"Great Books"

Until last week, I had forgotten about the launch some 50 years ago of the nationwide "Great Books" reading and discussion series introduced by Mortimer Adler and Robert Maynard Hutchins at the University of Chicago. I had the privilege of exposure to the current year's readings at a book group in Jackson two days ago.

Now that I've had a taste of Great Books discussions, I've recalled with pleasure the related magazine ads that used to grab me in my teens and make me want to read every title listed.

The GB group I met with was halfway through the year's assigned readings. Theme: "The 7 Deadly Sins." I was lucky enough to hear the discussion of two short stories on "Anger." The titles: "Mary Postgate," by Rudyard Kipling, and "Hairball," by Margaret Atwood.

Each tale deals with a woman whose anger? rage? fury? stems from a life situation painfully undealt with. At the end of each story, the heroine commits a spectacular deed in service to her demons.

Guided by questions in the University of Chicago reader, the discussion leaves a participant wanting more--more reading, more discussion, and especially, more groups of intelligent human beings who know how to read, think, analyze, speak and agree or disagree in civility.

Query: Should we send Sarah Palin and Karl Rove a University of Chicago "Great Books" reading list?

I say yes. Surely with their communication skills, Bush's Brain and Sarah the Barracuda could absorb the lessons and apply them more cordially for the good of us all between now and November.