Lectures on the Classics from the Five Foot Shelf: The Five Foot Shelf of Classics Vol. Li (in 51 Volumes)

Originally published between 1909 and 1917 under the name Harvard Classics this stupendous 51-volume set-a collection of the greatest writings from literature philosophy history and mythology-was assembled by American academic CHARLES WILLIAM ELIOT (1834-1926) Harvard Universitys longest-serving president. Also known as Dr. Eliots Five Foot Shelf it represented Eliots belief that a basic liberal education could be gleaned by reading from an anthology of works that could fit on five feet of bookshelf. Volume LI the final volume features 60 fascinating lectures on the wide range of knowledge the series covers-history poetry natural science philosophy biography prose fiction criticism and the essay education political science drama voyages and travel and religion-that put this extraordinary survey of human knowledge in context. They are the collective capstone on a bookshelf reading course unparalleled in comprehensiveness and authority.