My parents years ago sought out a copy of the Harvard Five Foot Bookshelf for me. I have to admit, at first I didn’t quite know what to make of it. But looking over the titles I now appreciate the literature contained within those tomes. The series was created by a president of Harvard University and contained a broad cross section of quality writings from across human culture and history.

Unfortunately, I didn’t pick up and read any of these works for several years. I finally read through Grimm’s Fairy Tales & Aesop’s fables. It’s interesting to see how the stories changed from the original to the watered down Disney versions of today. It wasn’t until yesterday that I picked up volume one and decided to start going through the series completely.

The first book is a collection of personal accounts, starting with Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. Not at all the sort of thing I would normally read.  Surprisingly though, I’m really enjoying it. It’s so interesting to see a slice of life from such a distant period in American history. At one point he mentions that peers of his brother doubted he could start a newspaper. After all, they said, when would America ever need more than one newspaper? His style is honest and direct, and very unassuming. He writes as though he were just a common man, often wondering who will ever be interested in his goings on.

It will probably take me forever and a day to read through the series, if I even make it. But there are many works from the story of Beowulf & Grendel to the great Greek philosophers that I’ve always heard so much about that I owe it to myself to try. I’m sure some will be dry enough to put me right to sleep, but hopefully I’ll discover other hidden gems such as I’m reading now.

And thank you Mom & Dad, for such a gift. I’ve always believed that reading is so powerful, educational and entertaining. Five foot of reading should certainly keep me busy for a while!