Student's Guide to Classics

With so many bad definitions of "Classic" going around, Bruce Thornton's A Student's Guide to the Classics is a good antidote. A Classic is a literary work written in ancient Greece or Rome, the twin points of origin for what is called Western Civilization.

This guide defines the major forms of Classical literature (epic, poetry, biography, etc.), and introduces its major works, authors, and ideas. Here's a clear starting place for students who want to study the Classics more seriously but don't know where to start.

Thornton deplores the state of Classical studies in contemporary universities. With this introduction and the books he recommends for further study, however, a disciplined student can get a working knowledge of the Classics, even on a university campus.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.