『Crack The Book: A Beginner's Guide to Reading the Great Books』のカバーアート

Crack The Book: A Beginner's Guide to Reading the Great Books

Crack The Book: A Beginner's Guide to Reading the Great Books

著者： Cheryl Drury
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Confused by Confucius? Daunted by Dante? Shook by Shakespeare? I get it! I'm Cheryl, a reader exploring the world's most influential books one episode at a time. I don't do lectures, and I can't do jargon. But we do have friendly conversations about why (and whether) these books still matter. Each episode, we tackle a great book or two—The Divine Comedy, The Canterbury Tales, The Odyssey, The Prince—unpacking the big ideas, memorable moments, and surprising ways these stories connect to life today. If you've ever thought "I should read that" but didn't know where to start, you're in the right place. Subscribe to Crack the Book. Let's find out what's inside.Copyright 2026 Cheryl Drury アート 個人的成功 文学史・文学批評 自己啓発
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  • Who Is the Real Enemy? The Iliad, Books 1-6

    Who Is the Real Enemy? The Iliad, Books 1-6
    2026/09/08

    Today's the day we start The Iliad! In this episode, I summarize the action thus far, in Books 1-6. I also discuss a few key points that I've noticed in the reading:

    1. The story opens in a way I really didn't expect: with the Greeks arguing amongst themselves after being at war with the Trojans for NINE years.
    2. The names (something I mentioned last week) can really trip you up. But there's a reason for some of it, and it isn't what you might expect.
    3. Homer, a Greek, is surprisingly evenhanded with good guys on both the Greek and Trojan side. In fact, Trojan Hector seems like he will be the moral center of the story.
    4. Helen is, well, Helen is odd. Does she feel trapped? Does she even like Menelaus or Paris? I hope we hear from her more, but I don't have high hopes.

    So, one-quarter of the way into the Iliad, it's been an interesting ride. It's very, very bloody, but it's a war book, so maybe that is just the way things are? We'll see--next week! We'll be taking a look at more of the Iliad, and we are also going to talk about what is missing. Next week: the Backstories of the Iliad.

    BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

    The Iliad: Translated by Fagles, Rouse, and Wilson.

    CONNECT

    The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

    To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

    Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

    Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

    LISTEN

    Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

    Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

    Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm
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    28 分
  • The Greatest Stories Ever Told? Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and Virgil's Aeneid

    The Greatest Stories Ever Told? Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and Virgil's Aeneid
    2026/09/01
    This fall, Crack the Book is heading into the ancient world with an epic reading project: Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, followed by Virgil’s Aeneid. We’ll move at a beginner-friendly pace, keeping our eyes on the forest rather than examining every leaf, while exploring the history, mythology, translations, movies, and enormous cultural influence of these stories.I’ll be reading Robert Fagles as my primary translation, while dipping into versions by Emily Wilson, W.H.D. Rouse, and Sarah Ruden to see how translation changes the experience. Along the way, I’ll share practical strategies for handling the intimidating number of names, gods, heroes, and places—and bring in guests and experts for other perspectives.Most importantly, you don’t need to know Greek mythology or be an expert to begin. These books have survived because they are great stories. Come find out why they still have the power to surprise us.Next week: The Iliad, Books 1–5.BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEHomer, The Iliad — Robert Fagles translation, Penguin Classics Deluxe EditionHomer, The Odyssey — Robert Fagles translation, Penguin Classics Deluxe EditionVirgil, The Aeneid — Robert Fagles translation, Penguin Classics Deluxe EditionHomer, The Iliad — Emily Wilson translationHomer, The Odyssey — Emily Wilson translationHomer, The Iliad — W. H. D. Rouse translation (prose)Homer, The Odyssey — W. H. D. Rouse translation (prose)Virgil, The Aeneid — Sarah Ruden translationApuleius, The Golden Ass — Sarah Ruden translation CONNECTThe complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2rTo read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/ Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebookLISTENSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bdApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321 Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm
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    23 分
  • Shakespeare's As You Like It: A Comedy You Can Fall In Love With

    Shakespeare's As You Like It: A Comedy You Can Fall In Love With
    2026/08/25

    This month’s Shakespeare is As You Like It—and after my less-than-enthusiastic experience with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I’m relieved to discover that Shakespearean comedy really can be funny. The plot is completely ridiculous: banished dukes, feuding brothers, improbable disguises, love at first sight, a lion, a religious conversion, and four marriages. Somehow, it works.

    But because this is Shakespeare, the comedy also sneaks in bigger ideas: primogeniture and sibling rivalry, country life versus court life, the costs of travel, and, most memorably, the famous “All the world’s a stage” speech. I also share why I don’t recommend Kenneth Branagh’s movie adaptation and give As You Like It a B+. Plus, a preview of our fall Shakespeare lineup and the upcoming Iliad/Odyssey/Aeneid reading project.

    BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

    As You Like It

    CONNECT

    The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

    To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

    Kenneth Branagh's As You Like It Trailer

    St. Philip's Academy 2026 Convocation (Not available yet but I'll link when it is!)

    Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

    Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

    LISTEN

    Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

    Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

    Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm
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    22 分
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