Christian Guides to the Classics

We've all heard about the classics and assume they're great. Some of us have even read them on our own. But for those of us who remain a bit intimidated or simply want to get more out of our reading, Crossway's Christian Guides to the Classics are here to help. In these short guidebooks, popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken takes you through some of the greatest literature in history while answering your questions along the way. Each book: • Includes an introduction to the author and work • Explains the cultural context • Incorporates published criticism • Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text • Defines key literary terms • Lists resources for further study • Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview This guide opens up Homer's The Odyssey and highlights the universal themes of endurance and longing for rest as displayed in this epic tale of a man trying to find his way home. Leland Ryken (PhD, University of Oregon) served as professor of English at Wheaton College for nearly 50 years. He has authored or edited over fifty books, including The Word of God in English and A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible. He is a frequent speaker at the Evangelical Theological Society's annual meetings and served as literary stylist for the English Standard Version Bible.

Get everything you can out of your time reading the classics with the Christian Guides to the Classics Series! Leland Ryken provides a clear pathway to understanding the "Great Works" through this engaging series of short guidebooks. Beginning with "why the classics matter" and "the nature and function of literature," readers will find a helpful path to reading and analyzing influential works in the Western canon. Each book: Includes an introduction to the author and work Explains the cultural context Incorporates published criticism Defines key literary terms Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text Lists resources for further study Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview. This volume leads readers through John Bunyan's classic Christian allegory, The Pilgrim's Progress, offering insights into the nature of faith, the reality of temptation, and the glory of salvation.

Get everything you can out of your time reading the classics with the Christian Guides to the Classics Series! Leland Ryken provides a clear pathway to understanding the "Great Works" through this engaging series of short guidebooks. Beginning with "why the classics matter" and "the nature and function of literature," readers will find a helpful path to reading and analyzing influential works in the Western canon. Each book: Includes an introduction to the author and work Explains the cultural context Incorporates published criticism Defines key literary terms Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text Lists resources for further study Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview. This guide opens up the signature book of American literature, Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter, and unpacks its universal themes of sin, guilt, and redemption. Leland Ryken (PhD, University of Oregon) served as professor of English at Wheaton College for nearly 50 years. He has authored or edited over fifty books, including The Word of God in English and A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible. He is a frequent speaker at the Evangelical Theological Society's annual meetings and served as literary stylist for the English Standard Version Bible.

Get everything you can out of your time reading the classics with the Christian Guides to the Classics Series! Leland Ryken provides a clear pathway to understanding the "Great Works" through this engaging series of short guidebooks. Beginning with "why the classics matter" and "the nature and function of literature," readers will find a helpful path to reading and analyzing influential works in the Western canon. Each book: Includes an introduction to the author and work Explains the cultural context Incorporates published criticism Defines key literary terms Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text Lists resources for further study Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview. In this volume, Ryken guides readers through Dickens's quintessential coming-of-age novel, Great Expectations. Exploring perennial themes such as love, justice, and heroism, this book stands as the preeminent example of Dickens's unrivaled ability to conjure realistic characters and palpable settings. Leland Ryken (PhD, University of Oregon) served as professor of English at Wheaton College for nearly 50 years. He has authored or edited over fifty books, including The Word of God in English and A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible. He is a frequent speaker at the Evangelical Theological Society's annual meetings and served as literary stylist for the English Standard Version Bible.