Invitation to the Classics

[Hoggirl]

Does anyone have and use this book? Do you like it? It is suggested in the Truthquest guides.

[Jenn in CA]

I do and I like it. When I assign a "great book," I also assign the reading about the book from ITTC. The readings are only a few pages, but good Christian context. Also good "briefing" about the books for Mom. I also may use a couple of the "thought questions" for essay topics. There are a few, 5-10 questions for each work. Lots of nice color artworks, a la Omnibus, make it a beautiful book as well.

[Anna]

Have it and used it. Nice book!

[elegantlion]

I do and I like it. When I assign a "great book," I also assign the reading about the book from ITTC. The readings are only a few pages, but good Christian context. Also good "briefing" about the books for Mom. I also may use a couple of the "thought questions" for essay topics. There are a few, 5-10 questions for each work. Lots of nice color artworks, a la Omnibus, make it a beautiful book as well.

:iagree: I have it and use it. It has been a handy book to have for my own self-education as well.

[MamaT]

I have it and use it in much the same way as Jenn in CA.

[Phyllis in Canada]

I agree! I really enjoy it and it's helpful for a quick overview of the great works.

[Jean in Wisc]

I have it. No I don't use it. It will no doubt go into the "for sale" pile when I get around to selling my books.

Jean

[MomsintheGarden]

We like it and have used it as a supplement to the Well-Educated Mind, in our high school history/literature studies. Both of my oldest used it spread over four years.

It's a great book, but you could certainly do without it if your budget doesn't allow for it.

GardenMom

[Chris in VA]

Honestly? I didn't think it was worth the $. I sold it. I can always get a synopsis from SparkNotes, and the Christian perspective was...well, I just didn't get a lot out of it.

[Hoggirl]

Honestly? I didn't think it was worth the $. I sold it. I can always get a synopsis from SparkNotes, and the Christian perspective was...well, I just didn't get a lot out of it.


Well, I was wanting it for the Christian perspective. Did you just not think it was "enough," or was the commentary pretty obvious stuff that even a do-do like me could figure out? :lol:

I'm just trying to understand what you didn't like about the Christian perspective. I was all set to "buy now with one-click."

[Chris in VA]

Well, you know (probably) I'm a pretty conservative Christian, so I was expecting a conservative viewpoint, if there is such a thing, and I think that wasn't a problem. Part of it was that I was using Omnibus for the first two years of the Cycle, so Invitation felt very light.

BTW, I went to dinner with Os Guiness--He's brilliant, personable, and really nice!

[Jean in Wisc]

Well, you know (probably) I'm a pretty conservative Christian, so I was expecting a conservative viewpoint, if there is such a thing, and I think that wasn't a problem. Part of it was that I was using Omnibus for the first two years of the Cycle, so Invitation felt very light.

BTW, I went to dinner with Os Guiness--He's brilliant, personable, and really nice!

I always felt I wanted more than the book had to offer. I still ended up going to other sources to find more. I, too, am using Omnibus as a reference, and it gives me so much more. I use Sparknotes, Beautiful Feet history questions, Brightest Heaven of Invention....lots of other materials. I always feel as though I need more than Invitation to the Classics offers.

FWIW,
Jean

[Hoggirl]

I always felt I wanted more than the book had to offer. I still ended up going to other sources to find more. I, too, am using Omnibus as a reference, and it gives me so much more. I use Sparknotes, Beautiful Feet history questions, Brightest Heaven of Invention....lots of other materials. I always feel as though I need more than Invitation to the Classics offers.

FWIW,
Jean

Thanks for this reply. I am trying to understand what you mean by using Omni as a reference. Do you mean you just buy that $100 (or whatever it is now) and use that for commentary???? Can one use it in this way? I never knew!

Thanks, again.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I didn't go right out and buy it, I waited til I could find it used.
Now that I have it, I assign it in both history and literature and I find it quite worth having. :)

[Phyllis in Canada]

Omnibus is a beautiful book, but to each his own; it is much TOO conservative for me. I find Invitation to the Classics a wonderful jumping-off point, giving just enough information to whet your appetite without turning preachy like Omnibus.

[Jean in Wisc]

Thanks for this reply. I am trying to understand what you mean by using Omni as a reference. Do you mean you just buy that $100 (or whatever it is now) and use that for commentary???? Can one use it in this way? I never knew!

Thanks, again.

I want to study more than Omni has to offer--literary terms, poetry in depth, writing about literature, speech. I do units on Shakespeare rather than scattering them throughout the years. I want more variety, less history (we do our own history), my point-of-view theology. I dip into Omni and choose the books that interests me for each child. I read what they have to say about the book. I choose questions/assignments. What I use from the Omnibus each year probably is not even a full semester. Sometimes my kids get tired of reading all about the book before they get to read the book--so my son will read Sir Gawain FIRST and then I will assign the Omnibus introduction. I frequently add essay assignments from Sparknotes and other books rather than staying with Omni's stuff only.

I LOVE Omni! But I would never be happy using it as a stand-alone.

Jean