Great Books Reader, The: Excerpts and Essays on the Most Influential Books in Western Civilization [Hardcover]

John Mark Reynolds (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2011

Great Books programs have become increasingly popular among Christian colleges, high schools, and even home schoolers. This one-of-a-kind book is designed for those who do not have the opportunity to attend such a program but are still interested in directly engaging with the Western Canon. It contains substantial excerpts from thirty of the most important books in history, with each excerpt followed by an essay placing the work in historical and Christian context. Readers can learn directly from such authors and thinkers as Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Dante, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, de Tocqueville, Freud, and Chesterton.

Selected as one of 2011's Best Books for Preachers by Preaching Magazine

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Selected as one of 2011's Best Books for Preachers by Preaching Magazine

About the Author

John Mark Reynolds (PhD, University of Rochester) is the founder and director of the Torrey Honors Institute, a Great Books program at Biola University. He has written several books on philosophy and apologetics, including When Athens Met Jerusalem: An Introduction to Classical and Christian Thought. John Mark and his family live in La Mirada, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 752 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764208527
• ISBN-13: 978-0764208522
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 2 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #299,993 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Mark Reynolds is the provost of Houston Baptist University and a professor of philosophy. He is the founder of the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola University. In 1996 he received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Rochester.

Publication Overview

Dr. Reynolds' first book, Three Views on the Creation and Evolution Debate, was co-edited with J.P. Moreland. His latest book, Towards a Unified Plationic Human Psychology, is a close examination of Plato's view of the soul as seen in the Timaeus. Several of his technical articles have been published on philosophy of religion as well as popular articles in journals such as The New Oxford Review and Touchstone.

Lecturer and Speaker

Dr. Reynolds lectures frequently on ancient philosophy, philosophy of science, home-schooling and cultural trends. He regularly appears on radio talk shows, including the Hugh Hewitt Show, and actively blogs on cultural issues.

John Mark and his wife Hope have four children, they home schooled: three adults ( L.D., Mary Kate, and Ian) and Jane who is a high school sophomore. John Mark and his family love Disneyland and make frequent trips to the 'Happiest Place on Earth." He is an owner of the Green Bay Packers, a position of no power or influence.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Plato, Aristotle, Pascal & more...all in 1 book...who knew?! September 12, 2011

By Gregory J. Leith

Format:Hardcover

John Mark Reynolds has taken many of the great books of all time and condensed them for the real world crowd. Then he gave them quick introductions so that the regular folks of the world could 'test drive' the greatest books of the world that lead to the greatest ideas in the world that just might lead us all to some of the deepest thoughts or actions in our worlds.

Who knew that Plato, Pascal and other great writers in history could be politely condensed into bite-sized, delicious yet deep morsels? "How can John Mark do this?", you might ask? The answer is simple actually as he has done it hundreds of times over in the lives of countless students as he founded and operated the most significant great books program in the country at Biola University. On a personal note, he's made a significant impact on four of my children who are his students. Truly, he's an expert at making Great Books come alive, and that is what leads to life change at which he's a master tutor.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Astounding September 3, 2011

By Patti Chadwick VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This is quite a large volume that might seem intimidating except for the fact that you would never think of reading this book through in a short period of time. Following the example of the "Great Books Foundation", this book contains excerpts from the most influential books in Western Civilization as well as essays that help you grasp them and interpret them from a Christian World view. It contains over 600 pages and will whet your appetite for such great minds as Aquinas, Aristotle, Dante, Plato, Shakespeare, and many, many more. This is a book to keep in your library as slowly read through to enrich your knowledge base. I was impressed.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful intro to important ideas that help build Western civiization October 24, 2011

By L. Redford

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

For those of us who've not got gone through all the Great Books, this is at least a place to begin. And these excerpts from great thinkers are bracketed by some excellent essays. The quality of the book itself is unfortunately poor; will the binding last through a complete reading? I don't know. If it doesn't hold up, will the publisher send me another poor quality hard back book? Again, I don't know. Buy the book to read great ideas, not as a long term investment for the shelves of your library.