Reading the Greats

It has come to my attention through self-reflection that it is about time to start reading again. This is not the first time this has happened. (Incidentally, I did not plan to start this post in an identical manner, but the coincidence seemed too good to abandon.) Not just reading anything will do, however. Specifically reading the Greats.

When one lives in Washington, DC, it is an unfortunately common occurrence to find oneself in a political, philosophical, or otherwise worldview-oriented conversations. While I generally find these interesting and (if I may flatter myself) am able to in some small way hold my own, I have realized that I need a firmer grounding in the means of understanding.

I could, like Descartes, choose to lock myself in a room until I suddenly comprehend the world around me. Or I could not reinvent the wheel. I would also like a solution that involves you, dear reader.Thus, I propose to undertake the following endeavor: to read one Great book a month and report back to you. The rules are to be as follows:

1. I will purchase each book and do something I rarely do: mark in it as I read it.
2. Unless otherwise noted, I will have one month to read each book.
3. Upon completing the book, I will post a reflection of some variety on the blog. Exact content will be flexible.

Further guidelines will be:

• I will rotate through four main categories of books: Science, Economics or Philosophy, Literature, and Theology.
• Suggestions for future books will be solicited on the blog. (Please reply in the comments rather than directly to me, for the benefit of other readers.)

To begin, I shall finish The Origin of Species this month. After that, I will be moving to the next category. Contenders for the second book include:

• The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith
• The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
• Capital by Marx
• A Theory of Justice by John Rawls

Please leave further suggestions below. I will need particular help when it comes to the Literature section. I have been careful to specifically include it, as I would tend not to read it. Beginning with one of Shakespeare’s plays that I have not yet read seems a good idea to me, but I am open to ideas.

In this means I hope to accomplish in some small fashion my tweet tonight (incidentally, Twitter is a wonderful way to learn to be concise in one’s writing): “The world must by synthesized.”