Good day, James. Respect your choices and approach. As you probably know, I'd begin with the present and work myself back.. Likely I'll have more 19th century French authors given how much of an influence they'd had on Latin American authors. I'd also at Tristram Shandy, an author both Milan Kundera and Carlos Fuentes have written about. Cervantez goes without saying. Nabokov, Mann, so many authors admired Don Quixote deeply. As for St. Augustine's Confessions, it was a book I often saw referenced from historian Garry Wills to T.S. Eliot, who borrowed Augustine's "time present and time past are both present in time future" for The Four Quartets. On a personal note, been moving. Sold half of my book collection to a bookseller I personally know. Same for my comics at a comic shop. Didn't want to do it, but moving to a substantially smaller place, with stairs. Difficult move. Best to you from, Texas.
All solid choices, GV. I'd say that Latin America goes with France and Russia as a missing component of Steve's original list, but also it seems that the Latin American authors I hear about the most are from the 20th Century, and the WCSK only barely cracks the 20C by design. Good luck with the move--it's a colossal pain, especially for us bibliophiles. Hope you'll have time to make a video from time to time once it's all done.
In those old videos, he mentions he left out a lot of nonfiction, so that would add a lot more to his list in a part two. For Roman authors, I'm certain he'd add at least a selection of Cicero to read, considering how influential he'd become. What about philosophy such as The Communist Manifesto or Candide, or JS Mill's On Liberty? Charles Darwin? Samuel Johnson? All possibilities. I've done a lot of thinking about this subject not the least because I created my own Western Canon list of books to read thst goes into much greater detail. Its always interesting to get someone else's take. Great video.
Thanks for watching. Your suggestions all seem like strong candidates to me, especially Cicero and Darwin. Johnson's an odd one because was very well known in his time and almost completely unread today. Have you made a video of your own Western Canon reading list? If not, consider it.
Great suggestions! I have been on such a reading journey, along with all the other worthless books I've read.
Thanks for watching. I've usually got to have a mix of classics and lighter fare as well.
I’m not sure he would, but I think I would add Hesiod myself. There’s a lot of references in other works.
Great list!
Hesiod's a great choice, not least because it's short.
Good day, James. Respect your choices and approach. As you probably know, I'd begin with the present and work myself back.. Likely I'll have more 19th century French authors given how much of an influence they'd had on Latin American authors. I'd also at Tristram Shandy, an author both Milan Kundera and Carlos Fuentes have written about. Cervantez goes without saying. Nabokov, Mann, so many authors admired Don Quixote deeply. As for St. Augustine's Confessions, it was a book I often saw referenced from historian Garry Wills to T.S. Eliot, who borrowed Augustine's "time present and time past are both present in time future" for The Four Quartets.
On a personal note, been moving. Sold half of my book collection to a bookseller I personally know. Same for my comics at a comic shop. Didn't want to do it, but moving to a substantially smaller place, with stairs. Difficult move. Best to you from, Texas.
All solid choices, GV. I'd say that Latin America goes with France and Russia as a missing component of Steve's original list, but also it seems that the Latin American authors I hear about the most are from the 20th Century, and the WCSK only barely cracks the 20C by design.
Good luck with the move--it's a colossal pain, especially for us bibliophiles. Hope you'll have time to make a video from time to time once it's all done.
_First!_ No, not a _fool's errand,_ great job w this, James 🎉
Thanks Allen! Fool's errands are the best errands. Most of mine are just going to the grocery store or buying gas.
In those old videos, he mentions he left out a lot of nonfiction, so that would add a lot more to his list in a part two. For Roman authors, I'm certain he'd add at least a selection of Cicero to read, considering how influential he'd become. What about philosophy such as The Communist Manifesto or Candide, or JS Mill's On Liberty? Charles Darwin? Samuel Johnson? All possibilities.
I've done a lot of thinking about this subject not the least because I created my own Western Canon list of books to read thst goes into much greater detail. Its always interesting to get someone else's take. Great video.
Thanks for watching. Your suggestions all seem like strong candidates to me, especially Cicero and Darwin. Johnson's an odd one because was very well known in his time and almost completely unread today.
Have you made a video of your own Western Canon reading list? If not, consider it.
@@JamesRuchala I have made a few but they are not good quality. I wouldn't object to making another video on it.
Well done you, with your snooty aspirations. Very enjoyable speculation. Also, I can’t hear “Joshua Judges Ruth” without thinking of Lyle Lovett.
Love Lyle Lovett. I think of that too.