frogger Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I have heard so many good things regarding Vandiver's classical literature lectures that I really want to use them this year. My question is, "Can we just listen to them after we read the book and have some discussion or is the little booklet really helpful in this case?" I can get them all on Audible for one credit but then I don't get the dandy little book. I would use the book a lot if it were me studying but it is mostly the kids who generally just listen to the lectures. I'm trying to figure out if I should fork out the money which is scarce as usual around here.😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I just listen to the lectures (off audible) and I don't feel like we are missing anything. (Maybe I just don't know what I'm missing.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 The booklet is not necessary. It is nice to have, but not worth the additional money you'd have to pay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Oh sure. Go for it. We preferred having the booklet, but you'll still get tons by listening after you read the story. There's usually 2 questions at the end of the lecture outlines that make great essay assignments, and having the outline helped me discuss it with my DS even if I didn't have a chance to listen to the lecture yet. Fwiw, you can often find them inexpensively on the used market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingiguana Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 We didn't find there was much in the booklet. I think it was mostly an outline of the lectures. fwiw -- you don't even need to read the works she's discussing to get a lot out of those lectures. So don't be shy about listening to ones beyond what you're reading. I also found that I got a lot more out of the reading after I'd listened to her lectures rather than doing the reading beforehand. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VANURSEPRAC Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Once again I learn something valuable from this site. I recently bought Butler's Iliad & Odyssey. I tried to read, but felt very overwhelmed. I have never heard of Audible before or Vandiver. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am going to listen to her lectures first. This site is such a wealth of good solid information. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I also found that I got a lot more out of the reading after I'd listened to her lectures rather than doing the reading beforehand. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Once again I learn something valuable from this site. I recently bought Butler's Iliad & Odyssey. I tried to read, but felt very overwhelmed. I have never heard of Audible before or Vandiver. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am going to listen to her lectures first. This site is such a wealth of good solid information. Butler's version is more of a prose retelling than a true translation. If you listen to the lectures, and then read one of the modern translations, like Fagles or Lombardo, you will have a much deeper understanding not only of the meaning and context of the works, but also the power & beauty of the poetry. ETA: Here is a comparison of the Butler, Fagles, and Lombardo versions of the opening of the Odyssey: Butler: Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover, he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he could have his men, for they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me, too, about all these things, O daughter of Zeus, from whatsoever source you may know them. Fagles: "Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy. Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds, many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea, fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home. But he could not save them from disaster, hard as he strove -- the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all, the blind fools, they devoured the cattle of the Sun and the Sungod wiped from sight the day of their return. Launch out on his story, Muse, daughter of Zeus, start from where you will -- sing for our time too. Lombardo: Speak Memory, Of the cunning hero, The wanderer, blown off course time and again After he plundered Troy’s sacred heights. Speak Of all the cities he saw, the minds he grasped, The suffering deep in his heart at sea As he struggled to survive and bring his men home But could not save them, hard as he tried— The fools—destroyed by their own recklessness When they ate the oxen of Hyperion the Sun, And that god snuffed out their day of return. Of these things, Speak, Immortal One, And tell the tale once more in our time. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 um, you guys, if you buy the audible, you also get the booklet. Go to your library within the audible website. Look at the particular great courses lecture. Where it says pdf, that's the booklet. FWIW, the Iliad's booklet is 70 pages and is mostly a course outline with a couple of thoughts to ponder upon. There is a bibliography of additional resources, a timeline, a glossary and a few other tidbits at the end. Odyssey's booklet is much the same. I still need to download the one for the Aenid. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 um, you guys, if you buy the audible, you also get the booklet. Go to your library within the audible website. Look at the particular great courses lecture. Where it says pdf, that's the booklet. FWIW, the Iliad's booklet is 70 pages and is mostly a course outline with a couple of thoughts to ponder upon. There is a bibliography of additional resources, a timeline, a glossary and a few other tidbits at the end. Odyssey's booklet is much the same. I still need to download the one for the Aenid. Yes. That's a relatively new feature that wasn't always available on Audible. :001_smile: I was very pleasantly surprised to see that little pdf button appear one day. It's the exact same book that comes with the disks. Win-win. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 :iagree: Revolutionized my use of GC on Audible. :001_wub: Make sure you check the library from the computer website. People have said you can't see the PDF from your mobile app. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 As far as whether to read or listen first, I've given that choice to my son. He likes to read a chapter or two and then listen to the corresponding lecture as he's reading the book. Sometimes the lectures are ahead of the book and give away things, but it really helps him understand the book better. You can listen first, listen last, or listen concurrently - I don't think it matters. By the way he's absolutely a STEM kid, but loves the Vandiver lectures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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