Great Books Summer at Amherst and Stanford College Campus

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History of Great Books

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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 47 states and 28 countries joined our outstanding faculty for a summer of learning they'll never forget.

We hope you will join us this coming year for a fun-filled summer of great books and big ideas.


"I am deeply impressed by many aspects of this program, including the warmth and professionalism of the staff, the rigor and creativity of the curriculum, and the physical beauty of its setting. But what impresses me most, are the students themselves."

Dr. Debby Applegate, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

"Every summer, all I have to do is mosey on down from my hilltop home overlooking Amherst College, and walk into an ongoing conversation about the Big Stuff. It always feels like an intellectual transfusion."

Dr. Joseph J. Ellis, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

"I will mark Amherst as my most memorable event of the year, simply because of the smartest and most generous kids I was surrounded with. I wish they could be my students forever..." "

Da Chen, award-winning, best-selling author

"What a terrific curriculum and an enthusiastic group of young people. Made me want to drop everything and sign up."

Barry Eisler, best-selling author

"The students were such an engaged and smart and interesting group. I really enjoyed talking to them but mostly just appreciated being asked such a varied array of questions. It was a lot of fun."

Jacob Lewis, former managing editor of The New Yorker magazine and co-founder of Figment.com

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