Home
Creators
Search Recent Random
Posts
Search DMs Popular Hash Lookup Tags Random
Importer
Import FAQ
Register Favorites Keys Review DMs Logout
Community
Telegram ThePornDude
Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

What Has Reading Great Literature Taught You? [Discussion] (Patreon)

Published:
2021-11-14 15:00:36
Imported:
2026-06
haven't archived this post yet. have a subscription? use the importer!

Content

The end of the year is a great time to take stock, celebrate what has gone well, and evaluate where we're heading.

So, in that spirit, here are some questions for you:

1) What are your top three takeaways from reading the Great Books this year?

2) What three things would you like to get out of your reading next year?

3) If you could put one book into the hands of your younger self, what would it be? And why?

You may indeed have more than three main takeaways and goals. I know I do. But restraints result in clarity, precision, and focus.

Have fun mulling these ideas over whenever you have a moment, and please do share them with us.

I'll reveal my own answers, engage with your answers, and give you some ideas for reading goals and habits to take into the new year in an upcoming audio show.

It's been a strong reading year for us all. Let's keep the conversation, insights, and good times going.

Happy reading, folks!

Files

Previews only

Comments

Sharon xx

Hi Ben I have enjoyed this discussion immensely. There are some really thought provoking comments above. Top Three Takeaways from 2021: - 1. That I'm much better at retaining and focussing on a 'difficult' read than I gave myself credit for. Tangible book and audio both have a place within that – it doesn't always have to be a 'book' to make the experience worthwhile or deep. Some books produce better retention when listened to I've discovered. 2. Slow, deep reading is okay and valuable. Every book doesn't have to be a race against the TBR clock and a notch on the literary bedpost. My own pace is perfect for me. 3. Don't feel guilty that you can't read all the things, just read the things that have the biggest appeal and influence. Initially I set out to read all the 'list'. I've realised that, due to family, marriage and work, that's unrealistic so I'm now an official 'cherry-picker' and that has removed a lot of self-imposed pressure. Better to do a few things well than a lot of things half-heartedly. Reading for 2022: - 1. I would like to continue to be gently eased out of my literary comfort zone. 2021 has shown me that a title is not always a great representation of the content. Les Mis is a great example of that. [Notwithstanding that it's almost as big as my head]. I've often felt intimidated by some of the 'big' titles. I've often put a lot of store in 'negative' reviews and the bad reading experiences of others. I've realised it's better to avoid those and make my own way into a book without preconceived ideas or expectations. 2. I would like to continue to build relationships on here to aid discussion and understanding of a text. The thoughts and impressions of you guys will often give me a different perspective which will enhance my own experience of a book. I love reading your comments and I get such a lot out of them. 3. For me 2022 is also going to be about researching Charles Dickens – I'm in love with his works. Bleak House was my, 'way in to Dickens' book and I'm completely hooked so it's time to get into the non-fiction biographies and texts about him and his life. I started to do that with Emily Dickinson this year, but there's not so much out there about her sadly. Dickens, Dickinson, Turgenev, Hugo, Proust and Tolstoy have impacted me deeply this year and I will carry them with me into 2022 and hope to make some new 'friends' along the way. One Book: - Really, Ben? Just one book? Seriously? Lol This has to be, Bleak House by Charles Dickens. (I did consider, Les Mis but I don't think it can be counted before I've finished reading it, but LM is my biggest surprise and joy of 2021.) I would have put BH into the hands of my 20+ year old self. Before that I was too immature to appreciate the enormity of the content and the skill of the author. Bleak House and Dickens has become my comfort read/author; my soft place to fall; my literary hug as I've said before. Historically, I'd always looked at Dickens as an overly wordy, convoluted writer. Out of date. Fusty. In the last few years he has come onto my radar more and more through TV adaptations, Book Tube etc. My interest was piqued and Lockdown gave me the space to finally dive in. Bleak House is diverse, rich, real, funny, sad and infinitely relevant. As with all the good books, you can find personalities you recognise within the pages; echoes of people you know in real life. Sometimes you even find yourself! Bleak House teaches us that there is nothing new under the sun, that everything has a back story, and life is never black and white. Bad is rarely just bad without reason or contributing circumstances. Good can sometimes just be good for no reason at all: not driven by personal gain but just because altruism really does exist in its pure form in some beautiful souls. BH shows that we are all connected by the threads of life. That our actions always have an impact on those around us; either directly or indirectly. That people touch your life for a moment, a season or a lifetime and it's important to make that encounter a blessing if at all possible. That class is pointless and monetary wealth even more so. Wordy? Convoluted? Oh no, I was so wrong!! Every word Dickens writes is perfectly placed, exactly where it should be in order to convey the message, set the scene, provoke an emotion. Miss a line and you miss something important. Read BH to know yourself, to see life as it really is with all its diversity and complexity, to realise that perfection is not important but kindness and love is what carries you through. Dickens is my companion and I'm so glad to have him in my life. Sharon xx

Fiona Wang

Super late to this thread, but I reckon the first day of the new year is as good a time as any to begin these reflections. I am keeping the answers brief. Primary takeaways: (1) Life is much too short for mediocre, badly crafted books. (2) Slow reading of carefully selected, time-tested classics is a worthy and necessary challenge for book lovers. (3) Reading few works deeply is better than reading many works superficially. 3 things to get out of next year's reading: (1) Rereading. (2) Writing: keeping a commonplace book, writing book reports, ranking authors. (3) Consume the lectures more consistently. Persuasion by Jane Austen. Anne Eliot's family dynamics much resemble mine. The themes of wealth, choosing the right partner, and maturity highly resonate with my own experiences. I look up to Anne and feel the suffering she endures. My younger self would have appreciated her company and possibly felt less alone.