What makes a book truly great? What is the purpose of literature? What should literature’s aim be in light of the Catholic tradition? These are questions that the Great Books Series seeks to explore. About once a month, I will release an article, or a series of articles, exploring a classical work of literature. At the end of the article, I will post the topic of next month’s series so that you can read the book before next month’s articles.

I have always loved literature, and I especially enjoy discussing literature with like-minded people. We will not only explore different works, but also different theories and philosophies of literature. We will examine how utilitarianism has crept into the simple matter of reading a good book, and what can be done to correct it. We will explore the evolution of criticism, and reflect upon philosophy’s influence upon great books. It is my hope that this series will be a serious yet intriguing exploration of the history, philosophies, reception, and criticism surrounding literature.