Someone once said that reading good books is akin to having conversations with the world's greatest people. We all have but little time to become educated, so it follows that we should spend our time studying good books. Good books come from all cultures and time periods. They present universal truths as well as unique viewpoints. Good books comprise a canon of works, familiarity to which distinguishes educated people.
Good books communicate difficult ideas in ways accessible to average people. They introduce progressive ideas that can change society. They explore social evils, while suggesting methods to remedy them. Good books are powerful.
Good books are also entertaining. They can capture the essence of an event or people, as well as focus attention on a problem otherwise ignored. They can inspire young people to action, and change the way people think. They can cultivate an individual's interest in a subject. Good books can be dangerous to some, while helpful to good people.
The study of good books should form the core of a student's curriculum. Only through extensive knowledge of the greatest ideas by the greatest thinkers can society hope to progress and avoid repetitive mistakes. Such is classical education, and classical education must be revived before it is gone forever.