A complete education in 5 books

30 pages a day for 100 days to establish a solid intellectual foundation

My popular reading list 12 Books to Ignite the Fire Within came with the disclaimer:

These have been chosen because they are outside of the core Western canon (the most widely recognized Ancient and European thinkers). The works herein are not intended to be a replacement for this canon, but a supplement.

Many readers asked the natural follow-up question: “For those who did not receive a first-class classical education, what is the best way to get a secure grasp of the Western canon?”

Bust of Charlemagne (1349)

There are lists available to the effect of ‘The 500 most important books in Western history’. Tackling these is a worthy ambition, but I suspect that most newcomers will quickly stall.

Many of these works have sections which are now irrelevant. Carl von Clausewitz’s ‘On War’, for example, contains chapters of timeless strategic insights, but also chapters of outdated logistical considerations which are specific to the Prussian mode of war in the 18th century.

Without the guiding narratives of reliable, expert commentators to tie a list of challenging works together, much context will be missed, and interpretation often difficult. Reading certain works without an understanding of why they are important, what they influenced, and which aspects to focus on is disorienting.

And finally, reading these lists takes a really long time. During this time, the temptation to re-focus on more accessible contemporary commentary will be constant.

For these reasons, I suggest starting with a far shorter list which provides readers with a robust overarching narrative of Western history and thought. This will allow you to later sample the ‘great works’ as you see fit, and allow you to put them in context.

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I have compiled the following list of five books according to two specifications. Firstly, the list should provide a rigorous overview of Western history, philosophy, literature, aesthetics, religion, and politics - all from scholars whose worldview is fundamentally sound. Secondly, the total page count should come to fewer than 3000 pages, allowing the reader to complete the list in 100 days by reading 30 pages a day (about 30 minutes in the morning and 30 in the evening), with some days off.

This is, of course, just the beginning of an intellectual journey. But it will be pleasurable, fascinating, and inspiring. I believe that it will also leave you better educated than almost everyone else whom you encounter.

Please enjoy!

— Johann