Beginner's Guide to Reading The Classics

Summary

Dr. Andrew Moore, an associate professor of great books, offers guidance for those interested in delving into classic literature and philosophy. He advises against self-punishment if certain classics are too challenging and suggests starting with accessible genres like drama or poetry. Dr. Moore recommends using online course syllabi to find reading lists and emphasizes the importance of choosing the right edition with helpful notes and introductions. He encourages readers to embrace the challenge, as it strengthens critical thinking and allows them to join a centuries-old conversation.

Takeaways

• 📚 Dr. Andrew Moore, an associate professor of great books, encourages readers to explore classic literature without feeling overwhelmed.
• 🚫 Avoid self-punishment for not being able to get through dense or lengthy classics; it's not a requirement.
• 🔍 Start with works that interest you to build momentum in reading classics, such as shorter plays or poetry.
• 💡 Use online resources like university course syllabi to find recommended reading lists and specific pages to focus on.
• 🎭 Consider genres like drama and Greek tragedy, or authors like Shakespeare, for more accessible entry points into classics.
• 📈 Look for editions with helpful footnotes or endnotes to aid understanding, especially for philosophy and political theory.
• 📖 Editions from publishers like Penguin Classics, Hackett, Oxford World's Classics, and Norton Critical Editions are recommended for their quality and annotations.
• 🤔 It's okay not to understand everything when reading classics; the goal is to stretch your thinking and engage with challenging ideas.
• 🌟 Reading classics allows you to connect with a historical conversation and find resonance with human experiences across time.
• 💬 Dr. Moore suggests creating a recommended reading list and invites feedback from viewers on what they'd like to see included.

Q & A

What is Dr. Andrew Moore's profession and how does it relate to reading classic literature?

Dr. Andrew Moore is an associate professor of great books at St. Thomas University. His profession involves reading and teaching a vast number of books, particularly classic literature, which allows him to guide others in understanding and appreciating these works.

Why should someone not punish themselves when trying to read classic literature?

Dr. Moore suggests that if someone finds reading a particular classic work excruciating and it's not a requirement, they should not force themselves to continue. The goal is to enjoy and appreciate the literature, not to suffer through it.

What is the importance of momentum when starting to read classic literature?

Momentum is important because it helps in maintaining interest and building a habit of reading. Dr. Moore recommends starting with shorter works to achieve quick wins and build up confidence before tackling longer, more complex texts.

Why are older books or works of philosophy sometimes harder to read?

Older books and philosophical works can be harder to read due to their age, with language and concepts that have evolved over time, making them denser and more complex compared to modern literature.

What is a practical tip for finding out what classic literature to read?

A practical tip is to search for university course syllabi online, which often list recommended readings for various subjects. This can provide a curated list of classic works and their importance in the academic world.

How can reading classic literature help in personal development?

Reading classic literature can strengthen one's thinking muscles and stretch the brain, as it often involves grappling with complex ideas and language. It's a form of intellectual exercise that can enhance cognitive abilities.

What are some genres that are easier to start with when reading classic literature?

Dr. Moore suggests starting with genres like drama, Greek tragedy, or poetry, as these can be shorter and more accessible than lengthy 18th-century novels or ancient epics.

Why are footnotes and endnotes in scholarly editions helpful for beginners?

Footnotes and endnotes in scholarly editions provide explanations and context for difficult words or references, aiding beginners in understanding the text without getting lost in the complexity of the language.

What are some recommended editions of classic literature according to Dr. Moore?

Dr. Moore recommends editions such as Penguin Classics, Hackett editions for philosophy, Oxford World's Classics for their notes, and Norton Critical Editions for their interpretive essays and expert analysis.

How does Dr. Moore feel about the idea of creating a recommended reading list for classic literature?

Dr. Moore is open to the idea of creating a recommended reading list for those interested in classic literature and invites feedback from his audience to gauge interest.

What is the profound experience Dr. Moore mentions about reading classic literature?

The profound experience is the connection with the thoughts and feelings of people from different times and places, as expressed in classic literature, which reminds us of our shared humanity.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Reading Classics

Dr. Andrew Moore, an associate professor of great books at St. Thomas University, introduces himself and his series aimed at helping people navigate the world of classic literature and philosophy. He emphasizes the importance of not punishing oneself for not being able to read or enjoy certain classics and suggests starting with works that genuinely interest the reader. Dr. Moore highlights the value of momentum when beginning to read classics and recommends starting with shorter works like plays and poetry to build interest and confidence. He also advises searching for university course syllabi to find reading lists and to focus on key sections of dense works, as professors often provide specific pages for students to read.

05:01

📖 Choosing the Right Edition for Classics

Dr. Moore discusses the importance of selecting the right edition when reading classic literature or philosophy. He recommends specific editions such as Penguin Classics for their affordability and durability, Hackett editions for philosophy and political theory, and Oxford World's Classics for their comprehensive notes. He also praises Norton Critical Editions for their scholarly essays and interpretive approaches to the texts. The professor encourages readers not to be discouraged by difficult language or concepts, as part of the value in reading classics is to challenge and strengthen one's thinking. He reassures that even experienced scholars and professors do not understand everything in these works, and that the goal is to engage in the ongoing conversation about these timeless texts that connect us as human beings across time and space.

Keywords

💡Classic Literature

Classic literature refers to a collection of works that are considered to be of high artistic merit and have stood the test of time. In the video, Dr. Andrew Moore emphasizes the importance of not punishing oneself by forcing to read daunting classics that may not resonate personally. Instead, he suggests starting with works that genuinely interest the reader, highlighting that classic literature can be a transformative and enriching experience when approached with the right mindset.

💡Philosophy

Philosophy, as mentioned in the script, encompasses works that deal with fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, and mind. Dr. Moore acknowledges the potential density and complexity of philosophical texts, suggesting that beginners might find it helpful to start with course outlines that provide a structured approach to understanding these works, rather than diving into lengthy tomes without guidance.

💡Momentum

Momentum, in the context of the video, is the impetus or drive one gains when starting a new activity, such as reading. Dr. Moore stresses the importance of building momentum when reading classic literature, suggesting that readers should aim for 'quick wins' by starting with shorter, more manageable works to maintain interest and motivation, rather than getting overwhelmed by lengthy or difficult texts.

💡Course Syllabus

A course syllabus is a document provided by educators that outlines the content, topics, and requirements of a course. In the video, Dr. Moore recommends using course syllabi as a resource for identifying classic works to read, as they often include a curated list of essential readings in various fields. This approach can help readers navigate the vast array of classic literature and philosophy, providing a structured path into these genres.

💡Genres

Genres are categories of literature, each with specific conventions and characteristics. The video script mentions genres such as drama, Greek tragedy, and poetry as more accessible entry points into classic literature. Dr. Moore suggests that readers might find these genres less intimidating than lengthy novels, allowing them to engage with the classics in a more digestible format.

💡Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is a renowned English playwright and poet, often simply called Shakespeare. His works, including plays and sonnets, are frequently studied in academic settings and are considered classics. Dr. Moore uses Shakespeare as an example of an author whose plays, due to their performative nature, can be read more quickly and with more immediate engagement than prose works.

💡Editions

In the context of the video, editions refer to different versions of a book, particularly classic works, that may vary in terms of annotations, introductions, and quality of the text. Dr. Moore discusses the importance of choosing the right edition when reading classics, highlighting series like Penguin Classics and Oxford World's Classics for their affordability, durability, and the quality of their annotations.

💡Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes and endnotes are annotations at the bottom of a page (footnotes) or at the end of a text (endnotes) that provide additional information or clarification. Dr. Moore points out that these are particularly helpful for readers new to classic literature, as they can offer explanations for archaic words or references, aiding in comprehension and enriching the reading experience.

💡Norton Critical Editions

Norton Critical Editions are a series of books known for their extensive critical apparatus, including annotations, essays, and other supplementary material. The video mentions these editions as a valuable resource for readers of classic literature, as they provide not only textual explanations through notes but also a variety of critical perspectives through included essays, facilitating a deeper understanding of the text.

💡Great Conversation

The 'great conversation' is a metaphor used in the video to describe the ongoing dialogue among scholars, readers, and thinkers across time and space about significant ideas and texts. Dr. Moore encourages readers to engage with classic literature as a way to participate in this conversation, emphasizing that even if one does not fully understand a text, the attempt to engage is a meaningful part of the broader intellectual discourse.

Highlights

Dr. Andrew Moore introduces himself as an associate professor of great books at St Thomas University.

He discusses the challenge of starting to read classic literature, philosophy, or poetry.

Dr. Moore advises not to punish oneself for not enjoying a particular classic work.

He emphasizes the importance of finding books that genuinely interest the reader.

The professor suggests starting with genres like drama or poetry for a less intimidating experience.

Dr. Moore recommends using online course syllabi to find great books to read.

He advises looking for course outlines from universities to get a curated reading list.

The professor suggests that reading great books can be like a workout for the brain.

Dr. Moore talks about the practicality of choosing the right edition of a classic book.

He recommends the Penguin Classics series for their quality and affordability.

The professor highlights the usefulness of footnotes and endnotes in scholarly editions.

Dr. Moore suggests that not understanding everything in a classic work is normal and part of the learning process.

He encourages readers to embrace the challenge and enjoy the intellectual exercise.

The professor shares his personal experience of still encountering difficulty in understanding some texts.

Dr. Moore reflects on the profound experience of connecting with authors from the past through their works.

He concludes by inviting viewers to join the conversation of reading and understanding great books.

Transcripts

hey friends so a lot of people are

interested in Reading More classic

literature or classic works of

philosophy or poetry but they don't know

where to start maybe you find it

overwhelming there's so many things to

choose from maybe you want to read some

of these famous works to see what all

the fuss is about but some of them are

really long some of them are really

dense and hard to understand so where do

you start I can help you with that my

name is Dr Andrew Moore I'm associate

professor of great books at St Thomas

University I'm back again with my weekly

series where I talk about books into a

camera and you watch on your telephone

nice to see you again I can't I can't

see you nice to be seen

nice to be here in my house on the

internet so like I said I'm a university

Professor for real I've even got the

fancy robes I teach in a great books

program and what that means for you is

that I've I've read a lot of books and I

I teach a lot of books that's my job to

help people who don't know anything

about these books know lots of things

about these books that's what they pay

me for so I can I can give you some

guidance on this the first thing you

need to know is don't punish yourself I

think for a lot of people there are

these books they they feel they need to

read or they ought to read and they try

and it's painful if the goal here is

that you want to read more Classics you

want to read some of the great books and

you you tried with with James Joyce or

Paradise Lost something really you know

Hefty and you just you've failed and

then you beat yourself up over it don't

do that to yourself if no one is forcing

you to read these things and you're

finding it it excruciating don't do that

to yourself I promise you you there is

more to read than you have life left to

live so we want to find some great books

some works of classic literature that

actually interest you and then we'll go

from there I promise we can find

something that you will love now it is

just the case that that older books

written hundreds of years ago or works

of philosophy they can be tougher than

your average read this is why if you're

trying to get into reading these things

one of the things that's really

important is momentum if you're trying

to kind of change your intellectual diet

I think it's important to get some quick

wins for example you don't necessarily

need to begin with with enormous 18th

century novels or or ancient epics think

about different genres think about drama

think about Greek tragedy or think about

Shakespeare these plays are performed on

the stage and they only take a few hours

so if you're reading them they can only

take so long it's not going to take you

weeks and weeks to finish poetry can be

great in this way too you can find

collections of poems read one every

night before bed boom you're reading the

classics but how do you know what to

read how do you know where to start with

great book books one tip that a lot of

people don't know about is to go online

and search for a course syllabus so you

can look up course syllabi on medieval

literature or Chinese philosophy a lot

of University professors College

professors will post their course

outlines online so you can see what what

books people are reading courses on

African literature or Renaissance

literature or whatever and I would say

too if you're looking to get into

something like philosophy but you're

you're intimidated by these books they

can be dense they can be complicated

they can be really really long searching

for a course outline can be really

helpful there too because professors

will often indicate on their course

outlines specific pages that they want

their students to read so if you're just

a beginner you're reading Philosophy for

the first time this can be really

helpful if you're just looking for an

introduction to a thinker you may not

have to read all 500 pages of their most

famous book and Googling course outlines

can help you kind of zero in on the most

important sections I've been thinking

about this a bit myself about making

some kind of checklist or or recommended

reading list for people is that

something that anyone would be

interested in you could let me know in

the comments maybe I could make such a

thing if you're the kind of person who

who wants to get into reading the

classics reading the great books and

you've you've struggled in the past it

may be worth thinking about whether or

not you've had a bad experience in the

past I think a lot of people probably

had like a bad High School experience

reading Wuthering Heights or Hamlet and

so they're completely turned off old

books but there are a lot of old books

and there's a world of difference

between the Great Gatsby and sergowan

and the Green Knight and if you hated

Jane Austen you might love Virginia

Woolf so if you had some terrible

experience with with look I love

teachers not everybody has a great

teacher and so maybe you had just a

really bad experience studying some book

it doesn't have to be that way don't let

a really unpleasant group project that

you had to do when you were 17 prevent

you from accessing the world's

Storehouse of wisdom and Beauty now just

a practical tip let's talk about

choosing the right Edition not all

editions of books are created equal so

especially with with classic works of

literature with with the the great works

of philosophy or political Theory

whatever

um you'll find that lots of different

Publishers put out editions of those

works so there'd be lots and lots of

additions of the works of Descartes or

something and professors often take

great care in choosing the additions

that that we assign to students that we

ask them to read I find that the penguin

classics series they're they're pretty

good they're they're in these nice kind

of aesthetically pleasing black

paperbacks I use these editions quite a

lot they're they're relatively

inexpensive they're pretty durable they

hold up well I know in my program where

we're talking about like philosophy or

political Theory we read a lot of these

hacket editions again they're relatively

inexpensive and and a lot of these works

are in Translation right if you're if

you're reading in English I mean these

translations send to be pretty reputable

now I really like these Oxford World

Classics again that you know all

matching book covers they look very nice

together in the bookshelf these are

probably a little pricier but the real

virtue the real advantage of these

additions they have I think generally

the best notes especially they're the

ones I use whenever I teach Shakespeare

if I'm teaching Shakespeare I find the

oxfords have the best notes and this is

this is one of the things to pay

attention to when you're when you're

reading classic literature when you're

reading philosophy a lot of these

additions especially these these

scholarly editions that we'd use in like

University classroom have footnotes or

endnotes and those can be really helpful

to you if you're a beginner if you're

reading this stuff for the first time

because if there's there's words or

there's references that you don't

understand you can check the footnotes

or you can check the endnotes and and an

editor will explain that stuff to you

another set of additions that's really

helpful in this way these these Norton

critical editions these are these are

pretty good they give you good notes

again but the other thing that's nice

about these is that at the back of every

Edition the Norton critical editions

they they have a selection of essays

written by Scholars experts on on the

texture reading and so they will give

you different approaches different ways

of understanding the text there's these

short interpretive essays so if you're

if you're wondering like how do I how do

I understand this text what do people

say about this text what's the

significance or importance of this text

you can find that stuff in the back

matter I know that when you're when

you're first reading this stuff

sometimes it can be intimidating or the

language can be difficult and it can

feel sometimes like like a bit of a

chore but it's important to remember I

think that lots of things that are good

for us don't always feel good at first

if you're you know if you're thinking

about like exercise right when you first

start exercising you first start running

or or doing yoga it doesn't always feel

good at first but the more you do them

the better you start to feel and and I

think this this can apply with reading

too when we're trying to change our

reading habits the more you read this

stuff the more comfortable you will

become and I it's important to note if

you're reading and you don't understand

parts of it some of it a lot of it

that's okay sometimes the language is is

archaic sometimes in in works of

philosophy the language can be dense in

poetry the addiction can be very strange

it can be hard to understand what's

going on even more difficult if you're

not a native English speaker this stuff

can be really hard but part of the

reason to read this stuff is that it

strengthens your thinking muscles part

of the goal here is is to stretch your

brain so if it's difficult it's you know

it's probably supposed to be a little

difficult so don't worry too much about

that and I'll tell you a secret I like

again I'm a professor I went to

University for nine years I've been

teaching for about 15 years I read this

stuff and there's still things I don't

understand there are whole debates

professors Scholars writing essays and

and articles and books debating the

meaning and interpretation of of texts

of words of particular ideas that that

these authors have so if you're if

you're a beginner and you're reading

this stuff and you're thinking gee I

don't understand what this means welcome

to the club like we're all trying to

understand what this stuff means and

this may be the most important thing

about starting to read classic

literature or starting to read great

books you get to to enter into this

great conversation that has been going

on for hundreds of years in some cases

thousands of years there is something

profoundly moving about reading a book

that was written 300 500 a thousand

years ago

and hearing another person put into

words

something you have experienced

but have never been able to articulate

to hear someone from long ago and far

away describe your own thoughts and

feelings

that is a profound experience and it

reminds us I think that we are all in

this together as human beings living in

this world and that that people

everywhere of course were very different

in lots of ways but but in a lot of

really fundamental ways we are the same

and reading great books reminds us of

that now if you want specific book

recommendations you can find those in a

video over here I will see you there and

I'll talk to you soon