One Hundred Best Books by John Cowper Powys

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About this eBook

Author Powys, John Cowper, 1872-1963
Title One Hundred Best Books
With Commentary and an Essay on Books and Reading
Note Reading ease score: 59.7 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
Credits E-text prepared by Ted Garvin, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreaders Team
Summary "One Hundred Best Books" by John Cowper Powys is a subjective guide to literature compiled in the early 20th century. The work stands as a personal selection of books that aims to encourage readers to indulge in the pleasure of reading, rather than solely focusing on canonical "standard learning." It emphasizes the importance of individual taste and reading for enjoyment, serving as a guide for those eager to embark on their literary journey. The opening portion of the text sets the tone for this exploration, presenting the compiler's philosophy on reading and literature. Powys argues against conventional educational methods that encourage rigid adherence to a set curriculum, suggesting instead that reading should inspire personal growth and conversation. He encourages readers to cultivate their preferences for literature based on personal enjoyment rather than societal expectations or pretensions. This segment also introduces his criteria for selecting books, outlining that the upcoming list reflects his own taste and invites readers to grapple with their biases about literature. Overall, it is a passionate defense of reading as an art form and an adventure in self-discovery. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class Z: Bibliography, Library science
Subject Books and reading -- Great Britain
Subject Best books -- Great Britain
Category Text
EBook-No. 12914
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Dec 15, 2020
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
Downloads 270 downloads in the last 30 days.
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