Harold Bloom

the books and school of the ages

The Western canon

Donald

This book was great! Nothing in it will surprise a reader familiar with Bloom. Without any equivocation he makes a case for Shakespeare as the greatest writer of all time and center of the Canon, and along the way he lays into the "school of resentment" (aka feminist/marxist/deconstructionist critics and academics) who deny the almighty AESTHETICS.

Some of the chapters were uneven, but the good chapters far outweigh the mediocre ones. The best part about this book is that it will get you excited to read great literature. After reading it, I'm excited to dive into Emily Dickinson, for example.

I could criticize Bloom for little things, but who cares. Serious readers will find themselves chuckling and nodding in agreement to most of what Bloom writes, and those who hurl the libelous accusations of racism and sexism at Bloom (as some goodreads users have) do not care about great literature anyway. Leave them to their political sorrow - the great books await us.

Mat Connor

TL Wright

A study of twenty-six canonical writers details the qualities that make them literary essentials, and includes Shakespeare, Chaucer, Milton, Beckett, Tolstoy, and Freud.

The Western canon the books and school of the ages

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