• In total there are 29 users online :: 1 registered, 0 hidden and 28 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
    Most users ever online was 789 on Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:08 am

My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

The perfect space for valuable discussions that may not neatly fit within the other forums.
Forum rules
Do not promote books in this forum. Instead, promote your books in either Authors: Tell us about your FICTION book! or Authors: Tell us about your NON-FICTION book!.

All other Community Rules apply in this and all other forums.
AnthonyP
Getting Comfortable
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:48 pm
11
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 1 time

My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

Hi everyone,

My name is Anthony and I am from Trinidad and Tobago. Since 1998, I've dreamed of attending St. John's College because I think their great books program provides the best education anyone could hope for. However, due to financial, career and other reasons, I'm unable to attend at this time (but I'm still keeping the dream alive! :))

I joined BookTalk because I wanted to discuss and have a better understanding of these books which I'm about to start reading shortly.

I also joined BookTalk with the hope of forming an online discussion group along these guidelines.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to learning and sharing with you!
Do you love the Great Books of the Western Civilization? Let's start a reading group!
User avatar
Suzanne

1F - BRONZE CONTRIBUTOR
Book General
Posts: 2513
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:51 pm
14
Location: New Jersey
Has thanked: 518 times
Been thanked: 399 times

Re: My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

Hello and welcome Anthony!

Although BookTalk does not have a structured “great books” forum, you can choose a book from your list and start a discussion. Most of these books are free on Project Gutenberg. You could post the link to the book in your thread and maybe attract members. Good luck to you and your dream.
User avatar
Dexter

1F - BRONZE CONTRIBUTOR
I dumpster dive for books!
Posts: 1787
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:14 pm
13
Has thanked: 144 times
Been thanked: 712 times
United States of America

Re: My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

I remember looking at the St. John's curriculum and thinking that was pretty cool.
haviZsultan
Master Debater
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:08 am
11
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

Welcome to the community. :)
User avatar
DWill

1H - GOLD CONTRIBUTOR
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 6966
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:05 am
16
Location: Luray, Virginia
Has thanked: 2262 times
Been thanked: 2470 times

Re: My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

I once visited St. John's in Annapolis, MD (there's also a campus in Santa Fe, NM) and sat in on some classes. This was out of curiosity, but I too liked what I saw. The campus is right next to the Naval Academy, which provides an interesting contrast. Each spring the Johnnies and the Middies get together to play each other in croquet.
AnthonyP
Getting Comfortable
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:48 pm
11
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

@Suzanne Thanks for the advice about starting with a book from St John's list. This is great because it will give the discussion's group members more time to digest these books as well as less pressure on us to finish all of these books by a given time. I'll have to start with sections of Iliad by Homer but I'll have to first get some thought provoking questions on these sections to get the conversation going (I'm currently having some trouble finding these questions). As for Project Gutenberg, this was the very first site I stumbled upon by accident just yesterday and discovered to my surprise that many of the books on St John's reading list were available there for free - I'm so happy about that. And for the books on the list that were not on Gutenberg, I managed to get them on sites like The Internet Classics Archive, Penn State University's Electronic Classics Site and other university sites. So I'm now happy to say that I downloaded all of the books on St. John's College reading list (except Aeschylus' Libation Bearers and Eumenides, which I'm still searching for).

@haviZsultan thanks!

@DWill I envy you - that must have been a great experience! And I saw the video about the long running croquet competitions - it was funny. Some years ago, I got an email out of the blue from one of St. John's students inviting me to come on campus and sit in on some of their classes. I really wished I could have attended. I believe they had my email in their database when I requested a brochure years prior to that (btw, the brochure was really cool, nothing like what I've seen before with other university/college brochures, very creative in terms of design and materials used!). I exchanged emails with the student and acting chair of the department. That was a really pleasant surprise.

@Dexter Cool is right! Have you seen St. John's Videos? Some of my favorite videos are below:



Do you love the Great Books of the Western Civilization? Let's start a reading group!
User avatar
Chris OConnor

1A - OWNER
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 17016
Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
21
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 3509 times
Been thanked: 1309 times
Gender:
Contact:
United States of America

Re: My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

Welcome to BookTalk.org. :-)
AnthonyP
Getting Comfortable
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:48 pm
11
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: My "Great Books" Dream (St. John's College)

Unread post

@Chris Thanks!
Do you love the Great Books of the Western Civilization? Let's start a reading group!
Post Reply

Return to “Everything Else”