Conscious Reader, The

The Conscious Reader is an exceptionally rich, thematic anthology of nonfiction prose and literary works, with a multidisciplinary and culturally diverse selection of readings. Renowned for the quality of its selections, The Conscious Reader represents a broad range of academic disciplines and interests, including art, cultural studies, education, psychology, philosophy, politics, science, technology, and environmental studies. The 168 selections also represent a wide range of genres: 25 personal reminiscences, 81 essays, 22 short stories, 36 poems, 2 plays, and 4 full-color paintings. They range from the classical (Plato's Crito) to the contemporary (Maya Angelou, Roger Rosenblatt, and Kenzaburo Oe).

This book is rich in its diverse selection of readings - from the arts to biology; from computer science to cultural studies - with authors who represent the spectrum of American ethnic cultures, as well as minorities and women. The anthology's 174 selections are arranged thematically to lead readers from questions about self-discovery to consideration of the rewards and conflicts inherent in relationships with others. Authors whose works are included comprise of: Annie Dillard, Garrett Hongo, e.e. cummings, William Butler Yeats, Mike Royko, Plato, Margaret Atwood, and many others. A strong tool for middle school, high and college school teaches who want a diverse group of readings for their classrooms.