To be familiar with many of the fine works in literature absolutely enhances your life experience. The Modern Renaissance Woman knows that building your knowledge of literature will not only make you more interesting to others, but give you endless fodder for conversation.

A working familiarity of literature is important on a variety of levels. From an academic point of view, you are continuing your education. By expanding your mind, you stimulate your thinking and build your memory muscles. From another perspective, you benefit from the simple enjoyment of reading stories. These tales share the human experience including emotions, ambition, doubt, failure, and love.

Another reason that literature matters is the benefit to your social conversation. Once you go beyond weather, family, and work, the Modern Renaissance Woman has the ability to drawn upon her reservoir of literary knowledge. You will find that you enjoy talking and sharing opinions about the works you have reviewed.

A final point is that literature connects you to different levels of thought, ideas, and themes. While broadening and stimulating your analytical thinking, you are reshaping your perspective towards these new thoughts, ideas, and themes. In turn, as you change, how you view the world and your relation to it expands. You become a more thorough and insightful individual.

The most beneficial approach to learning literature is by sitting down and reading the book. If you have the opportunity to do so, take the time to read a work of literature in its entirety as you will receive a deeper connection with the piece.

However, if you are like many nonstudents and nonacademics who simply can not take the time to experience a broad range of literature, there is another option. You can utilize "Cliff Notes" and/or analytical summary discussion books designed to accompany works of literature. It is the next best way to familiarize yourself with many works.

"Cliff Notes"

Cliff Notes is a terrific way to obtain an overview of countless literary books. The typical format of Cliff Notes includes an overview of the theme, plot, and characters of a book. The other portion includes a detailed description of each chapter. Also included are definitions of words, particularly if a book has been written in another century. (Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, for example).

Keep in mind that once you have read a Cliff Notes reference on a particular piece of literature try to then read the book in its entirety.

Analytical summary discussion books

Summary discussion books on literary works are typically written by literary professors or scholars. These resources are usually more detailed and analytical in nature, but certainly readable. A more extensive discussion on characterization, theme, social issues, etc. can be addressed as well.

The best place to find summary discussion books associated with literary works is at your local library. You can either solicit assistance from the librarian at the Reference Desk or input the title of the work in the library computer to locate a reference book of interest. These discussion books are typically located next to copies of the literary book on the bookshelf. Usually you can check out a book for three weeks and renew a second time. This should allow you ample time to complete the discussion book.

I hope you decide to try this approach to familiarizing yourself with literature. It is the next best thing to reading a literary book in its entirety. I promise you that you will enjoy the process!

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