St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
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Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#2Highly recommend this school.
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#3Have always been fascinated by this school, had a hankering to do to their Graduate program which is a shortened version of their undergrad Curriculum.
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#4Huh, this is neat. If you click on a book's subject(s), it will then take you to the specific topic and a reading list tailored to it.
For example, this is their Mathematics reading list: https://www.sjc.edu/academic-programs/undergraduate/subjects....
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#5Had a great experience at St. John's. Unfortunately, transferred to a state engineering school due to financial reasons.
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#6I have read many of these works listed. I don't like this database-looking list format; too many books there. Some of them are quite challenging.
Freshman Reading: Homer - Illyad, Odyssey ... ok! if you read the Odyssey in your own native language (not greek), you probably will enjoy it, but how are you going to know about the grand themes unless someone tells you about it?
seems sad in a way that these great works are reduced to a list item
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#7I have read many of these works listed. I don't like this database-looking list format; too many books there. Some of them are quite challenging. Freshman Reading: Homer - Illyad, Odyssey ... ok! if you read the Odyssey in your own native language (not greek), you probably will enjoy it, but how are you going to know about the grand themes unless someone tells you about it? seems sad in a way that these great works a…
> how are you going to know about the grand themes unless someone tells you about it?
For that matter, St. John’s students self-select to be the kind of students who would appreciate being guided to discover the major themes. Most other students need to be told them and then think themes are pretentious puffery because they lack the life experience to recognize or appreciate them.
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#8I have read many of these works listed. I don't like this database-looking list format; too many books there. Some of them are quite challenging. Freshman Reading: Homer - Illyad, Odyssey ... ok! if you read the Odyssey in your own native language (not greek), you probably will enjoy it, but how are you going to know about the grand themes unless someone tells you about it? seems sad in a way that these great works a…
> Freshman Reading: Homer - Illyad, Odyssey ... ok! if you read the Odyssey in your own native language (not greek), you probably will enjoy it, but how are you going to know about the grand themes unless someone tells you about it?
Isn't there a class instruction, supplementary reading, and discussion component for these books? I assume so.
But I think a lot of people — even freshmen! — could just read these books and get something from them anyway.
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#9[deleted]
Re: St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum
#10I have read many of these works listed. I don't like this database-looking list format; too many books there. Some of them are quite challenging. Freshman Reading: Homer - Illyad, Odyssey ... ok! if you read the Odyssey in your own native language (not greek), you probably will enjoy it, but how are you going to know about the grand themes unless someone tells you about it? seems sad in a way that these great works a…
> how are you going to know about the grand themes unless someone tells you about it?
SJC grad here. The Program encourages you to encounter the works for yourself and see what _you_ think the themes/ideas are.
You’re lightly discouraged from reading the translator’s preface, since they share their own opinions. Different students bring different translations of the material, and additionally the language class that lasts all 4 years of undergrad is basically asking what translation is, is it possible.