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Life Lessons from the Great Books
Study more than three dozen works that span the timelines of Western history, from ancient Greece and Rome to the modern age. Whether written 2,000, 200, or 20 years ago, the enduring works of literature still speak to us and place our unique experiences into a larger perspective, offering invaluable lessons for every important moment in life.
Every Great Book you explore over these 36 insightful lectures - from the Odyssey and the Gospel of John to Hamlet and Animal Farm - is a unique expression of the human spirit and a fountain of advice, from how to conduct yourself in times of trouble to how to better appreciate the simple moments in your life.
You'll discover six broad themes that run through history's most compelling the unconquerable human spirit, youth and old age, romance and love, adventure and courage, laughter and irony, and patriotism. In exploring these themes within the context of these Great Books, you learn new ideas about both the works themselves and the broad scope of the human condition.
If you haven't read these Great Books before, the warmth of Professor Fears's storytelling and his insightful approach to literature will have you heading to the library to learn more. And if you've already read these works, you'll discover new themes and ideas that will help you get more out of them.
Regardless of your previous familiarity with these works, you'll come to understand why these masterpieces remain eternal testaments to the variety of human experience and the powerful ways in which literature can guide and inspire us.
Every Great Book you explore over these 36 insightful lectures - from the Odyssey and the Gospel of John to Hamlet and Animal Farm - is a unique expression of the human spirit and a fountain of advice, from how to conduct yourself in times of trouble to how to better appreciate the simple moments in your life.
You'll discover six broad themes that run through history's most compelling the unconquerable human spirit, youth and old age, romance and love, adventure and courage, laughter and irony, and patriotism. In exploring these themes within the context of these Great Books, you learn new ideas about both the works themselves and the broad scope of the human condition.
If you haven't read these Great Books before, the warmth of Professor Fears's storytelling and his insightful approach to literature will have you heading to the library to learn more. And if you've already read these works, you'll discover new themes and ideas that will help you get more out of them.
Regardless of your previous familiarity with these works, you'll come to understand why these masterpieces remain eternal testaments to the variety of human experience and the powerful ways in which literature can guide and inspire us.
19 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
J. Rufus Fears
28 books47 followersDr. J. Rufus Fears is David Ross Boyd Professor of Classics at the University of Oklahoma, where he holds the G. T. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty. He also serves as David and Ann Brown Distinguished Fellow of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Before joining the faculty at the University of Oklahoma, Professor Fears was Professor of History and Distinguished Faculty Research Lecturer at Indiana University, and Professor of Classical Studies and Chair of the Department of Classical Studies at Boston University.
An acclaimed teacher and scholar with 25 awards for teaching excellence, Professor Fears was chosen Professor of the Year on three occasions by students at the University of Oklahoma. His other accolades include the Medal for Excellence in College and University Teaching from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Great Plains Region Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the UCEA's National Award for Teaching Excellence.
Professor Fears's books and monographs include The Cult of Jupiter and Roman Imperial Ideology and The Theology of Victory at Rome. He edited a three-volume edition of Selected Writings of Lord Acton. His discussions of the Great Books have appeared in newspapers across the country and have aired on national television and radio programs.
An acclaimed teacher and scholar with 25 awards for teaching excellence, Professor Fears was chosen Professor of the Year on three occasions by students at the University of Oklahoma. His other accolades include the Medal for Excellence in College and University Teaching from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Great Plains Region Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the UCEA's National Award for Teaching Excellence.
Professor Fears's books and monographs include The Cult of Jupiter and Roman Imperial Ideology and The Theology of Victory at Rome. He edited a three-volume edition of Selected Writings of Lord Acton. His discussions of the Great Books have appeared in newspapers across the country and have aired on national television and radio programs.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 6, 2019
This series should really be renamed "Interpretations of Literary Works from a Predominantly Christian Viewpoint told to you by an Out of Touch White Guy". I only listened to the first few lectures, but literally every single one was God this and Jesus that. How do you turn Seneca's death into essentially a Christian parable? And including the Gospel of John as a "Great Work?" Give me a break. I should have known when, in the first lecture, he described the language used in TV and film as "vulgar" and argued it rotted the soul. I love the Great Courses, but this one is definitely to be skipped.
June 24, 2023
This collection of 36 lectures is basically a full college course on common themes found throughout 'the great books' of history. It started off wonderfully. Rufus is an excellent storyteller and lecturer. When it began, I was thinking it could be worthy of 5 stars. However, it quickly morphs from an academic analysis of the great books into a Christian analysis of them. The same way I don't want a Christian analysis of outer space or U.S. History or mathematics, I also don't want an analysis of literature from a Christian perspective. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this perspective, but it's only appropriate for Sunday School and not for anything pretending to be academic.
To add to this, the last set of lectures devolves into a completely gross call for young people to die for their country. Again, there's nothing wrong with serving in the military, but for a guy who never served in the military to tell young people that the most honorable thing they can do in life is to die fighting in war is as obscene as a corrupt politician going on TV and trying to convince people that another war is a good idea. I guess Rufus was too busy lecturing to heed his own advice.
To add to this, the last set of lectures devolves into a completely gross call for young people to die for their country. Again, there's nothing wrong with serving in the military, but for a guy who never served in the military to tell young people that the most honorable thing they can do in life is to die fighting in war is as obscene as a corrupt politician going on TV and trying to convince people that another war is a good idea. I guess Rufus was too busy lecturing to heed his own advice.
September 17, 2018
Excellent! Another wonderful survey of the great books of the world by Professor Fears. I can truly say that this series, along with his earlier “Great Books” survey, will help the reader (listener) fill in many gaps in his or her education. It’s well worth the time.
February 27, 2013
I've seldom come across a lecture that I would describe using the word "entertaining," but this one really was for me, as well as insightful. Don't come to this series expecting a great deal of literary analysis or to learn about these works in a factual way; rather, the lecturer takes a more philosophical approach. The series is really about why we need the great books, what they mean to us and can do for us as human beings and as societies, and why these particular selections are worth reading. At the same time, he gives something like a summary of each of the works, but it is no dry introduction; rather, he tells stories. The lecturer's obvious passion for his subject was catching.
April 17, 2017
A novel (ha!) approach to examining and learning from some of the great classics. The author and lecturer has a good, engaging style that entices you to read or re-read some of the classic books from English Lit. Recommended!
April 8, 2021
This is an excellent course, one of the Great Courses. I particularly enjoyed this course because Professor Fears not only presents some of the great books but draws lessons for life from them. His lessons specifically focus on the unconquerable human spirit, living life from youth to old age, adventure, romance, humor, and patriotism. For each of these themes, he covers several books in which the theme is especially found. Professor Fears has an enormous knowledge of books across history, although he seems especially versed in ancient Gree literature. He brings to these lessons not only this extensive knowledge but also a capacity to "tell a good story." The combination makes for excellent listening although some listeners will want to turn up the speed of each lecture.
As would be expected there are some books that he covers where the reader is highly motivated to find the book and read it for himself or herself. So, for example, I am eager to read Cicero's "On Old Age." There are others where, when becoming familiar with the content of the book, the reader concludes that is a book to NEVER be read. First among them is Huxley's, "A Brave New World."
For those that one decides to never read, I propose that one be able to count them as "read" on Goodreads. There are two reasons for those. First, I know as much today as I will ever know about "Brave New World" so trying to make my way through it would not make it any more "read" than it is now. Second, this is a good way to even out the playing Goodreads playing field. Counting these books as "read" would allow me to better compete with my brothers on Goodreads, one of whom seems to have unlimited time to read.
"Life Lessons from Great Books" is truly an enjoyable course and I recommend it. I was especially plased to be able to borrow it from the library!
As would be expected there are some books that he covers where the reader is highly motivated to find the book and read it for himself or herself. So, for example, I am eager to read Cicero's "On Old Age." There are others where, when becoming familiar with the content of the book, the reader concludes that is a book to NEVER be read. First among them is Huxley's, "A Brave New World."
For those that one decides to never read, I propose that one be able to count them as "read" on Goodreads. There are two reasons for those. First, I know as much today as I will ever know about "Brave New World" so trying to make my way through it would not make it any more "read" than it is now. Second, this is a good way to even out the playing Goodreads playing field. Counting these books as "read" would allow me to better compete with my brothers on Goodreads, one of whom seems to have unlimited time to read.
"Life Lessons from Great Books" is truly an enjoyable course and I recommend it. I was especially plased to be able to borrow it from the library!
August 14, 2019
This really wasn't at all "Life Lessons from Great Books" but rather "A Brief Summary of Great Books and Their Authors".
I actually really didn't mind this alternative way of doing it, and for maybe 40% of the books it was fascinating, engaging, and memorable.
However, Fears focused far too much on Ancient Greek and Roman books/plays (which I know, to be fair, is his expertise) and also many of his books are repetitive both in theme and also even in content e.g. you'll learn about 4 times about the Late Roman Republic/Early Emperors and the Jewish diaspora.
So, I liked a bit of this, but it's really not what it says it is, and is far too disproportionately weighed for me.
I actually really didn't mind this alternative way of doing it, and for maybe 40% of the books it was fascinating, engaging, and memorable.
However, Fears focused far too much on Ancient Greek and Roman books/plays (which I know, to be fair, is his expertise) and also many of his books are repetitive both in theme and also even in content e.g. you'll learn about 4 times about the Late Roman Republic/Early Emperors and the Jewish diaspora.
So, I liked a bit of this, but it's really not what it says it is, and is far too disproportionately weighed for me.
June 26, 2022
1. Seneca—"On Providence"
Evil cannot befall a truly good man because, if a man believes that God is good, then there is no real evil.
2. The Gospel of John
3. Boethius, Martin Luther King—Conscience
4. Dostoevsky—The Brothers Karamazov
5. Elie Wiesel—Night
6. Schweitzer—Out of My Life and Thought
7. Goethe—The Sufferings of Young Werther
8. Shakespeare—Hamlet
Move on—vengeance will change nothing.
9. Sophocles—Ajax
Even the best human qualities can become destructive when pushed to excess.
10. Plato—Epistle VII
Even great philosophers can make nearly fatal mistakes.
Laws
11. Cicero—"On Old Age"
Old people are beneficial to society because of their experience, wisdom, and good judgment
On Duties
12. Isaac Bashevis Singer—The Penitent
The only reason to live a long life is to continue growing and developing.
13. Euripides—Alcestis
Anything taken to excess—even something good—leads to destruction. In Alcestis's self-sacrifice for her husband's immortality, you find the higher ideal of love that leads us to put others before ourselves.
14. Euripides—Medea
Love as all-consuming hatred.
15. Von Strasburg—Tristan and Isolde
The overwhelming power of love to make people abandon codes of honor and betray those to whom they owe the most.
Medieval ideal of human passion as an allegory for the love of God.
16. Shakespeare—Antony and Cleopatra
A man of enormous talent and opportunity can throw away world rule for the love of a woman.
17. Shakespeare—Macbeth
Love as a tool for achieving power. You see how Lady Macbeth uses her husband as a surrogate for authority and fuels his decisions with her misguided love.
18. Aldous Huxley—Brave New World
Brave New World takes you to a society devoid of love—one where sex and reproduction happen outside the world of affection and relationships.
19. Homer—Odyssey
20. Sophocles—Philoctetes
Focus on Sophocles' Philoctetes as a lesson in the cruel business of war. Even though war brings untold suffering, wisdom and redemption can still emerge. This powerful lesson, you learn, is one that each generation must learn anew.
Fame and glory as a reason for war.
21. The Song of Roland—Chivalric Adventure
The destructive nature of honor when pushed too far.
22. Nibelungenlied—Chivalric Romance
The creative and destructive power of love and how to courageously find one's destiny.
23. Lewis and Clark—Journals
24. T. E. Lawrence—Seven Pillars of Wisdom
25. Aristophanes—Comedies
26. Menander—The Grouch
27. Machiavelli—La Mandragola
28. Erasmus—In Praise of Folly
29. Thomas More—Utopia
30. George Orwell—Animal Farm
The evils of totalitarianism.
31. Josephus—History of the Jewish War
Patriotism.
Come to see History of the Jewish War by the historian Flavius Josephus as a moving lesson in the human love of freedom. To fight and die in the noble cause of freedom, you learn, should never be considered a defeat.
32. Joseph Addison—Cato
33. George Washington—Farewell Address
34. Abraham Lincoln, George Patton—War
35. Theodore Roosevelt—An Autobiography
36. The Wisdom of Great Books
Evil cannot befall a truly good man because, if a man believes that God is good, then there is no real evil.
2. The Gospel of John
3. Boethius, Martin Luther King—Conscience
4. Dostoevsky—The Brothers Karamazov
5. Elie Wiesel—Night
6. Schweitzer—Out of My Life and Thought
7. Goethe—The Sufferings of Young Werther
8. Shakespeare—Hamlet
Move on—vengeance will change nothing.
9. Sophocles—Ajax
Even the best human qualities can become destructive when pushed to excess.
10. Plato—Epistle VII
Even great philosophers can make nearly fatal mistakes.
Laws
11. Cicero—"On Old Age"
Old people are beneficial to society because of their experience, wisdom, and good judgment
On Duties
12. Isaac Bashevis Singer—The Penitent
The only reason to live a long life is to continue growing and developing.
13. Euripides—Alcestis
Anything taken to excess—even something good—leads to destruction. In Alcestis's self-sacrifice for her husband's immortality, you find the higher ideal of love that leads us to put others before ourselves.
14. Euripides—Medea
Love as all-consuming hatred.
15. Von Strasburg—Tristan and Isolde
The overwhelming power of love to make people abandon codes of honor and betray those to whom they owe the most.
Medieval ideal of human passion as an allegory for the love of God.
16. Shakespeare—Antony and Cleopatra
A man of enormous talent and opportunity can throw away world rule for the love of a woman.
17. Shakespeare—Macbeth
Love as a tool for achieving power. You see how Lady Macbeth uses her husband as a surrogate for authority and fuels his decisions with her misguided love.
18. Aldous Huxley—Brave New World
Brave New World takes you to a society devoid of love—one where sex and reproduction happen outside the world of affection and relationships.
19. Homer—Odyssey
20. Sophocles—Philoctetes
Focus on Sophocles' Philoctetes as a lesson in the cruel business of war. Even though war brings untold suffering, wisdom and redemption can still emerge. This powerful lesson, you learn, is one that each generation must learn anew.
Fame and glory as a reason for war.
21. The Song of Roland—Chivalric Adventure
The destructive nature of honor when pushed too far.
22. Nibelungenlied—Chivalric Romance
The creative and destructive power of love and how to courageously find one's destiny.
23. Lewis and Clark—Journals
24. T. E. Lawrence—Seven Pillars of Wisdom
25. Aristophanes—Comedies
26. Menander—The Grouch
27. Machiavelli—La Mandragola
28. Erasmus—In Praise of Folly
29. Thomas More—Utopia
30. George Orwell—Animal Farm
The evils of totalitarianism.
31. Josephus—History of the Jewish War
Patriotism.
Come to see History of the Jewish War by the historian Flavius Josephus as a moving lesson in the human love of freedom. To fight and die in the noble cause of freedom, you learn, should never be considered a defeat.
32. Joseph Addison—Cato
33. George Washington—Farewell Address
34. Abraham Lincoln, George Patton—War
35. Theodore Roosevelt—An Autobiography
36. The Wisdom of Great Books
October 31, 2023
The good: Dr. Fears has an engaging, "story telling" style that is makes "classics" not only easy to listen to but downright entertaining (as long as you are aligned with his cultural norms and beliefs and don't question things too much); He has a gift for teaching, as well documented by his tenure and awards at OU; and, he seemed like a likable fellow to meet at a faculty mixer.
The not so good: his perspective is breathtakingly parochial (as pointedly mentioned in several reviews) and his "life lessons" are pretty solidly from the perspective of a white, male, Judeo-Christian and American, which is what he was, but "life's lessons" should reach beyond your own biases and good writers and educators should rise above their biases, or at least attempt to. He seems to wallow in his.
I forced myself to finish this to be "open minded". I have read most, but not all of these books and while I certainly cannot claim to be his equal in knowledge, I found his perspective so narrow, and, frankly, so proselytizing that it would be a misrepresentation to call this lecures "educational" - these were "sermons" (or perhaps really long homilies).
I can't help but wonder how Shakespeare (or Cicero or Homer) would have lampooned his take on their works...and find it terribly ironic that he seemed to condem diet and exercise as a waste of time ("in order to gain a year or two of life") when he died at 67. Life lessons that are quite correct can kill you eventually.
The not so good: his perspective is breathtakingly parochial (as pointedly mentioned in several reviews) and his "life lessons" are pretty solidly from the perspective of a white, male, Judeo-Christian and American, which is what he was, but "life's lessons" should reach beyond your own biases and good writers and educators should rise above their biases, or at least attempt to. He seems to wallow in his.
I forced myself to finish this to be "open minded". I have read most, but not all of these books and while I certainly cannot claim to be his equal in knowledge, I found his perspective so narrow, and, frankly, so proselytizing that it would be a misrepresentation to call this lecures "educational" - these were "sermons" (or perhaps really long homilies).
I can't help but wonder how Shakespeare (or Cicero or Homer) would have lampooned his take on their works...and find it terribly ironic that he seemed to condem diet and exercise as a waste of time ("in order to gain a year or two of life") when he died at 67. Life lessons that are quite correct can kill you eventually.
July 19, 2023
The lecturer in this series, the late Professor J. Rufus Fears, was a fine historian with a broad breadth of knowledge from ancient to American, and he did a number of popular courses for The Great Courses. The point of this series on the great books is based on Socrates’ central question: What is the best way to live one’s life? It is by the great books that this question gets answered here from 36 different perspectives, from religious or philosophic authors to politicians and warfighters. Fears’ final lecture on the value of great books is maybe his best. There, Fears emphasizes the value of humanism, the humanities (which by definition excludes postmodernist, anti-humanist, Critical Theorist perspectives), and the guidance that books which last through the ages can provide in an individualistic and relativist age when so little guidance is provided or allowed. With no heroes left to look up to, the great books remain a home for them. However, I doubt this series is for everyone as Fears lets his Judeo-Christian apologetics peak through on several occasions, and his pride in patriotism will sound old school to Critical Theorists. Which is perhaps why he taught in the Midwest at the University of Oklahoma, not Berkeley. A good series that’s not only added to my reading list but conveyed wisdom from the ancients, some of which I’d never heard of.
April 13, 2023
Okay. Good things. This introduced me to a few works I hadn't heard of. It included a bunch of Greek classical literature that I haven't gotten around to yet.
Ridiculous things. Um. Hi. Where are the women? Where are any diverse authors at all? Everything here write obviously comes from a very Western white Christian perspective, and there is absolutely no way that those are the only "Great Books". The theme of patriotism bugged me, too. Of all the important themes, why is that even on the radar?
Stick to the more inclusive Great Courses.
Ridiculous things. Um. Hi. Where are the women? Where are any diverse authors at all? Everything here write obviously comes from a very Western white Christian perspective, and there is absolutely no way that those are the only "Great Books". The theme of patriotism bugged me, too. Of all the important themes, why is that even on the radar?
Stick to the more inclusive Great Courses.
June 1, 2023
Extremely biased. I could not believe how he treated most stories as myths but the Bible is treated as 100% history. He tells flat out lies about the founding fathers embracing the Bible and Christianity. He cannot hide his biases and states that of all creation stories, Genesis is the most beautiful. That's ridiculous. I'm Extremely disappointed about this Christianized way of interpreting greats works of mythology. Sad this guy even teaches at college level. He goes against history and science and goes full force on his own personal faith. Completely ridiculous!
September 2, 2022
I didn't read this; I listened to about five minutes, heard about eight outrageous lies about the Roman Republic, and realized I need some way to remind me to skip this guy every time his name rolls around.
The Great Courses (especially the ones from the 90s) have been stereotyped a certain way: if I wanted to argue the stereotype is unfair, I would have to pray my opponent is unaware of this particular professor.
The Great Courses (especially the ones from the 90s) have been stereotyped a certain way: if I wanted to argue the stereotype is unfair, I would have to pray my opponent is unaware of this particular professor.
August 18, 2024
Weak sauce. I’m so disappointed in this series. His observations are shallow and trite. As others have commented, there is a strong bent toward Christian belief which limits it further. His grasp of history is also tenuous and he cites some BCE dates as AD. His delivery was tiresome and meandering. This also had a bit of a “Chicken Soup for the Soul” feel to it. Not worth my time.
May 10, 2022
What would be better, for someone too busy to read all the Great Books, to listen to this survey and thoughtful analysis of some of them, by a Master Storyteller? As an example, George Washington's Farewell Address is an amazingly relevant admonition for the current divisive time!
April 28, 2025
This was an excellent narrative summary of each if these books. Much better if you are at least familiar with the stories and/or the authors. If you have read any of these this may spur you to go back and reread them.
April 29, 2025
Like other Great Courses, these lectures spoke to things that interest me, great books. However, this course has been different than all the others IN that the professor earnestly desires to inspire you to greatness.
November 9, 2025
I loved the way J. Rufus Fears tells these stories. A lot of these I'd probably have trouble understanding or appreciating on my own. There's nothing like listening to someone who is passionate about the material and I can feel more confident should I pursue reading any of these works.
May 11, 2018
Awesome by all means
didn-t-finish
June 26, 2020Couldn't get into it. Finally skimmed the list of books and I only even kind of liked 3 of them, so I decided to skip it.
December 21, 2020
Really clinical. Not my favorite read for myself but others may enjoy.
May 1, 2022
Really insightful book. I think talking about the "Great Books" and only focusing on the west is problematic. Nevertheless, Dr. Fears is entertaining and makes these books memorable and vibrant.
July 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this one. The author talks about classic books and gives context on the times in which they were created.
November 17, 2022
thanks for the schooling!
January 28, 2023
I love the way he draws out profound meaning in each piece of literature. He focuses on what themes speak to us today.
February 6, 2023
Dr. Fears is amazing, but I didn't find the selection of great books as varied or interesting as his other lectures.
May 17, 2024
I enjoyed the simple and quick review of the books and their histories. Ways of thinking of the moral of the story and amazing take-aways that ought to last a lifetime.
May 6, 2025
Outstanding narrative with rich context
February 13, 2017
Easily one of my favorite reads, I was enthralled. I love good books, and some of my all-time favorite classes in high school & university were those where we studied classic literature. This particular lecture series was fantastic: the author takes one lecture (usually 45 minutes) and talks about a single book (those he considers "great books"... he has a criteria that books adhere to in order to be called "great"), he gives a brief synopsis of the book, the characters and the plot, then talks about what life lessons can be learned from this story. I was hooked, and loved it! Highly recommended.
October 29, 2014
Too bad I didn't have J. Rufus Fears for a teacher in college. I might have changed my major and never left. He is the consummate storyteller. I found his selection of books interesting and the themes they represent timeless in their appeal. What makes a great book - the theme, noble language, wisdom, courage and justice. He takes the reader or listener on a journey from ancient times through Greek and Roman history to the Middle Ages, on up to contemporary times. It is a long series (there are so many profound books in the world) but I found them delightful companions on my daily commute to work. I think my best take-away is that each book, rather than being a stand alone, makes so much more sense when you understand the times and lives of the authors and where the book stands in history. Thanks for helping me understand great books in a new, profound way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews