Interview with Maureen Wittmann

Interview with Maureen Wittmann about her new book, For the Love of Literature:

Maureen, when did you first think of sharing your knowledge of literature with other homeschool parents?

That's a harder question to answer than one may think. I can't think of when this first occurred to me.

I've always loved talking about books with my friends. I think speaking and writing on the topic was just a natural extension of those conversations.

How will this book compare to the booklet you used to sell at your conference talks Literature Isn't Just for Reading: Teaching Core Subjects through Real Books?

The original booklet was written to accompany my conference talk by the same name. From the comments and questions I received after each talk, it was evident that homeschoolers needed more than a one-hour talk with a Power Point presentation. They needed a resource they could hold in their hands and take home.

The original booklet had 80 pages. It was nothing more than a glorified reading list, yet parents came to me over and over again to tell me that it was very helpful to them.

The new book has 300 pages. It's still a glorified reading list, but it's a pretty cool glorified reading list ... in my opinion at least. It does have short chapters on such things as using your library, classical education, unit studies, Charlotte Mason, etc., but the bulk of the book is the reading list (I call them literary guides in the book). There are about 950 books listed, each with a short description, with an age recommendation, and sorted by school subject.

Have you personally read each of the 950 books that you describe in the literary guides?

I wish! However, my children or I have read a great number of the books found in the literary guides. The rest come highly recommended by other Catholic homeschooling parents.

In what ways does your book differ from other books that describe children's literature?

The purpose of this book is to help homeschoolers teach through real books. My goal is to provide a practical tool. It is not a treatise on children's literature but rather a simple book that will help guide parents toward books that teach.

With this book in hand, and a library, what else would parents need in order to give their children a good home education?

Enthusiasm. Okay, that sounds simplistic, but it is a vital ingredient. Emotions are contagious. If a parent is excited about reading and about furthering her own education, so will her children.

And then there are also the necessary ingredients of faith, love, and joy.

Thank you, Margaret Mary, for taking this time with me!

Thank you, Maureen, for sharing this with us! We're looking forward to the book!

Dear readers, you can get a 20% discount on the book – making your price only $9.95 - if you pre-order it from the publisher, Ecce Homo Press, before November 20th. This looks like an exciting and invaluable resource!