Christian Guide to the Classics

Most people are familiar with the classics of Western literature, but few have actually read them. Written to equip readers for a lifetime of learning, this beginner’s guide to reading the classics by renowned literary scholar Leland Ryken answers basic questions readers often have, including “Why read the classics?” and “How do I read a classic?” Offering a list of some of the best works from the last 2,000 years and time-tested tips for effectively engaging with them, this companion to Ryken’s Christian Guides to the Classics series will give readers the tools they need to read, interact with, and enjoy some of history’s greatest literature.

We&'ve all heard about the classics and assume they&'re great. Some of us have even read them on our own. But for those of us who remain a bit intimidated or simply want to get more out of our reading, Crossway&'s Christian Guides to the Classics are here to help.

In these short guidebooks, popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken takes you through some of the greatest literature in history while answering your questions along the way.

Each book:

• Includes an introduction to the author and work
• Explains the cultural context
• Incorporates published criticism
• Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text
• Defines key literary terms
• Lists resources for further study
• Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview

This particular guide opens up the signature book of American literature, Hawthorne&'s Scarlet Letter, and unpacks its universal themes of sin, guilt, and redemption.

We&'ve all heard about the classics and assume they&'re great. Some of us have even read them on our own. But for those of us who remain a bit intimidated or simply want to get more out of our reading, Crossway&'s Christian Guides to the Classics are here to help.

In these short guidebooks, popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken takes you through some of the greatest literature in history while answering your questions along the way.

Each book:

• Includes an introduction to the author and work
• Explains the cultural context
• Incorporates published criticism
• Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text
• Defines key literary terms
• Lists resources for further study
• Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview

This particular guide opens up the last of Shakespeare&'s magnificent tragedies, Macbeth, and explores the themes of temptation, sin, and guilt, as well as the keys to virtuous behavior.

We&'ve all heard about the classics and assume they&'re great. Some of us have even read them on our own. But for those of us who remain a bit intimidated or simply want to get more out of our reading, Crossway&'s Christian Guides to the Classics are here to help.

In these short guidebooks, popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken takes you through some of the greatest literature in history while answering your questions along the way.

Each book:

• Includes an introduction to the author and work
• Explains the cultural context
• Incorporates published criticism
• Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text
• Defines key literary terms
• Lists resources for further study
• Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview

This particular guide opens up the paramount epic in the English language, Milton&'s Paradise Lost, and showcases Milton&'s understanding of crime and punishment in the events of creation, paradisal perfection, the fall, and redemption.

We hear about the classics and assume they&'re great, but many of us are too intimidated to read them on our own. Crossway&'s Christian Guides to the Classics series is designed to help readers enjoy the greatest literature in history with the aid of a gifted teacher to answer questions along the way. Popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken situates each work in its cultural context, incorporates published criticism, includes brief bibliographies for further study, and successfully evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview through analytic commentary.

In this volume, Ryken guides readers through Dickens&'s quintessential coming-of-age novel,& Great Expectations. Exploring perennial themes such as love, justice, and heroism, this book stands as the preeminent example of Dickens&'s unrivaled ability to conjure realistic characters and palpable settings.

We&'ve all heard about the classics and assume they&'re great. Some of us have even read them on our own. But for those of us who remain a bit intimidated or simply want to get more out of our reading, Crossway&'s Christian Guides to the Classics are here to help.

In these short guidebooks, popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken takes you through some of the greatest literature in history while answering your questions along the way.

Each book:

• Includes an introduction to the author and work
• Explains the cultural context
• Incorporates published criticism
• Defines key literary terms
• Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text
• Lists resources for further study
• Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview

This volume leads readers through John Bunyan&'s classic Christian allegory,& The Pilgrim&'s Progress, offering insights into the nature of faith, the reality of temptation, and the glory of salvation.