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Members List:
Links Section
President:
Maholn Nichols
Council Board Members:
Cindy Bouldin
Steve Burdick
Mark Doerr
Florence Eberlein
Mary Epps
Barbara Guptil
Betty Landeen
Roger Landrud
Richard Mohley
Thomas Murray
GREAT BOOKS FOUNDATION LOCAL LINKS (NATIONWIDE)
Pacific Northwest Great Books Council
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Affiliate of The Great Books Foundation
The man who does not read great books has no advantage over the man who can't read.--Mark Twain
group in the Pacific Northwest at a location
close to you, open for membership?
page. Find the contact person (actually a Great Books leader)
nearest to the location of your interest. Call or email the contact
person with your questions. If no group is presently
functioning at a convenient location and you would be interested
in forming a group, call or email Mahlon Nichols
206 633 0536 or mahlonnich@aol.com.
FAQ about Great Books Discussion Groups
The Great Books Foundation is a popular educational nonprofit
organization dedicated to reading and discussing great writing.
For a complete list of readings in the program click on the "Great
Books Foundation" link in the left column and go to the section
in their Site entitled "Reading Series".
What participation does the movement have in the Pacific
Northwest?
Currently, there are approximately 30 Great Books groups
following the reading agenda and “Shared Inquiry” discussion
method endorsed by The Great Books Foundation.
What is the Great Books Foundation?
The Great Books Foundation was established
in 1947 by Mortimer J. Adler and Robert M. Hutchins.
Click on the link in the left column to go to its Web Site.
How can I join a discussion group?
See the information in red type at the top of this page.
What is the “Shared Inquiry” method followed in Great Book discussions?
“Shared Inquiry” involves a leader asking questions of a group
of participants who have read the selection carefully in
advance. The questions have been framed to assist the
participants to increase, by their cooperative efforts,
their understanding of the selection. Click on "Shared Inquiry"
in the left column of this pagefor a more detailed explanation.
Are there any regional meetings in the Pacific Northwest to discuss Great Books?
I'm glad you asked that question. On June 21, 22 and 23 in 2002 we will have
the 43rd Great Books Conference, to be held
at Western Washington University in Bellingham. Our pattern
has been to have 4 discussions, one on Friday night, two on
Saturday and one on Sunday. The Council Board
looks forward to receiving suggestions for readings to be discussed.
The selections and cost will be announced later.
Is reading still important?
We believe that it is. Reading can be done for amusement
on the one hand or for learning, discovery, pleasure and
joy on the other. Few can match Virginia Woolf, noted
author and critic, in her skill in, and in her level of
pleasure derived from, reading. You can read her trenchant
views by clicking on the left column.
Few of us claim the skills she demonstrated during
her lifetime of writing and criticism. We can look to her
as an exemplar. We admit that reading for amusement
has its place, but that purpose is not what we are about.
Our focus is on readings which have demonstrated over
time that they speak to the great issues faced by human
beings. For us, careful reading and discussion of such books
gives rise to a special pleasure in discovery. In all
candor for those who find burdensome reading more demanding
than Danielle Steele, for example, would not find the Great
Books program to be their cup of tea. Mortimer Adler, one
of the founders of the Great Books movement, closely
connects reading to learning and to living well.
