By: Christian Cooper
After spending fifty years as a consulting actuary, Richard Fallquist did not expect his next chapter to involve exploring ancient stories, classical music, masterpieces of art, and some of the most influential works ever created. But retirement gave him something he had rarely experienced during his professional life: the freedom to slow down and follow his curiosity.
That curiosity became the foundation for Great Works and Me: Enhancing Your Life with Classics, Lit, Music, and Art, a book built around a simple idea. The great works of human creativity are not reserved for scholars or experts. They are available to anyone willing to explore them.
For Richard, discovering these works was not about completing a checklist or proving knowledge. It was about adding a new dimension to life, one filled with reflection, discovery, and a deeper connection to ideas that have lasted for generations.
“I want readers to add this extraordinary dimension to their lives but at their own pace,” Richard explains.
A Second Chapter Built Around Discovery
During his career as an actuary, Richard spent much of his time working with numbers, analysis, and structured decision-making. There was little room for the long periods of reading and exploration required to dive deeply into classic literature and art.
Retirement changed that.
Richard began by exploring recommendations, reading lists, and educational resources that helped him navigate the overwhelming number of important works available. Instead of approaching the classics as something intimidating, he created a process that allowed him to enjoy them naturally.
That personal method eventually became something he wanted to share with others.
Many people are curious about classic literature, music, and art but hesitate because they do not know where to begin. Richard’s goal with Great Works and Me is to remove that hesitation and replace it with curiosity.
His message is straightforward: there is no perfect starting point. The journey itself is what matters.
The Classics Are Not Frozen in Time
One of Richard’s strongest beliefs is that great works remain meaningful because they continue to speak to the human experience.
Although many of these works were created centuries ago, they explore questions that people still wrestle with today. Love, ambition, loss, identity, purpose, and belonging are not limited by time.
Richard believes that the classics help people recognize the similarities that connect generations.
“The more we read, listen, and study, we realize that despite our differences, we all have common affections, sympathies, and desires to know and belong,” he says.
In a world shaped by constant notifications, fast communication, and endless distractions, Richard sees value in returning to experiences that encourage patience and reflection.
The examined life, an idea that has influenced thinkers for centuries, requires people to pause and consider who they are, what they value, and how they understand the world around them.
For Richard, engaging with great works is not about escaping modern life. It is about understanding it better.
Making the Great Works Feel Accessible
A major motivation behind Richard’s book was helping people overcome the intimidation that often surrounds classics.
The names alone can feel overwhelming. Shakespeare, Homer, Joyce, Bach, Picasso, and countless others are often treated as if they belong to a separate world reserved for experts.
Richard believes that mindset misses the point.
The great works were created by people trying to understand life, emotion, conflict, beauty, and human nature. Those themes belong to everyone.
His advice for anyone interested in exploring these works is simple: start with what catches your attention.
“Have no fear. Explore whatever captures your attention,” Richard says.
There is no required order. No deadline. No expectation that every work must be understood at the same depth.
A person might begin with a novel, a painting, an opera, or a piece of music. The important part is the beginning.
From Lists to Lifelong Learning
Richard’s background as an actuary influenced the structure of Great Works and Me. His professional experience taught him the importance of organization, but his lifelong enjoyment of lists helped shape the approachable format of the book.
Each chapter provides context, recommendations, and resources that allow readers to continue exploring beyond the pages.
The structure reflects Richard’s own learning process. He did not approach these works from a place of expertise. He approached them as a curious person looking to discover something meaningful.
That perspective makes the journey feel personal rather than academic.
Finding Personal Meaning in Timeless Creations
Throughout his exploration, Richard discovered works that stayed with him long after experiencing them.
He found inspiration in stories such as Homer’s Odyssey, Virgil’s Aeneid, Shakespeare’s Richard III, James Joyce’s Ulysses, William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom!, and Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
His interests expanded into visual art and music, including creators such as Picasso, Raphael, Bach, and Chopin.
What connects these works is not simply their historical importance. It is their ability to create personal reactions.
A great work does not just tell you something about the past. It often reveals something about yourself.
That is the experience Richard hopes readers discover.
A Journey That Does Not Need an Ending
The biggest takeaway Richard wants readers to gain from Great Works, and Me is not a list of completed works or a collection of facts. It is a sense of growth, accomplishment, and self-discovery.
He hopes people will see how these works connect across centuries and recognize their continued relevance in their own lives.
If someone finishes his book and explores just one great work, Richard hopes that experience creates a desire to continue.
One discovery leads to another.
That is how a lifelong relationship with literature, music, and art begins.
For Richard Fallquist, the great works are not distant achievements from another era. They are conversations waiting to happen, offering new perspectives every time someone chooses to listen.
Great Works and Me by Richard Fallquist offers an approachable path into the literature, art, and music that have shaped generations. The book is available on Amazon for readers who want to begin exploring the classics at their own pace.
