13 Comments
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The Culturist's avatar

Great project!

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Lisa's avatar

To start with the free version do I sign up for the free trial? And you ask for cc info anyhow? Confused.

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Bob's avatar

I agree, it's not clear.

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Bob's avatar

Oh, I see. The listenable ones appear below in the substack. Sorted!

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Richard Stiles's avatar

I am interested in subscribing to this Substack/Book Club. However, there is very little information that would allow me to understand the content and company better. Who owns and operates Athenaeum Book Club? Is there a Board of Directors? Besides subscriptions, how is it funded? The content is very intriguing and I am an active reader of the types of books you discuss. Can more information be provided? Richard Stiles.

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Susan J. O’Grady, Ph.D.'s avatar

I have the same question. Who is it doing the writing? The photos of great art are amazing, but I see no captions on who the artist is, or attribution. Maybe on the “About” page the author/teacher can say a bit more about themselves and their background in teaching, or perhaps I’ve missed that in another post.

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Justi Andreasen's avatar

The distinction between "content" and "culture" that you've articulated is essential.

Modern digital media produces consumers. The great texts produce participants in a living tradition.

When Augustine, Dante, and Dostoevsky shaped generations of readers, it was precisely because these works required the kind of sustained contemplative engagement that forms both intellect and character.

The very difficulty of these texts - their resistance to quick consumption - is what makes them culturally formative.

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Jade M's avatar

I just got the confessions of Saint Augustine in the mail today! Can’t wait till the 28th

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Nick H's avatar

The West has given us "some" of the best books ever written, but not exclusively so.

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karen miller's avatar

Hello- Love this idea. I'm currently only doing the free portion. Do you have a schedule, with dates, of books you are reading and the associated discussions you are having?

Thank you!

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Kristi Brockschmidt's avatar

Do you read both fiction and non-fiction?

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Maggie Hathaway-Mills's avatar

My comment just got glitches. Try again

In my teens I was reading Socrates, Plato, Taciturn, Freud etc. I still at 73 read, philosophy, biology, history and about early Hominins. I would love to read more.

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Bob's avatar

You can read the articles, but only a part. They stop you at an enticing bit where you have to upgrade to read further.

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