In case you’ve been watching too much Honey Boo Boo Child and have missed all the super important goings on around here, I started an online book club and it officially begins today! We are reading classics in (mostly) chronological order and are starting with The Odyssey. I’ll be posting the rest of this years’ reading list soon but I’ve been agonizing over whether we should make it a 2 or 3 or 4 year reading list. If we make it just one year and then love it and want to keep reading, we’ll mess up our chronological order scheme. But who among us is ready to make a four year reading commitment? See my dilemma? I’ll continue to ponder it and would love your input in the comments section along with any books you think should definitely be the the short list of classics book club.
Here’s what I have so far for this year::
September—The Odyssey
October—Sophocles’ Antigone
November—-Plato’s Republic
December—-Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
January—-Virgil’s Aeneid
February—-Ovid’s Metamorphoses
March—Augustine’s City of God
April—-Beowulf
May—-Dante’s Divine Comedy
We’ll take a summer break and refuel for the next semester!
I’ve also started a forum on this blog to help us in our discussions so go on over there and register and you’ll be O-fficially signed up to read with us. I made a video for you because I am the queen of Dorkville wanted to give you some encouragement and reading tips. We will discuss the first 12 books of The Odyssey on Friday, Sept.14th and then the last 12 books on Friday, Sept. 28th. Most of you have started reading already, which is wonderful!, but it’s not too late to join us!
To correct myself in the video, xenia is spelled Xenia, not Zenia.
And sorry if I ramble. I don’t think video blogging is one of my spiritual gifts.
Hope you have a great holiday weekend:)))
I’m looking forward to it. I’ve just now registered for the forum. Once I familiarize myself with it, I may jump into the discussion. 😉
Love the recommendation for O Brother! Haven’t watched that one in a while, but the kids and I love to pop in the CD and faux clog around the house 😉 I love just about everything on that soundtrack. I’m going to be humming it for the rest of the day.
I punted on the intro about halfway through, and I’m finally getting into the text. I’ll go back and read it eventually, but it was so dense I couldn’t get through it fast enough. I wanted to give myself plenty of time to read the text again. Can’t wait for more videos and discussion!
I am so excited to get started! Thank you for today’s video with your insights to help us get started!
I’m swooning, Edie! Homecoming and Hospitality: does life get any more real than those two wishes of the human heart? Thank you for the video. Can I request that you do them each week? I miss seeing you, and these videos convey your hospitality, warmth, and welcoming spirit.
I found the movie and the movie soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou at our library. Totally dreamy. And I love how by watching this movie it made me “see” more of the comedic nature of Odysseus – which I may have missed entirely.
You mentioned that some sweeties have contacted you in reference to not being sure how to pronounce certain names and places: the library also has e-audiobooks and books on CD of The Odyssey, which I have found helpful (we listen as a family snuggled into our bed with the CD player, lights out, just before going to sleep – the kids love it). I have gained a lot of confidence in my reading by listening to them.
I love banjo music.
xoxo michele
Edie, Miss Edie – I {heart} you! I loved your video! “Embrace the banjo” is going to be my new catch phrase!
So excited about this book club, and reading with you & all of the other fab ladies. XOXO
A four year reading commitment may be what we need to get through all the amazing classics. I just bought a Well Educated Mind. Any book recommended in there is a plus for our book club. Love the video. I just requested some of the books Michele recommended on her blog to grasp a better understanding of the Odyssey.
On a TECHNICAL note:
I am already registered but don’t remember my password. I followed the steps shown to re-set it, but I’m pretty sure it’s not working because I continually get the error message:
“Sorry, that key does not appear to be valid.” when I click on the “reset link” in the WordPress email.
Can you help?
I’m having the same problem that Beth M. is having. I’m looking forward to joining. Any advice?
I was on the fence…but the video pushed me on the side of reading the Odyssey. Love Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack but have not yet seen the movie. I now have two things to do this weekend…get book and movie. Only got to watch start of your video so will be back to enjoy the rest of that too. It is time to grow my mind…this will be a good way to do that. Thanks Edie.
Thanks fir the tips and explanations. My book’s not here yet but I know I’ll need the help. Now I’m not so intimidated by it. Xo Jess
Edie!!!! Just watched that movie with the family – for the first time! Loved it. Thank you so much for the idea. Between that and the great article from a few days ago, I am inspired to sit down and contemplate The Odyssey. Looking forward to climbing in bed with that book.
Have a blessed weekend!
jill
I am “in love” with the propel of a 3-4 year reading commitment. We’re ALL busy and “if we don’t we won’t”, (that’s my new statement to myself lately). I also truly believe if we, as classical moms, are going to sing the praises of these works to our children and hope and pray they become part of their lives, then we need to make them part of OUR lives.
Enough preaching. I am very zealous, and the idea of a community of moms doing this for ourselves and not just because the curriculum requires it excites me.
Keep up the good work!
What? It’s impossible to conceive that there could be a more fitting way to begin book club and the joy of The Odyssey than “Embrace the Banjo”. I can’t wait to go down to the river with y’all!
Edie! How are you going to lead a discussion on September 28th when we will be eating BBQ and dancing in Texas! 🙂
We are in the process of hopefully selling one house and starting construction on another this month with a move thrown in for fun. It’s my own personal Odyssey so I am skipping the first book and hope to join in when I am settled. But I am happy to help out with tech support as needed in the meantime.
Yay Book Club!
This is so great!! What amazing themes in this book, I have been especially convicted about hospitality in my own life already. We’ll see what I can get out of it!
I’ve never seen O Brother Where Art Thou, but I may need to check into it now, thanks for the suggestion!
I read a lot of these years ago for school, but you may have convinced me to reread The Odyssey. Maybe this time I’ll do more that skim right before class!
Well, I’m at the beach this weekend and have been reading poor odesseus’ plight while sitting next to the wine-dark sea (as that is all I can seem to call it now). Odyssey is one of the many books I enjoyed way back when but to read it now again is to see it with new eyes, me now over a decade later. Lovely. I’m also training for a 10k and need a pair of these golden sandals they keep strapping to their feet and practically flying with…
As far as the book club, I think we must include Dostoevsky, my vote is for Crime and Punishment, and absolutely must have Augustine’s confessions in there (“my heart is restless until it rests in You”–I’m a bit biased towards Augustine as I have a philosophy degree from my former former life. ). For Plato we could read the republic, if only for that wonderful Cave, or maybe even just that segment if Plato isn’t of interest to all. And I vote for a four year plan. If we do it let’s DO it! Right?
Thank you Edie, for doing this, and I loved that video. I can offer some fiddling if you find a banjo player
Whoops I just realized you do have The Republic on your list. So glad! Plato’s not so stuffy y’all. I just love that Cave allegory.
can you always post with a video? because then it’s like we’re just hanging in her majesty the grand kitchen & i’ll be forever fulfilled….
I am amazed at how much I am enjoying this reading. You are truly an inspiration Edie. Four years of classis would be divine.
Sincerely, Trudy
Wahoo!! : ) I finally un-muted my laptop and sat down to listen to your video, what a treat!
Oh Brother Where Art Thou is one of our fave movies, and I have a lot of the soundtrack already on my ipod, how cool. Thanks a bunch for the reading suggestions… keeping a notebook here and getting a lot out of it already. Looking forward to specific topics on the forum!
The video is a great inspiration. Have been reading for several weeks and feel like I am shaking cobwebs out of my brain. I have read most of the books on the list but now have more experience in life and a better perspective to tackle these reads. I love your concept that we are all on a journey and seeking our homecoming! I’m already having fun with the book clubs. Thank you Edie!
Thank you for the help in pronunciation. I often had that challenge while reading to my sons when they were young (The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques comes to mind …Math-ee-us or Math-I-us?). When we would listen to audio versions (great when traveling) we would be amazed at the differences and it opened a door for looking at whole language in a new way. I now have two grand babies and look forward to reading to them. What a super-special time with children!
PS- I could just see your family over there, just tickled at giving mom a time of it. 🙂
I found your blog via Hooked on Houses. This post really blows me away because my name is Xenia. Yes, it really is Xenia and I live in the city of Troy in Upstate New York. Is that not wild? You mentioned both my name and Troy in your video.
I wish that I could join you online to read the Odyssey, but I am already committed to another online book read. We are reading Mary Barton which was written by Elizabeth Gaskell in the 1800’s.
Anyway, it is nice to meet you and now I am a fan of your blog.