Books to Read in January 2014 – Ready, Set, Go

Books to Read in January 2014 – Ready, Set, Go

People are often interested in recommendations for which books to read. After I published the post, “Book Recommendations for a Classic Education in 2014” a reader stepped up to the challenge and indicated that he would be reading books from the list as well. He also asked if I had any suggestions on where to start. I indicated that I would select the books that I would be reading in January 2014. This is actually a good thing because it will help to keep me focused.

Ready, Set, Go, it’s time to get a classic education. I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about which books to read in January because I can easily overthink the situation. I have selected six books that I will be reading, and you can choose five of those to read – that’s roughly a book a week.

Books to Read in January 2014

1. My Antonia, Willa Cather
2. Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis
3. Martin Luther's 95 Theses, Martin Luther
4. Walden, Henry David Thoreau
5. The Social Contract, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
6. Great Dialogues of Plato, Translated by WHD Rouse
7. The Castle of Otranto (Dover Thrift Editions), Harold Walpole

Willa Cather: Born on December 7, 1873, in Gore, Virginia, United States, Willa Cather wrote twelve novels and at least 55 stories during her lifetime. My Antonia is considered to be Cather’s best novel. The story is told from the point of view of a male character, whose life parallel’s Cather’s. My Antonia was published in 1918.

Nikos Kazantzakis: Born on February 18, 1883 in Heraklion, Greece, Nikos Kazantzakis was a writer, philosopher and politician, and best known for his novel Zorba the Greek, which was first published in 1946. He travelled to many countries and was a voracious reader. Zorba the Greek was made into a film, starring Anthony Quinn in the title role.

Martin Luther: Read my profile, “Martin Luther – Religious Reformer and Symbol Of Protestantism.” Born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Germany, Martin Luther was a religious leader, reformer and hymnologist. “In 1517, Luther posted his “95 Theses for an academic debate on indulgences on the door of the castle church at Wittenberg.” The Theses went viral, and in 1518, he was called before Cardinal Cajetan, and commanded to renounce his theses, which he refused – “Here I stand. I can do no other.””

Henry David Thoreau: An author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, surveyor, historian, and transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, United States. First published in 1854, Walden was one of the two full-length books he published. Thoreau published essays, poems, and translations of Greek and Roman poetry in various periodicals. Ralph Waldo Emerson was his friend and mentor (Profile of Ralph Waldo Emerson).

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: An eighteenth-century Swiss-born French philosopher, political theorist, and composer who is recognized as one of the greatest thinkers of the French Enlightenment, Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born on June 28, 1712 in Geneva, Switzerland (He died on July 2, 1778 in Ermenonville, France). The Social Contract, published in 1762, is among his greatest works.

Plato: Born in 427 BC, Classical Athens, Plato was a Greek philosopher. Great Dialogues of Plato include the complete texts of The Republic, The Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Ion, Meno and Symposium. Plato’s teacher, mentor and friend was Socrates.

Through our Books to Read in January 2014, we will be travelling to Gore, Virginia, United States; Heraklion, Greece; Eisleben, Germany; Concord, Massachusetts, United States; Geneva, Switzerland and Ermenonville, France; and finally to Athens, Greece. Choose your four books to read (My Antonia, Zorba the Greek, Martin Luther's 95 Theses, Walden, The Social Contract, and Great Dialogues of Plato) and purchase them today so that you are prepared and ready to go when 2014 is finally here.

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Author Bio: Avil Beckford, an expert interviewer, entrepreneur and published author is passionate about books and professional development, and that's why she founded The Invisible Mentor and the Virtual Literary World Tour to give you your ideal mentors virtually in the palm of your hands by offering book reviews and book summaries, biographies of wise people and interviews of successful people.

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