Heroic Journeys & Human Hearts (Begins September 8, 2026)
A Twelve-Month Seminar in Whole Books
Après Readers, in separate cohorts, read major works of literature, philosophy, and history. Each work is studied cover to cover in a small, screen-free weekly seminar.
This is the old way — the very old way. We return to a tradition of true liberal arts: sustained reading of works of real substance, weekly Tutor-led seminars that stay with the books themselves rather than a predetermined framework for interpreting them, and continuous analytical writing — in the margins of the books and in our commonplace books. By the end of the year, Après Readers will have accomplished something extraordinary and almost certainly life-changing.
Course Schedule
Term One · September - December
Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine
Homer, The Odyssey
Aeschylus, The Oresteia
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
Virgil, The Aeneid
Term Two · January - May
Augustine, Confessions
Jean de Joinville, The Life of Saint Louis
Molière, Tartuffe
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Reveries of the Solitary Walker
Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass
Term Three · June - August
Jack London, The Sea-Wolf
Willa Cather, My Ántonia
Graham Greene, The Power and the Glory
Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes
Registration
Two Seminar Cohorts
Ages 16–20
Ages 21+
Both cohorts read the same complete works on the same schedule. They meet separately so that Après Readers can discuss the books with peers at a similar stage of life. Seminar questions and the degree of guidance are adapted to each group, while the essential expectations remain the same: careful preparation, attentive reading, and active participation.
Each section is limited to ten Readers who select their preferred meeting night when registering.
Questions may be sent to hello@thewholebookmatters.com
Tuition
$2700 per year
Après Readers enroll for the whole year. Tuition may be paid in full or through automatic monthly payments. Those who complete the whole course receive a certificate of completion.
Each seminar session is a Socratic discussion-based class where we actively engage with great texts, deep questions, and each other. The focus is on critical thinking, interpretation, and dialogue — not passive lectures.
What Happens Each Week?
Before the Seminar:
Readers complete the assigned text, add handwritten marginalia, and add to their commonplace books as they go. This allows the Tutor to follow their reading and leaves each Reader with a beautifully annotated edition of every book they have studied.
During the Seminar (90 minutes):
Opening Question: The Tutor poses a thought-provoking question related to the text.
Socratic Dialogue: Readers debate, analyze, and build on each other’s insights.
Textual Exploration: The Tutor steers discussion by referencing key passages.
Connections & Themes: We link ideas across different works & historical contexts.
Closing Thoughts: A final reflection question encourages students to synthesize what they’ve learned.