I've taken the first step on my Great Books journey by finishing The Iliad. It was the kind of book where I immediately wanted to run around to the beginning and read it again. I still have the Odyssey, but I'm putting it off in case Freud is a bother and I need extra incentive. I've made up my mind to handle the Great Idea of honor by combining the judgment of Paris with stuff I'm yanking out of Episodes 1 and 23. Should be fun if I can ever find the time to pull it together. In any case one book down.
My freshman year of college I read Ordering Your Private World, a book that emphasized the importance of character development over talent. Ironically, the author himself had an affair on his book tour. In any case, I've been trying to develop into a person of heroic virtue ever since with little hope of success. The Life You Save May Be Your Own reminded me that talent matters too. While heroic virtue certainly helps (see Dorothy Day) it isn't required for me to begin using my talents. Each of the four authors really spoke to me as I grow. Flannery's assertion that grace can repulse us was right where I'm living. Walker Percy as a self-taught philosopher encouraged me to keep going. Thomas Merton taught me not to reject the good things when you're unhappy about the bad. Dorothy Day helped me to stop feeling bad about being a convert. Converts do good work too.
My favorite poet is John Donne. His major themes are sex and sanctity and sometimes he gets his chocolate on his peanut butter and vice versa. It's all good and very clever. I needed to read him again. The first poem I heard is still my favorite--"Batter My Heart Three Person God." It always rings true, and impresses me all the more as I think of it as a smart inversion of Jeremiah's complaint.
Coming Attractions
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