I need to read more of the great classics. By doing so, I hope to become more educated and able to think for myself.

Several months ago, I was listening to Michael Medved on the radio speak about people who are truly educated, not just spoon-fed a bunch of information. I have always thought of myself as educated up until I heard him talk about people who are truly educated. I don't remember his exact words, but he basically implied that educated people read a lot, and not just any books, but classics. He asked his audience which book they had read most recently. Because I am a stay-at-home mom, I don't get a lot of free time to read, so I had a hard time remembering which book I read last. His words really struck a chord with me. I realized that the emphasis of reading books (mainly classics), is very critical if one wants to be truly educated. I am a college graduate, and did very well in both high school and college. I worked hard at my classes and graduated with about a 3.7 gpa. But after all that hard work, I never took reading seriously. Oh, I have read many fiction novels, and I always read what was assigned to me, but I never considered reading classics for fun. I always looked upon reading classics as another school assignment. I could probably count the number of classics I read in high school on one hand. I didn't even know who Jane Austen really was until after my first child was born, and now she is one of my favorite authors. I'm a little disappointed when I realized that I was short-changed on my education. Now that my son is old enough for school, I decided to homeschool him. By doing so, I am able to force myself to learn things that I didn't get the first time around. Already it has been almost one school year of homeschooling, and I have learned more this year teaching my 1st grader than I ever did in elementary school. I have read "The Well-Educated Mind" by Susan Wise-Bauer, which teaches an adult how to read the classics. It also gives a list (not a complete list) of classics in different genre. I also just finished "A Thomas Jefferson Education" by Oliver DeMille, which emphasizes teaching the classics. I am learning so much, and I look forward to filling my mind with something other than reruns of Sesame Street and Clifford.