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On Reading Well
On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books | Karen Swallow Prior
13 posts | 8 read | 1 reading | 20 to read
? Publishers Weekly starred review Reading great literature well has the power to cultivate virtue. Great literature increases knowledge of and desire for the good life by showing readers what virtue looks like and where vice leads. It is not just what one reads but how one reads that cultivates virtue. Reading good literature well requires one to practice numerous virtues, such as patience, diligence, and prudence. And learning to judge wisely a character in a book, in turn, forms the reader's own character. Acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior takes readers on a guided tour through works of great literature both ancient and modern, exploring twelve virtues that philosophers and theologians throughout history have identified as most essential for good character and the good life. In reintroducing ancient virtues that are as relevant and essential today as ever, Prior draws on the best classical and Christian thinkers, including Aristotle, Aquinas, and Augustine. Covering authors from Henry Fielding to Cormac McCarthy, Jane Austen to George Saunders, and Flannery O'Connor to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Prior explores some of the most compelling universal themes found in the pages of classic books, helping readers learn to love life, literature, and God through their encounters with great writing. In examining works by these authors and more, Prior shows why virtues such as prudence, temperance, humility, and patience are still necessary for human flourishing and civil society. The book includes end-of-chapter reflection questions geared toward book club discussions, features original artwork throughout, and includes a foreword from Leland Ryken.
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DianeDeMasi
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Bailedbailed

I'm on the hunt for good books about virtues. I like Prior's take on the subject. She states in the intro that we may come to different conclusions and that's good. I love that. Some of the choices I agreed with and others not so much. Unfortunately, there was something that didn't draw me in tight. Each time I'd start reading my mind would wander and I had more desire to vacuum than read. I bailed after about 2/3 off the book.

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DianeDeMasi
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I'm a third of the way through this a book. ❤️ I'm looking for more reads on virtues. If you have suggestions I'd love to hear them #Virtues #Learning #LovetoLearn

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TheSpineView
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#JumpIntoJanuary @Eggs
Prompt: Life is Good

Eggs Ah perfect 👌🏼 4y
60 likes1 comment
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debresnick
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She's making me too sleepy to read.

CaitZ She's so sweet 4y
3 likes1 comment
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Julsmarshall
Bailedbailed

Just not my cup of tea and this year I‘m giving myself permission to stop reading if I‘m not feeling it.

Sace I always struggle with the How/What to read genre. 😔 5y
37 likes1 comment
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Julsmarshall
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Last #libraryhaul of 2019!

charl08 Nicely done! 5y
51 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Pam.Kokomo
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Pickpick

Excellent!

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mrozzz
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Oops I went to Barnes & Noble 😉📚📚📚📚
Loving this #BookHaul — I actually already have Pieces of Her as an ebook but the hardcover was on sale and I always prefer to have a hard copy when possible.

RaimeyGallant Whoopsie! 6y
mrozzz 😅☺️😉 @RaimeyGallant 6y
118 likes2 comments
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Sara_Planz
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I am on this huge “books about books” kick lately!

kspenmoll Just got this too. Love books about books! 📚📚 6y
51 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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bibliobliss
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Catching up from last week!!

1. Pregnancy news!!
2. Baby (due in September, I think)
3. "Cherish the winter. Cherish its quietness, the time of going within to rest and heal. Cherish this time of preparation that must come before new life. Cherish the hope that lies beneath the snow."
4. Always do ?

#hellothursday @wanderinglynn

Eggs Congratulations 🍾🎊🎈 6y
bibliobliss @Eggs Thank you 😉 6y
wanderinglynn Congrats! 🎉❤️👶🏻 And thanks for playing! 💜 6y
ephemeralwaltz Congratulations 😍😍😍 6y
31 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
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I returned to the office this morning after the holidays (and a lot of working from home) to find that a coworker left this book for me on my desk as a Christmas gift! So awesome!

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LitandLeisure
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Pickpick

This is a readers book!! In On Reading Well, Prior pairs a work of literary fiction with a virtue – cardinal, theological and heavenly – in each chapter to illustrate how a good reading of fiction calls the reader to a more noble sensibility.

http://www.literatureandleisure.com/2018/10/book-review-on-reading-well/

LitandLeisure @zsuzsanna_reads Interesting! I wasn‘t familiar- thank you! 6y
zsuzsanna_reads @LitandLeisure it's an academic book, so pretty heavy going. It focuses on Henry James's novels, so it's a good combo for me 😀 6y
10 likes2 stack adds3 comments