WATCH: Strange Beauty — How Reading the Classics Will Change You

In this Floating University video — number 10 of 12 in our ongoing series — Yale Professor Jeffrey Brenzel argues that reading the great classics can not only enrich your education, but also actually make your life better. We can’t possibly read all of the books in the world, so Brenzel makes a case for reading the right books the right way.

Which books qualify in the canon of the “right” books is one of the most controversial subjects in academia, and Brenzel outlines his take on the five key characteristics that every great book must fulfill in order to make that coveted list.

Brenzel will try to convince you that having intimate conversations with these great works will not only build your intellectual muscle, but also help you to grapple with the big questions in your own life and improve your judgment.

This video is part of Big Think’s Floating University video playlist, featuring some of the most mind-changing ideas delivered by America’s leading thinkers. There are 11 other discussions waiting to feed your mind and spark your imagination. Check out the entire Floating University. Enjoy!