The Count of Monte Cristo question

this is brilliant. I suppose Abbe Faria achieved what we all strive towards through reading...

William wrote: "I was always fascinated by this idea, that there would be a core of knowledge contained in a few books which a person could read / learn / memorize.

Got started on doing a list of them:

https://w..."

I would also suggest: The City of God and Confessions (Augustine); also, The Art of War (Sun Tzu).

Mortimer Adler has probably come as close as anyone to developing such a list. His essay How to Think about the Great Ideas: From the Great Books of Western Civilization might be a good place to start.

Here is a link to his 60 volume set of The Great Books of the Western World.

If you want to take a more specific philosophical approach, try Will Durant (I think this is the correct author). His book The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time might be a good starting point.

And, if you want an in-depth look at a holistic concept of worldview formation in antiquity, try, Werner Jaeger massive examination of Paideia: The Ideals of Greek Culture, 3 Vols.

There is a particular line uttered by Abbe Faria in "monte cristo" , that continually comes to mind as so very true to me..it is.."Who speaks of God and despair at the same time?.."