All Things Shining

Hmmm.... thought-provoking book that starts with David Foster Wallace's [b:Infinite Jest 75786 Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298433997s/75786.jpg 3271542] as an example of postmodern nihilism and banality , then leaping backward to Greek polytheism with Homer and continuing on from there through Dante and Melville to examine how our culture got to where it is today. An odd book to read if you're looking for a prescriptive map to a more meaningful life, because not until the last part of the book is there any meaningful push to take the insights from the reading of the Western canon to cultivate skills of transcendence, wisdom and community. [b:Infinite Jest 75786 Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298433997s/75786.jpg 3271542] is now on my nightstand, though, so I have to say the book succeeded in making this and the other books discussed more real to me. I think I have a stronger motivation to attempt these books after reading(listening) to this book. I also kept thinking that if I were studying any of this literature in a class, I would definitely want to review what this book brought out for some great discussion and research topics.