Episode 19: The Literary Life of Greg Wilbur

In this episode of The Literary Life, Cindy and Angelina interview Greg Wilbur. A composer, music minister, and the president of New College Franklin, Greg has also been friends with both Cindy and Angelina for several years. After sharing their commonplace quotes, and all the meaty discussion that surrounded the topics in those quotes, Cindy asks Greg when he became aware that he was a reader. Greg talks about growing up in a reading family, as well as the influence of his high school English teacher. During his college years, Greg minored in English, and he tells about his favorite professor and the great works he had the privilege to study. Cindy, Angelina and Greg chat about building a library without letting reading and book-buying becoming too much of an obsession. Greg also talks about his strategies to keep reading widely and get himself out of a reading slump. Angelina and Greg agree on the value of reading for pleasure as well as work and keeping track of what type of books you are dipping into daily. Cindy also asks Greg the million dollar question--to name a few of his favorite authors. Arabia by Walter de la Mare Far are the shades of Arabia, Where the Princes ride at noon, 'Mid the verdurous vales and thickets, Under the ghost of the moon; And so dark is that vaulted purple Flowers in the forest rise And toss into blossom 'gainst the phantom stars Pale in the noonday skies. Sweet is the music of Arabia In my heart, when out of dreams I still in the thin clear mirk of dawn Descry her gliding streams; Hear her strange lutes on the green banks Ring loud with the grief and delight Of the dim-silked, dark-haired Musicians In the brooding silence of night. They haunt me — her lutes and her forests; No beauty on earth I see But shadowed with that dream recalls Her loveliness to me: Still eyes look coldly upon me, Cold voices whisper and say — 'He is crazed with the spell of far Arabia, They have stolen his wits away.' Book List: (Amazon Affiliate Links) The Order of Things by James Schall The Educated Imagination by Northrup Frye The Measure of My Days by Florida Scott-Maxwell How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg James A. Michener books Mrs. Polifax series by Dorothy Gilman The Elizabethan World Picture by E. M. Tillyard Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington P. G. Wodehouse The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael series Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright Redwall series by Brian Jacques Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Little Britches by Ralph Moody An Experiment in Criticism by C. S. Lewi Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin Mark Helprin Leif Enger Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh The End of the Affair by Graham Greene The Mabinogion The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett The Novels of Charles Williams by Thomas Howard That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton Beauty for Truth's Sake by Stratford Caldecott Support The Literary Life: Become a patron of The Literary Life podcast as part of the “Friends and Fellows Community” on Patreon. Thanks for your support! Connect with Us: Find Angelina at  https://angelinastanford.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ANGStanford/ Find Cindy at https://cindyrollins.net and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cindyrollins.net/ Jump into our private Facebook group, The Literary Life Discussion Group, and let’s get the book talk going! http://bit.ly/literarylifeFB