swimmermom3 Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I am looking forward to the tenth grade Great Books list with far less excitement than I did for this year's survey of the Ancients. What are the absolute must reads? Also, since we come from a secular viewpoint, but do not want to miss works that are critical either for historical or literary reasons, could you please help with the following - making a case for or against with regards to what your student thought of them: Athanasius, On the Incarnation Augustine, Confessions and City of God, Book 8 (I know we should probably read Augustine) Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy Anselm, Cur Deus Homo Everyman Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians John Calvin, Institution of the Christian Religion Aquinas: Selected Writings Is there anything that is not on SWB's main list that you think we might enjoy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I am looking forward to the tenth grade Great Books list with far less excitement than I did for this year's survey of the Ancients. What are the absolute must reads? We read and enjoyed in 10th grade: 1st semester: Medieval Beowulf Chaucer Canterbury Tales Song of Roland Nibelungenlied 2nd semester: Renaissance Dante Inferno lots of Shakespeare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 We read and enjoyed in 10th grade: 1st semester: Medieval Beowulf Chaucer Canterbury Tales Song of Roland Nibelungenlied 2nd semester: Renaissance Dante Inferno lots of Shakespeare We can handle that list. :D Ds did The Inferno in 8th grade per his request, but I was thinking of revisiting it and then finishing the Divine Comedy. The TC lectures come highly recommended. Also, I have the Mabingnogion, which I'll pre-read over the summer in order to make my choice. The bummer point from here on out is that we'll have run out of Elizabeth Vandiver lectures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahW Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I know On the Incarnation is really popular these days - C.S. Lewis wrote an introduction and all - but as a historian of that period, I am pretty ambivalent about it's place in history. It's good, interesting to read, and not too dull or tedious, but I get the feeling that it's popularity today has more to do with today than the 4th c. If your kid has a background in classical Greek literature I would suggest instead Basil the Great's "To Young Men on the Right Use of Greek Literature" (online text here and numerous other places). It's pretty short. Also, his friend Gregory Nazianzus has a number of Orations. If you are familiar with the classical oration style these are great fun. They are best read out loud. I would suggest the first theological oration, Oration 27. It is also pretty short. Augustine makes me go :toetap05: but yes, sigh, he should probably be read. Boethius is an interesting read. It's another post-classical treatise, but a morose one. Anselm is okay. I never found him particularly exciting. If you've already done some Aristotle, Aquinas is good. Regentrude's list is good for Medieval. And the Mabingnogion, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I am looking forward to the tenth grade Great Books list with far less excitement than I did for this year's survey of the Ancients. What are the absolute must reads? Also, since we come from a secular viewpoint, but do not want to miss works that are critical either for historical or literary reasons, could you please help with the following - making a case for or against with regards to what your student thought of them: Athanasius, On the Incarnation Augustine, Confessions and City of God, Book 8 (I know we should probably read Augustine) Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy Anselm, Cur Deus Homo Everyman Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians John Calvin, Institution of the Christian Religion Aquinas: Selected Writings Is there anything that is not on SWB's main list that you think we might enjoy? What years are you covering? If you hit Luther then what about More's Utopia or Machiavelli's The Prince? Chaucer Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Beowulf I remember reading some excerpts from British chronicles of this period. Perhaps they were from Bede. The Russian saga of Olga of Kiev is not long and is quite entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 We can handle that list. :D Ds did The Inferno in 8th grade per his request, but I was thinking of revisiting it and then finishing the Divine Comedy. The TC lectures come highly recommended. Also, I have the Mabingnogion, which I'll pre-read over the summer in order to make my choice. The bummer point from here on out is that we'll have run out of Elizabeth Vandiver lectures. We have been trudging through City of God this yr. I love Confessions. City of God......not so much. The good news is that the duo's lectures on Confessions are just as engaging as their lectures on the Divine Comedy. (I enjoy those 2 as much as Vandiver.) I am assuming that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has already been covered. How about Song of Roland? Dream of the Rood? Some of Canterbury Tales? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 What years are you covering? If you hit Luther then what about More's Utopia or Machiavelli's The Prince? Chaucer Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Beowulf I remember reading some excerpts from British chronicles of this period. Perhaps they were from Bede. The Russian saga of Olga of Kiev is not long and is quite entertaining. LOL.....I must have been typing while you were posting. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Here is what The Boy did: Ecclesiastical History of the British People (Venerable Bede—Wallace-Hadrill translation); Islam: a Very Short Introduction (Ruthven) ; Beowulf (Heaney); Mabinogion; The Once and Future King (White); The Inferno (Dante); Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Tolkien); Canterbury Tales (Chaucer); The Prince (Machiavelli); Richard II (Shakespeare); Henry IV, Part I (Shakespeare) I felt guilty about not including Augustine but fortunately my son read City of God in college. I also want to make note of two graphic novels on his reading list from that year, Persepolis (Satrapi),and Watchmen (Moore and Gibbons). My son did two Duke TIP weekends that utilized these books. The first was on the Graphic Novel as Literature and the second was called "Apocalypse Soon" which dealt with the end of the world in literature and film. The book Watchmen (he took the course before the film was released) was used as part of the initial framework for their discussion in the latter class. ("Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?") These are engaging books for adolescents that can lead to some interesting discussions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I confess I don't know quite what are the time limits on this period and honestly, others have recommended some great stuff already. BUT my own personal little hobby horse is systematic theology which I can't help but notice you have in spades below. So I thought I'd make comments. I'm going to assume you are reading complete works. This might not be advisable for a high school student. Athanasius, On the Incarnation I found this pretty readable and the Lewis preface should definitely be read; its thrust is why read original writers. Augustine, Confessions and City of God, Book 8 (I know we should probably read Augustine) I think for a high school student I would read Confessions. Although I will admit it is not the top of my hit list. I recently read City of God and it is a work of systematic theology and certainly one of the most unique I have read in terms of organizing principles. I would not read book 8 though. The more interesting stuff is in the second half where it walks through history showing the two cities. Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatian Personally I would read Luther's The Bondage of the Will. That is his great work of theology. Luther has a wicked sense of humor and you will find he doesn't hold back. From reading other works of this age, name-calling was fair. You may also wish to read Erasmus's On Free Will first since it is what Luther is writing about. John Calvin, Institution of the Christian Religion Great to read, but again, I can't imagine subjecting a high school student to the Institutes, most people don't read the full thing to seminary. There is a commentary on Romans that might be better for a taste of Calvin. Calvin isn't Luther but you will once again find name calling. You may also wish to tackle Lewis's The Discarded Image which is about the medieval world view. It is extremely helpful in reading medieval and later writers (very useful up through Milton). I'll never forget standing in a exhibition on the Spanish Renaissance and knowing why it was that Mary was standing on the moon in every single piece of art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotteb Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Here's DS reading list this year: Untold Story of the New Testament Church City of God, Augustine Beowulf Selections from the Koran Marco Polo's Travels The Five Rings Canterbury Tales Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians I planned to do more, but it just hasn't worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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