Our History
The Great Books Summer Program is the result of collaboration between The Great Books Foundation and a group of distinguished educators. It was designed by Peter Temes, former President of The Great Books Foundation, and Professor Ilan Stavans of Amherst College.
The mission of the Great Books Summer Program is to create a lively, warm and welcoming community of outstanding young people who love literature and ideas. We make the great books come alive by asking careful questions and stimulating discussion. It’s an approach that dates back to Socrates and develops in each student the habit of reflective reading and critical thinking.
From our first three-day session of 30 middle school students in 2002, the Great Books Summer Program has grown to six weeks of sessions for both middle and high school students on the campuses of Amherst College and Stanford University. Every year our family continues to grow as our alumni return home and share their experiences with friends and family. This past year students from over 40 states and 10 countries joined our outstanding faculty for a summer of learning they'll never forget.
Stay tuned as exciting, new changes are in store for our 2010 season. We hope you will join us this coming year for a fun-filled summer of great books and big ideas.