get lucky like I did with the World Book. Are you going after a particular edition of Britannica?
@@greatbooksbigideas A few minutes ago, I bought a complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica (1985 / 15th printing) with Annuals through 1991 that included Webster's Third New International Unabridged Seven Language Dictionary trilogy as a bonus for $350 with free shipping. Still a lot of money, but I figure I can slowly pick up additional annuals as I find them. I decided to forgo the 11th edition (despite it being historically significant) since these will be used to augment a home education curriculum for my grand children (not to mention the cost of those is more for collectors vs. for reference). I haven't even seen any of the 2010 sets (published in 2009), which was fine as I am leery of books published after 2000 since 'selective editing for sensitivity' began creeping in around that time and I'm not sure what publications have been affected.
I have that volume. I need to reread the article on democracy as that subject is a central issue in the current election cycle
Yeah, I should take a look at it myself!
Thanks for the overview and for including a link to read it! I’m definitely interested in the additions to the Great Books library… I just love the idea of these books, before the age of internet, still being able to get access to such a variety of content, in one book!
Archive.org is such a great resource. I'll try to remember to keep including links back to it.
Imagine being able to access information even when a website is down! 😂
I do wonder whether adults wish to continue any education at all. In fact, despite the innumerable number of readers out there, most adults, in my experience (granted, I live in an industrial town) have no interest in "improving themselves" in any way, and that the entirety of their education (they imagine) was little more than a waste of time. They, back in my day (I'm 60), would rather have engaged themselves in sports (playing or watching). Now, most adults I'm familiar with would rather play video games, scroll through social media without memory of what they'd consumed, and/or play/watch sports. Shallow pursuits, in other words. They are actually proud of their choice of pursuits. That is not entirely true, I imagine; but I do wonder whether people wish to live a deep, intellectual life, anymore; if indeed most people ever did, then or now. One wonders whether even most readers these days are interested in anything deeper than the most recent bestseller lists. We (society) have been dumbed down, made consumers and not thinkers.
Thank you for sharing your experience with these books. We inherited the 1952 set when my husband’s mom passed away. I started with Book 1 in April and am just now (mid Aug) up to “Prudence” in the Syntopicon. Very slow going indeed, but that’s mostly because I find myself rereading entire paragraphs just trying to “keep up” with the author of these discussion topics. I typically sit with a couple of pillows on my lap, and the book propped up on top to better read the tiny font. I keep a journal nearby to copy down favorite quotes and topics I want to look out for in the actual books, which I hope to get to before 2025. 😉 I also purchased a bottle of bookbinding glue because the spines are starting to crack as you demonstrated.
Hutchins would be less frightened than terrified by the internet, I imagine. Everyone has a voice, but not the education to use it wisely; or the understanding what is being told them. Few people have the wisdom to question the stream of misinformation being served them, or to follow up to see if any of it is accurate, or even truthful.
The artwork is stunning. Thank you so much for this informative and well-put together video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Jim! I was aware about haiku but didn’t know much about it… but the Japanese love to elevate the everyday mundane things, so this style makes sense…
That’s what I like about haiku, the smallness yet the profundity it opens out to.
@@greatbooksbigideas Brevity is a hallmark of poetic form generally among East Asian cultures, but the Japanese haiku takes this tendency to its exquisite limit. Blake's world in a grain of sand finds its apogee in the classic haiku (Blake I doubt had any awareness of Japanese literature, a pity as I wonder what he would have made of such tiny yet expansive poems).
Yes, I imagine Blake would have been a haiku fan! Thanks for the insightful comment.
For anyone interested in the beautiful Heritage Press hardcover books, there is currently a listing on eBay with 300+ Heritage Press hardcover books for only $600. THAT'S $2 A BOOK, FOLKS! Unfortunately, it's local pickup only and they are in California and I live on the complete opposite side of the country. 😭
Thank you for sharing your experience Malachy, you are an inspiration for us to get our heads out of the "dumb" box. It felt like I was witnessing treasures from an ancient civilization. Schooling was such a waste of time.
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
Looking forward to your vid on haiku, I lived in Japan for 2 years, but never really got into them! I’m still slowly making my way through the Iliad & Seneca’s letters, plus tried reading R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, but might dnf, just cannot stand the main character! 😅
Stay tuned for the haiku video. I hope to bang it out sometime in the next week! Which translation of the Iliad are you reading? Not familiar with Yellowface.
@@greatbooksbigideas it’s the Robert Fagles Penguin Classic edition. I’m enjoying it, just been too busy to finish it yet! R.F.Kuang is quite popular on booktube, Babel was another popular book of hers, but it’s contemporary… Think Yellowface came out last year…
I always had trouble getting into older literature until I learned a little trick. Read it out loud to yourself. It takes longer, but it ups my reading comprehension and my enjoyment. Before television and radio, people used to read aloud to each other, and books were kind of written to be consumed that way. My general rule of thumb is that if it's older than 100 years, read it out loud (this is for fiction). Two books I'm reading that way now are A Passage to India and Resurrection by Tolstoy. And I just finished O Pioneers! by Willa Cather. That's an example of a book that I'd read before, silently, and couldn't get into. Reading it out loud, I couldn't put it down.
I’ve done this trick myself and it works!
I have all the numbered volumes (there are other volumes that aren't numbered). My parents got them at the grocery store but they were lost, along with a lot of other books, when they divorced in the 80s but I found the set again on ebay as I am trying to rebuild the library I grew up with. As for them being unabridged that's not quite true, A Study in Scarlett by AC Doyle had just about all the stuff about Mormons cut. Personally I think it actually made the story better
Hi, thanks for the comment and clarification about abridgement. I need to do a video about the next book in my collection, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I have most of the numbered volumes and a few of the others.
@@greatbooksbigideas I don't have any of the others I should probably start looking for them
Hold the phone - no Milton - paradise Lost ? No crime and punishment ? No pascal Pensees?
Paradise Lost IS in the 2nd edition, as is Pascal Pensees. No Crime and Punishment, alas!
Awesome video. You really got a great deal. There is nothing like the real thing. I am an obsessive encyclopedia hunter. Have six sets in physical format and numerous electronic PDF versions of rarer collections. The Britannica of 73/74 with the Macropaedia format is my all time favorite. Happy browsing with your 'new' old set.
Thanks! I’ll keep an eye out for that Britannica edition!
Oh, man, I am sooooo jealous! Congratulations!
Thanks!
I collect encyclopedias too and I still read them
Awesome! What are your favorite editions?
@greatbooksbigideas I have quite a few and they all have unique personalities. Starting from the first set my grandparents gave me way back in the early 1960s I have the Golden Book Encyclopedia, The Golden Home and High School Encyclopedia, The World Book Encyclopedia from the 70s which has the transparencies for frog and human anatomy, Funk and Wagnall's Encyclopedia which I acquired 1 volume at a time from the local grocery and took to college with me, Grolier's Encyclopedia and The Encyclopedia Britannica. I also have The Book of Knowledge set from the 60s, The Book of Popular Science and The World Book Science Encyclopedia. And I have year books for most of those. And I still frequently pull out a volume and read it when I don't have anything else to do. I especially like to do that after I finish a regular book kind of like warming down after working out
Wow, they’re in such amazing condition! That red reminds me a bit of the beautiful Harvard Classics (5-foot shelf) set… (you ever start reading any of those?) My Dutch grandpa had a Dutch encyclopaedia set, but when he passed last year I wasn’t able to bring it with me… tbh don’t have the shelf space for it! 😅 but I agree about the fun of hopping around, not knowing what you might stumble across, it’s very satisfying and rewarding, much more so than clicking on links in Wikipedia…
I've seen the Harvard Classics set you speak of. Rob Pirie on his channel "The Cause" is working through that set, and they're very attractive. I've seen them in all kinds of bindings, some nicer than others. For some reason, I haven't gone down the Harvard Classics route. I won't rule it out, though!
@@greatbooksbigideas yea, I’ve been following him too! I think there’s quite a lot of overlap with the Great Books of the Western World set though, especially with literature & philosophy, but the Harvard ones don’t have as much science I think…
Another great video Jim. I may be one of the younger subscribers, I remember seeing The World Book collection in my library when I was growing up in the 90's (my local library still has a full set!) but my interest was only piqued when they came out on CD ROM. As I get older, I find myself gravitating more towards physical books and shunning using online resources as the only means of acquiring information. A few years ago I purchased a full set of The Encyclopedia Britannica (1987) and I go to that when I want to explore a topic for the first time, only then do I go online to supplement what I read. My approach may seem back to front, but I find it more rewarding, and I find the information sticks much better.
Thanks for the comment and thanks for subscribing! That's so cool that you have a Britannica set. Does that have the macropedia and micropedia? How did that all work? I think your approach is entirely legit, btw. Start with the print books as a basis and go online for updates and additions. I wanted to talk about the enhanced comprehension but failed to mention it. I think you're right about the stickiness factor.
@@greatbooksbigideas I got my set in a charity store for what was approximately $55, clearly never used. It contains the full set of both the Micro- and Macro- pedia, along with a huge Britannica Atlas and a yearbook. What makes the set stand out is the Propædia volume, which was in fact created by Mortimer J Adler, serving as a compendium of all the major disciplines, breaking down all of the subjects into their constituent parts and functioned as a huge study guide. It comes in handy for when I want to go in depth on any particular subject from the beginning and acquiring a respectable amount of breadth and depth. The world book series definitely seems more "approachable" and lends itself to the "dip in dip out" method. Britannica on the other hand takes a more serious tone, it's layout isn't as attractive, more scholarly, but I'm sure some people have no issue there. As for my approach: If I'm not following the Propædia, then I'm consulting the Index first, which normally leads to the Micropedia, culminating in a deep study of one or more articles in the Macropedia (and some of these are fantastic). It allows me to build up the connections slowly, which admittedly takes longer than a quick browse on Wikipedia, but it's a web of your own creation, and that's something missing from the digital alternatives. How many times have we gone online to search for something and 20 minutes later, we have lost track and find ourselves looking at something completely disconnected? How much have you learnt in that time? How much do we actually recall? One of my favourite quotes which sums up my reason for such an approach is by Nicholas Carr from his book "The Shallows - What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains" (which I highly recommend): "The Net seizes our attention only to scatter it […] a cacophony of stimuli short-circuits both conscious and unconscious thought, preventing our minds from thinking either deeply or creatively"
Great price on your set! Adler did Herculean work on both the GBWW Syntopicon and the Britannica. One of these days maybe I'll score a Britannica set. I've read the Carr book. It's excellent! Sven Birkerts' book The Gutenberg Elegies comes to mind. He has some good quotes about the differences between reading online versus paper books. He talks about the skimming tendency in much the same spirit.
Unfortunately my father lost his eye sight this past year. But because of that he was finally willing to part with 1988 World Book set. There's also about a decade's worth of updates and some science books he had also bought through them. I'm about halfway through A right now, and I plan on reading the whole series.
I'm sorry about your father's eyesight. I've never tried to read any volumes cover to cover. Instead, I like to hop around within and between volumes. Lots of ways to read them!
What an awesome find Jim, congratulations!
Thanks 👍
Only way they should be selling these is large print.😐
Just stumbled on your channel - very nice conversations. Thanks!
Thanks! Hope you stick around!
Thanks for covering this extension to The Great Books. It really was a heroic effort to keep the great books relevant for modern times.
I love videos like this, but they - and the comments - make me feel ignorant. I have so much to learn, so much to read, but at 57, I feel I'm running out of time 😢
It’s never too late to start! I’ll never get through everything I’d like to read, but I try to enjoy the ride regardless.
😄 I read Gerald Durrell
Any favorites?
I really like Heritage Press editions - I try to pick them up whenever I find them.
Me too!
For those not familiar with John Jakes; he's probably most famous for his Civil War series North and South that was turned into a mini series in the 80s starring Patrick Swayze (and others). The Rebels is part of a Revolutionary War series that was also turned into a mini series in the 70s. Not great, but William Shatner as Paul Revere is pretty cool. They're available on CZcams for free. If you see a John Jakes book laying around somewhere and you're in the mood for some brain candy, it's good stuff.
Good characterization!
Well done Jim on finishing Plutarch!🎉 love these vids, even though they make my already huge TBR bigger! 😅 I love Stoicism (can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Epictetus!) think that’s how I eventually found your videos, from philosophy channels, to classics channels, to your vids on the GBotWW series…
Cool connections! I'll probably venture into Epictetus in the next week.
Thanks for the video, Jim. I would love to see how these would have evolved to the current day. I can't think of anything comparable to these volumes for today's audience and I look forward to your future videos on the set .
You and me both!
You should absolutely take the time and get into Euclid. Memorize the definitions, postulates, and common notions. Work through each proposition, draw out the construction, recognize whether you’re working with a problem or a theorem, and attempt the demonstration on your own. The Elements is one of the most elegant examples of the art of reasoning ever written, using what Aristotle had just recently developed in that science as seen in the Prior and Posterior Analytics.
I'll give it a shot! I feel like it will be good brain food.
@@greatbooksbigideas if you can get though and understand Aristotle’s Metaphysics, you can get through anything.
Looking forward to seeing a summary of each volume
Thanks, I'll cover the 1961 book soon.
I just got one in the mail about 20 minutes ago. 3 more to go! I started collecting them back in March. I bought most of mine from Thrift Books and Better World Books. I am finding them usually from $3-7. Thriftbooks is really bad about sending the wrong years but usually they are cheap enough that it doesn't matter much.
I think some of my copies came from both those sellers (via eBay). Good time to stock up on them!
Have you seen this series with Mortimer Adler? czcams.com/play/PLtNeMaDFJdn_KrCyFcRt2fzggGuwDLiis.html&si=CA8uXZR5UHj8rQPz
Thanks so much for the link. I've heard of the series but haven't seen any of it yet!
I have a copy of Ulysses I bought at Hodges Figgis in Dublin and of course I also have some lemon soap from Sweny's
I have most of these and have read several of them but not all which you can see in my library. This is an old video and i have more shelves czcams.com/video/AysjFL4I4As/video.htmlsi=ZQm2LZSfo90rb3cm
Interesting! Looking forward to deep dives into these, especially to see what they didn’t include in the main set… the Internet really does seem to have been the death of these, but there is a revival generally in well-published individual books of classics, like the Penguin clothbound books… to produce whole sets now would probably be too costly… makes me wonder too how much these were previously, and if they really were affordable for the “every man” to get a liberal education… or maybe libraries became more popular and so a decline in people buying them in the 90’s? 🤔
Thanks for the comments. Yes, the Internet surely was a death knell. The same thing happened with encyclopedias. Do any print encyclopedias still exist? We used to see Britannica, World Book, Funk and Wagnalls, Colliers, and more. Now, we're left with wikipedia, which don't get me wrong is useful, but...sigh...not the same. Good point about the revival of nicer hardcovers. Ironically, social media may have added fuel to that fire, as in beautiful young people showing off their nice books. Also, there's a longing for the tangible that should not be discounted.
@@greatbooksbigideas Agree about the tangible! Think that’s why things like LPs/records are also making a comeback…
@greatbooksbigideas I have several print encyclopedias and I read the entire World Book Encyclopedia when I was a kid because I couldn't stand stupid TV shows so when someone was watching something dumb which was most of the time I would just grab a volume off the shelf and read a couple of articles and ended up just reading the whole thing that way
@@greatbooksbigideas I know World Book still prints encyclopedias (2023 for sure)
While I completely understand Beam's criticisms of the typeset and dual-column layout where it may concern contemporary readers, readers with experience with older manuscripts are more comfortable with the layout design. As the cost of paper lowered within the history of book publishing, the cost-saving standard of the dual-column layout eventually faded. However, for the sake of the efficient use of my shelf space as a limited resource, I appreciate the publisher's decision to utilize the dual-column layout, thin paper, and reasonable font size. Thank you for your exploration of the typesetter - you've helped me gain a broader appreciation of the design elements involved!
You're welcome! It's great to read everyone's comments. I didn't think this video would generate that much discussion!
Great video explaining all of the qualities of the books! Thanks for your time and effort. Sometimes, I also struggle with the double column, especially if the topic is difficult. When I get a little tired of that format, I fold an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of copy paper in the width of a column and I just move that sheet around as a book mark. I cover the columns I don't want to see to make it easier to read. Other times, the double columns are fine. (edited: I hit post too soon)
My pleasure!
I'm 56 and own an early edition set; I haven't had any problems reading the books. For anyone who may be concerned, Amazon sells book lights and page magnifiers at a very reasonable price.
I have one of those lights on a headband strap that works great for reading in bed.
Hi Jim. Thanks for another great video, and as always I love hearing your opinions on one of my favorite book collections. I'm clearly an outlier when it comes to the type font of this set in the sense that It has really never bothered me. I would argue in fact, that it has been a factor in making the reading of the books even more rewarding (although I can understand how this would turn some people off of reading past the first page). With such a small type font, these books pose a difficulty when trying to read them out in public, hence I find myself reading them at my desk most of the time where my concentration is solely upon the work. As you mentioned, one is forced to slow down and comprehend what they are reading. Those who wish to be able to get through these works at a similar rate to that of a novel need to look elsewhere; these works are to be chewed slowly and digested (Adler almost had an aneurysm in an interview when a caller claimed that he taught people to "speed read" the Great Books). Regarding the lack of space for annotation, I always found this to be a peculiar choice in the sense that Adler continuously stressed the importance of writing in and annotating books throughout his career. I on the other hand, found it to be beneficial overall. Rather than writing sentences on the pages, I would use symbols (argument, key point, a nice quote etc) and clarify these on post-it notes that I would leave in the book, alongside creating references to such in a separate notebook devoted to the work and its ideas. It gave me a chance to once again slow down, and think about what I had written, what I was thinking, and how the interweaving web was being modified by the new information. It was challenging, but that's the whole point. The thin paper never really was an issue for me, and justified my choice in refusing to use a highlighter. People may berate the layout but I think it's worth considering, I propose, that the decisions were largely a product of the times in order to make this set publicly available (and relatively affordable). If a larger type font and single column approach were implemented, I can only imagine the size of the collection becoming gargantuan and practically unwieldy, not to mention significantly more expensive (another possible reason why introductions and footnotes were omitted, which again I preferred to the dismay of my friends). PS. I agree regarding the condition of the 1st edition covers, my Plato volume has a significant crack in the spine, and a few of the other volumes show similar wear. Not the most aesthetic, but for me this set isn't furniture to give off a pseudo-intellectual vibe to guests.
Thanks for the comments and the support. I agree on all counts!
I just started reading the Aeschylus works over the weekend and the first one was hard to read. I had attributed it to the layout of the text, but I found I had no problem reading the next play. The print is pretty tiny for me. I annotate frequently but have been using notecards with minimal writing in the books and it has been working fine for me.
It was probably the translation. Cookson's translation of The Suppliant Maidens (which I believe is the first of Aeschylus' play in the set) along with a couple of others proved to be an exercise in endurance, but you get used to the archaic style after a while.
Some of the older translations are a slog, and there are better ones out there. Penguin Classics comes to mind. But with this set you get all the plays together. Your annotation style sounds like a great idea at to go about it. Enjoy the Aeschylus. His Oresteia trilogy is essential reading. I really like Prometheus Bound, too.
I've read the entire Great Books of the Western World and all the Harvard Classics but it took me almost 30 years
That is super impressive!
@@greatbooksbigideas well I had help. My grandmother was a college professor who taught music and literature and my grandfather was a deacon who had an extensive philosophy heavy theological library and my father was an engineer old school with a slide rule and drafting table in his office at home so if I had a question one of them could probably answer it
I never had a problem problem reading them but then when I read anything I take off my glasses and hold the book about 2 inches from my face so I can block out the world 🤣
LOL
I would really like to get a set of these. They've been on my wish list for some time. I enjoy your discussions on this fine and valuable set of books.
They are out there in the wild. Used bookshops, library sales, eBay, Craigslist, etc. Hope you can get them soon!
These volumes are not easily accessible to me in the UK, so I got the ebook. When I finally saw one in person I was so glad that I didn’t need to read the tiny font. I do most of my reading in bed and it would have been so difficult. Plus I can take my kindle anywhere really easily and save the shelf space. Win win
It is indeed small! Is there an official ebook version of the books, or are you gathering individual texts from various publishers? I'm glad you found something that works for you!
@@greatbooksbigideas there’s an official one (y) it’s all exactly the same as the books
Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the overview! I’ve got these as pdfs, so I can just zoom in!😉 I haven’t got to any scientific ones yet, are they also double columns? I just can’t get over how they managed to cram in so much (isn’t all of Shakespeare included, War and Peace, Don Quixote? 🤯)
not to mention the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire yes, these are dense but magnificent.
@@detronbrian wow, that’s a huge amount of volumes right? Or did they abridge it? Actually, do you know if anything is abridged or are they all full versions?
Yeah I think most of the science books are 2 column as well. One advantage to reading electronically is the zoom feature! It is rather miraculous how they packed so much into those volumes. Yes, complete Shakespeare and all the rest.
@@nualafaolin7129 Summa Theologica they did selections but this was a massive work, and I believe the second edition John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion was also abridged.
Unabridged. That was a selling point versus the Harvard Classics, which abridged many of their works. Somewhere I read that the Thomas Aquinas isn't the complete Summa Theologica, but I might be wrong about that.
I own the 1990 2nd edition set, and I couldn't be happier! These books are meant to be savoured and slowly digested. I appreciate the black and gold covers and the slightly creamy appearance of the pages. As for marginalia, I can make notes and add comments when necessary. After all, we are meant to participate in The Great Conversation! These books are meant to be read thoroughly, and their content absorbed, not scarfed down like a $1.99 burger from McDonald's. Thank you for your channel. It's nice to see that the discussion around The Great Books set continues.
Thanks, I appreciate it!
I have found that after about 10 minutes of reading, the font size and layout become easy to read. I am about half way through the set, and absolutely love these sets. When I find sets cheap, I buy them. when I find loose volumes for a steal ($1 each or so) I grab them.
Nice! What's your method for working through the set?
@@greatbooksbigideas I started by reading the Great Conversation, and then all of the essays in the Syntopicon as a primer. then I started with Homer and have been going in chronological order. I may write down quotes that I like, but I am not trying to master the works in a scholarly fashion, but to read them as if I was listening to wise intellectuals. for some of the math works, I do not attempt to master the math, but to marvel at the progression of thought and experimentation. I tell people like this "even if I only get 10% of what the works could provide, that puts me leagues ahead of the average person today, not to mention that the time devoted to this is time not wasted on frivolous things." I have now switched over to the second edition, but as I have both sets, I am including the 5 things only found in the 1st edition (1. The Great Conversation, 2. On Conic Section by Apollonius, 3. Tristram Shandy by Sterne, 4. Tom Jones by Fielding, and 5. Analytical Theory of Heat by Fourier.
@@greatbooksbigideas @greatbooksbigideas I started by reading the Great Conversation, and then all of the essays in the Syntopicon as a primer. then I started with Homer and have been going in chronological order. I may write down quotes that I like, but I am not trying to master the works in a scholarly fashion, but to read them as if I was listening to wise intellectuals. for some of the math works, I do not attempt to master the math, but to marvel at the progression of thought and experimentation. I tell people like this "even if I only get 10% of what the works could provide, that puts me leagues ahead of the average person today, not to mention that the time devoted to this is time not wasted on frivolous things." I have now switched over to the second edition, but as I have both sets, I am including the 5 things only found in the 1st edition (1. The Great Conversation, 2. On Conic Section by Apollonius, 3. Tristram Shandy by Sterne, 4. Tom Jones by Fielding, and 5. Analytical Theory of Heat by Fourier.