This week, I had to read portions of Hobbes' Leviathan for my course on justice. Almost 30 years ago, as a college freshman, I was doing the exact same thing. I was in bed, reading the other day, when I was struck by this incredible sense of deja vu. And then I remembered. I was in bed in my dormroom, back in Denton Hall, struggling to get through the exact same passages. I felt the same, I really did. I was more successful this time -- I didn't actually fall asleep every two pages.
Back then, I remember being furious, absolutely furious with a dear friend. We were taking the same government course. I told her how tedious the reading had been for me. And she said it. The truly terrible thing. "Me too, until I found the summary in the back of the book." There was a summary? A SUMMARY?? I hadn't had to read the hundreds of pages of tedium? AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!
This time, because I am infinitely more mature [no snorting from the peanut gallery, please], I actually read and followed the arguments. I can't say I enjoyed it, but I can say that I didn't fall asleep. And I didn't look for the summary.
1 comment:
:D I hated that book. I needed the summary. The only thing I remember about the book was the instructor's summary about supply and demand ... the Coke bottle in the desert analogy. Yup, I got lots of value out of the book! (not)
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