Wednesday, May 20, 2009

ABC Wednesday

R is for Reading

And HERE is Clifton Fadiman's Lifetime Reading Plan.



It first came to my attention when I had a little more Lifetime Reading left in my future. At that time I took it quite seriously, and set myself to read at least some of Mr. Fadiman's suggested books.

Now I pass it on to anyone who loves to read, to whom books are life's blood and to whom the education obtained in a wide, wide field of writing is priceless.

Have you read the Iliad, the Odyssey,The Pillow-Book by Sei Shonagan, The Mill on the Floss, The House of Mirth, The Magic Mountain or Women in Love?

Look at Clifton Fadiman's list and make your own choices. Open the book, turn the pages, and lose yourself in other worlds......

8 comments:

Raquel Sabino Pereira said...

A reading plan is what I really need right now!! There are soooooooooooooooooooooooooo many books to read!!!

The Weaver of Grass said...

I rather like the idea of a reading plan - my reading is so haphazard - if all else fails I read one of my old favourites - Brideshead, Passage to India - what would we do without books.

Barb said...

Hello Hildred,
Your post brought back memories - I was an English major a loooong time ago. I'm still an avid reader.

Jay said...

I read all the time, but the only one of those I've read is The Mill on the Floss. The way I look at it is this: there are far more books in the world than I'll ever be able to read, so why waste time reading a book I don't much like because 'I should'? If it hasn't grabbed my attention by the end of the first chapter, it's ditched!

On behalf of the team, thanks for taking part in ABC Wednesday! :)

Carol said...

Hi Hildred...great post and a great idea...I will check out your reading plan...good R choice...

Tumblewords: said...

Wonderful! Where would we be with reading?

Karyn said...

I love to read but have not read any of the books you listed.

Although, I did read 'The children's Homer' (an adaptation of the Iliad and the Odyssey) with my children when they read it for school.

"So many books, so little time" is my motto.

Hildred said...

Well, I am inclined to agree that it's all a matter of perspective. Reading a book because it is on somebody's list could make it seem more of a chore than a delight, but on the other hand a guide from an experienced reader can sometimes put you on the right track.

From my point in time I find the list very interesting, but I know it is impossible to accomplish, so old age having its perogatives, I just pick what I think sounds interesting and intersperse them with books like 'The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie' or 'The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Literary Society' (have I got that in the right order?)

Most any reading will enlarge the richness of life...

Thanks for visiting.