Almost one hundred years ago, Dr. Charles Eliot, forty-year president of Harvard university, edited The Harvard Classics, a 50-volume "Five-foot Shelf of Books" which he described as "a portable university." The Harvard Classics has become one of the most studied and discussed anthologies ever assembled.

Eliot said of his work, “Before the reading plan represented by The Harvard Classics had taken definite form, I had more than once stated in public that in my opinion a five-foot shelf would hold books enough to afford a good substitute for a liberal education to anyone who would read them with devotion, even if he could spare but fifteen minutes a day for reading." To provide a gentle introduction to the great works for a reader with a modest amount of time, he outlined a daily reading program designed to take approximately fifteen minutes each day for the course of one calendar year from January 1 through December 31.

Participants in this group are following the Harvard Classics Reading Program for the calendar year 2007. Participants are encouraged to share their thoughts on the readings or related matters to the group. The reading plan and links to all of the readings may be found at <http://www.mensetmanus.net/inspiration/fifteen_minutes_a_day/>.
Each week a reminder will be sent to the group containing links to the upcoming week's readings, as well as supplementary material when appropriate.