Please note: Not all courses are offered each semester. Please
see the Off-Campus Studies homepage for information on selections
offered in Fall 2009.
ART
Georgia On My Mind
Historically, women have always had a life in art.
Despite the establishment of The National Museum
of Women in the Arts, their stories are rarely told.
Georgia O’Keefe is probably one of the most beloved
female artists of our time. Her marriage to Alfred
Stieglitz, her rootedness in Mew Mexico, her botanical
exactitude and large flower blooms are legendary. Book: Full Bloom: The Art and Life of Georgia O’Keefe, H.
Drobojowsha-Philip
Phyllis Asnien
The Wyeth Family: A Painting Dynasty
The recent death of Andrew Wyeth has brought attention once again to this family of accomplished artists. Starting with Newell Convers Wyeth, Andrew’s father and only teacher, who created a guild of artists and artisans in the family home so that ALL of his five children grew up to paint; to Andrew himself, the most famous family member and on to Jamie, Andrew’s son, who created the controversial portrait of John F. Kennedy. The place of the Wyeths and particularly Andrew in the history of art is worthy of our consideration. Books: Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life; R. Meryman; The Helga Pictures, A. Wyeth; An American Vision: Three Generations of Wyeth Art, J. Duff
Phyllis Asien
DRAMA AND THEATER
Hey Look us Over, Lend us and Ear: History of American Musical Theater
From the days of the minstrels to the successes of the so-called "mature musical," the American musical theater has an illustrious history. Learn more about some of the masters of this American art form such as Jerome Kern and Steven Sondheim and look at what is involved in writing, producing, casting and presenting a musical theater performance. Book: The Musical: A Look at the american Musical Theater, R. Kislan
Sol Factor
Molière Plays
Molière’s plays reflect our present day image back to us, whether we are snotty ladies, social climbers, hypercritical religious zealots, close-fisted parents, hypochondriacs or some other sort of middle class irregulars. (Well, maybe not us, but our neighbors1) We can talk for a while about Paris society, Louis XIV’s court, and about Molière’s lessons for us today. Books: Four Comedies: School for Wives, Misanthrope, Tartuffe, Learned Ladies, Molière, trans. R. Wilbur; Five Plays: Would-be Gentleman, That Scoundrel Scapin, The Miser, Love’s the Best Doctor, Don Juan, Molière, trans. J. Wood
Marjorie Johnson
FILM - RADIO - TELEVISION
Alfred Hitchcock: The Stories Behind the Suspense
While much of the suspense of Hitchcock’s films is
a result of his masterful cinematic technique, he still
had to start with a story. We will examine four of his
classic mysteries and the literary sources from which
they sprung. As we discuss each reading and film, we
will compare and contrast them in terms of artistic
styles, both literary and cinematic. Scenes from the
films will be played in class and compared to related
passages from the literary sources. Clips from “making
of ” documentaries will also be shown, featuring
comments from the master himself. One copy of each
film will be available for loan by the Leader-Teacher.
Books: The Thirty-Nine Steps, J. Buchan; Strangers on a
Train, P. Highsmith; Dial M For Murder, F. Knott; Rear
Window, C. Woolrich
Terry Meehan
The Detective Novel from Page to Screen
A trio of major American detective novels were made
into classic 1940s films by three of our greatest film
makers. One week will be a lively discussion of the
literary value of the book; the next will be a study of
how the film maker transforms the book’s ideas and
characters into cinema. Techniques will be discussed
on how to better appreciate the films we love and the
works they are based upon. Scenes from the films will
be played in class and compared to related passages
from the literary sources. Clips from “making of ”
documentaries will also be shown, featuring directors,
stars and film experts. One copy of each film will be
available for loan by the Leader-Teacher. The films will
be viewed on students’ own time, and are available at
most libraries and video stores. Books and Films: The
Maltese
Falcon, D. Hammett, film directed by John
Huston (1941); Laura, V. Caspary, film directed by
Otto Preminger (1944); The Big Sleep, R. Chandler,
film directed by Howard Hawks (1946)
Terry Meehan
The Early Days of Television
“But Ricky!” “Timex…it takes a licking and keeps on ticking!” “Brusha,brusha,brusha” Bring back memories? I hope they do. Join me to explore the history behind the development of television, including the variety and comedy shows, commercials, news and sports programs, and of course late night hosts like Steve Allen and Jack Paar. Book: When Television was Young: Live, Spontaneous and in Living Black and White, E. McMahon and D. Fisher
Sol Factor
Film Appreciation: The Classics Illustrated
Casablanca, Hitchcock’s Thrillers, Citizen Kane, The
Godfather: Why are these films considered classics? Why are these
films considered among the best ever made? What
is your favorite movie, and why do you like it? This
course will answer these questions as we explore the
20th century’s contribution to the world of art. Each
session will feature an element of filmmaking and how
it contributes to the overall effect of the film. Materials:
Reviews, essays, articles and videotapes will be made
available by the instructor.
Terry Meehan
The Golden Days of Radio
“Watch out for that closet McGee!” “Flash: Washington D. C., Japanese attack Pearl Harbor!” “Say goodnight, Gracie!” Join us as we explore the history behind those shows and announcements. How did radio develop? Why would a show like Amos and Andy be so popular that movie houses would stop their films and pipe in the weekly episode? What did radio require of its listeners? All of this and more will be revealed. Book: Raised on Radio, G. Nachman
Sol Factor
Literature to Film
Two of the twentieth century’s most significant writers were the exact contemporaries, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf (1882-1941). While film adaptations of great literature often disappoint the reader (and the author), accomplished filmmakers occasionally rise to the challenge. John Huston and Sally Potter have made successful films which also do justice to their literary sources. The literary work will be discussed first, followed by a screening and discussion of its adaptation to film. Artistic techniques relating to the written work and cinema will be compared and contrasted. Books: The
Dead, J. Joyce; Orlando, V.
Woolf
Terry Meehan
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
Alexander
Hamilton:Founding Father
"Illigitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean,
aide-de-camp to Washington, battlefield hero, member of the Constitutional
Convention, leading author of 'The Federalist Papers,' head of the
Federalist Party, first treasury secretarywho created our tax and
budget systems, Customs Service, Coast Guard, and central bank ...
(he) figures prominently in almost every major political episode
of late eighteenth century America." Author Ron Chernow offers
us the opportunity to explore and discuss the impact of this amazing
individual on his times and the formation of this new nation. Book: Alexander Hamilton, R. Chernow
Jim Van Horn
An Amazing Man: Benjamin Franklin
Brilliant, inquisitive Benjamin Franklin dazzles us with his versatility, impresses us with his myriad accomplishments, and draws us into 18th century America like an enthusiastic tour guide. Here is not only the “inventor” of electricity but a provocative amateur theologian; not only a remarkably talented writer but probably the most accomplished American diplomat of his time. Our text will be what one prominent historian has called the “best short biography of Franklin ever written”, and this text will be supplemented by a variety of additional materials. Book: Benjamin Franklin, E.S. Morgan (2002)
Dick Michel
... And So To Bed: Samuel Pepys
Seventeenth Century London reveals itself day by day to sharply
observant diarist Samuel Pepys. From 1660 to 1669 he registered
the events of his eventful life; today the diaries fill seven volumes
on the shelf of English Literature. He watches the beheading of
Charles I, works in the government offices of Lord Protector Oliver
Cromwell, experiences the continuing wars of religion, lives through
the Black Death and the Great Fire, all recorded with the acute
eye of a modern journalist. Claire Tomalin provides a wealth of
detailed background material to her sympathetic, intimate portrayal
of one of England’s lustiest literary luminaries. Book: Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self, C. Tomalin
Marjorie Johnson
Tsarina Catherine the Great: Tyrant or Leader for all Ages
Both Catherine and Peter were called “Great.” Yet, what were they great at doing? Here is a hint: Our book is entitled Catherine the Great: Love, Sex and Power. Join us and answer these and other questions for yourself. Was she a murderer, tyrant or really an enlightened leader of Russia and lover of the arts and much more? Discover how Catherine “played like a man but won like a woman.” Discuss in the final class, the makeup of great leaders and ponder where all the great leaders have gone. Book: Catherine the Great: Love, Sex and Power V. Rounding (2008)
Betty Zak
Darwin: The Life of a Tormented Evolutionist
If Time magazine had a person of the 19th century,
it probably would be Charles Darwin. His well documented
life is a window into the 19th century and
many issues that we still grapple with today. Who has
affected our thinking about our place in the universe
more than Darwin in modern times? Book: Darwin:
The Life of a Tormented Evolutionist, A. Desmond and J.
Moore
Michael Petit
Einstein
Albert Einstein’s life both represented and reflected the 20th century as perhaps no other single person could. A genius who revolutionized our understanding of the universe, he was also a human being prone to petty behavior, jealously, infidelity and neglectful parenthood. His Jewishess and Zionism were an important part of his identity although he expressed no traditional religious beliefs. A pacifist, he came to support the use of military force against Nazi Germany. A key figure in the development of the atom bomb, he became a leading advocate for world peace through world government. The text for the course is Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson, published by Simon and Schuster, 2007. No science background is necessary. Students are expected to read and contribute to the discussion. Book: Einstein: His Life and Universe
Albert Kirby
Eminent Victorians
A Bloomsbury take on Victorian England featuring the Queen and the attitudes toward education, church, army (Florence Nightingale) and General Gordon. These issues still resonate in society today. Let’s explore these serious topics with a humorous approach. Books: Eminent Victorians, Queen Victoria, L. Strachey
Enid Kirtz
If you Build it, They Will Come: Frank Lloyd Wright
Explore from different angles, the life of the brilliant and controversial architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Even as we dig into the foundation of his genius, there will be adequate space and plenty of room for discussion. Perhaps we will even knock down a few of the walls of prejudice that surround him. A biography by Secrest will ground us and a best selling novel by Horan will put us through the rafters! Books: Frank Lloyd Wright, M. Secrest; Loving Frank, N. Horan
Bill Head
Mahatma Gandhi—Just One Man
Albert Einstein’s eloquent tribute to Gandhi says it all: “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.” In this course we will explore why Einstein said what he did by reading a number of significant writings by and about Gandhi culled from many books, newspapers and magazines. Book: The Gandhi Reader—a Sourcebook of His Life and Writings, edited by H. A. Jack (Get the complete and unabridged edition.)
Dick Michel
Racism: Two American Perspectives
How did race and racism affect Malcolm X’s development, philosophy and movement? We find answers in the autobiography of this African-American Muslim minister, public speaker and human rights activist. A child of the sixties, Barack Obama struggled with his own identity and place in society under the shadows of Martin Luther King and this man called Malcolm X. Obama’s autobiography, Dreams From My Father, will lead to understanding the myriad influences that impacted the development of our current President. Books: The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X and A. Haley; Dreams From My Father, B. Obama
Ellen Erzen
S is for Scott, but Z is for Zelda
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald was a Southern belle from Montgomery, Alabama. Her father was Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Her husband, mentor and tormentor all in one, was, of course, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Zelda was the “American girl” living the American dream, becoming mad with it. The focus of this course is on Zelda, her complex relationship with F. Scott, her own artistry as a dancer, painter and writer and child of the Jazz Age. Books: Zelda, N. Milford; Zelda, An Illustrated Life, The Private World of Zelda Fitzgerald, E. Larahan
Phyllis Asnien
What the Sorceress May Have Said: The Story of Josephine and Napoleon
The life of Josephine Beauharnais, legendary wife and love of Napoleon Bonaparte, begins with the prediction of a local sorceress on the island of Martinique in 1777. Her story moves us into the fascinating years of the French Revolution and Josephine’s relationship with Napoleon, her second husband. Her story is mesmerizing; and our books are “a blend of fact and fiction that moves historical fiction to a whole new level.” We will visit this era filled with years of personal and social change. Books: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine Beauharnais; Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe; and The Last Great Dance on Earth, S. Gulland
Phyllis Asnien
HISTORY
The American Revolution: How it all Began
On May 28, 1754, militia and Indians led by 22-year-old major George Washington surprised a group of sleeping French soldiers near present-day Pittsburgh. The ensuing brief and deadly exchange of fire lit the match that, according to Horace Walpole, would “set the world on fire.” The French and Indian War in North America would become the world’s first global conflict and lead directly to the American Revolution. We’ll use Empires at War for the former and 1776 for the latter. Books: Empires at War, W. F. Fowler; 1776, D. McCullough
Jim Van Horn
The
Blue and the Grey
The Civil War, or War of Secession, depending upon your
point of view, is unquestionably one of the several seminal events
in United States history and probably ranks as the third most written
about subject in the English language, behind Jesus Christ and William
Shakespeare. We will explore this fascinating subject by reading
portions of a book considered by many to be the best one volume
history of the Civil War ever written. Several supplemental readings,
such as letters and speeches, will also be provided. Book:
Battle Cry of Freedom, J.M. McPherson
Dick Michel
China: From Warlords to Mao
A bird’s eye view of the U.S. and China in the 20th century. In Nixon and Mao, we will get a fascinating picture of how Nixon broke the barrier of isolation between the U.S. and China. Wild Swans is the story of three generations of women whose lives and fortunes mirror tumultuous 20th century China. It is an historic portrait that brings China alive! Books: Wild Swans, Jiung Chang; Nixon and Mao, M. MacMillan
Enid Kirtz
Discourse on Fashion: Costume and Culture
Costume is the most vivid custom of all. The cycle of fashion is linked to the historical events and cultural behaviors it both mirrors and influences. We will read a variety of critical commentaries that attempt to explain the advance and reputed fall of this amazing social phenomenon. Books: The Rise of Fashion, D. L. Purdy; The End of Fashion, T. Agins
Gale Flament
18th Century Ladies of Fashion: Maria Antoinette and Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire
Follow the journey of Queen Marie Antoinette from the gilded halls of Versailles to the executioner’s scaffold, while her contemporary and friend, Georgiana, reigned as the queen of fashionable society in England. These women lived in opulent times, and ultimately moved from the frivolous to the responsible in surprising ways. Books: Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette, S. J. Naslund; Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire, A. Foreman
Gale Flament
The Fifties: Decade of Anxiety and Change
We will reexamine the politics and diplomacy of this crucial decade and evaluate the prevailing cultural norms. Cold War confrontations, McCarthyism and the loyalty trials of Alger Hiss, the Rosenbergs and J. Robert Oppenheimer, the burgeoning civil rights movement, and the journey from Betty Crocker to Elvis Presley will all be part of our fresh look at this time in our history. Book: The Fifties, D. Halberstam
Whitney Lloyd
1421: The Year
the Chinese Discovered America
On March 8, 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever
seen sailed from its base in China. The ships, huge junks nearly
five hundred feet long and built from the finest teak, were under
the command of Emperor Zhu Di's loyal eunuch admirals. Their mission
was "to proceed all the way to the end of the earth to collect
tribute from the barbarians beyond the seas." Their journey
would last more than two years and circle the globe. Gavin Menzies,
the author, is a former Royal Navy Submarine commander who spent
14 years researching these journeys. Book: 1421:
The Year the Chinese Discovered America, G. Menzies
Jim Van Horn
History and Hollywood: “Inspired by Actual Events”
Movies and history are like two locked boxes, each containing the key to the other. Movies can illuminate and popularize history; history can provide movies with great stories and compelling characters. History buffs often object to cinematic inaccuracies, but do we really want our movies to be historically precise? Or is it more important to tell an intriguing story? And, how much history do we dare consign to the cutting room floor? Our text includes over sixty essays by celebrated historians, many of whom are unrepentant film buffs who admit that it was the movies that first inspired them to study history. The course will also include film clips and movie screenings chosen to generate discussion. Book: Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies, M. C. Carnes, ed.
Terry Meehan
Hollywood and the Blacklist
Several hundred men and women in the entertainment industry were blacklisted during the 1940s and 1950s in one of the saddest and most complex episodes of America’s cultural history. How and why did it start? Victor Navasky has interviewed hundreds of participants on both sides of the issue and has captured the painful history of the period. Why did Elia Kazan name names? Why did his close friend, Arthur Miller refuse? What were the consequences of their decisions? Book: Naming Names, V. Navasky
Terry Meehan
The Lincoln Assassination
A seminal event in American history, Lincoln's death makes for great discussion and study. This course will focus on the days before his assassination and the events that took place afterward. Book: The 12-Day chase for Lincoln's Killer, J.L. Swanson
Sol Factor
New York State of Mind
Let’s walk the streets of old New York together…envision the overcrowded slums, read about the political scams, feel the undirected, spontaneous growth knock against high-minded urban endeavors to find out what made the Big Apple that we know today. We will combine this history with Stephen Crane’s stories to study “a cacophonous poem of democracy and greed, like the streets of New York themselves.” Prepare for adventure! Books: Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York, L. Sante; Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and Other New York Writings, S, Crane (Modern Classics edition)
Marjorie Johnson
Russka-A
Novel of Russian History
Russka is an historical novel spanning 1800 years of Russian history,
politics and culture. In Russka, Edward Rutherford transforms the
epic history of a great civilization into a human story of flesh
and blood. Book: Russka, A Novel of Russia,
E. Rutherford
Enid Kirtz
Springboard to History
Haven’t you always wished for a provocative,
historic overview of mankind which would start at
the beginning, finish with today and put things in
perspective? Join me as we take a journey from the
Stone Age to Bill Gates. Book: The Human Story (2004), J. C.
Davis
Dick Michel
Team of Rivals
How does a book about history influence history? Doris Kearns Goodwin brings us "one of the most compulsively readable books of history to come along." Lincoln not only defeated his nationally known and highly regarded political rivals, but in a time of crisis, welcomed them to significant positions in his cabinet, marshaling their talents to preserve the Union. Goodwin's incisive study weaves scores of contemporary accounts into a fluid, enthralling narrative. This text will enrich our knowledge of that crucial time in our nation's history and help us to understand our current situation. Book: Team of Rivals, D.K. Goodwin
Ellen Erzen
The Versailles Treaty: Six Months That Changed the
World
Having just won the First World War, the Big Question
is: How do you win World Peace? Can you win
World Peace? Where did they go right? Where did
they go wrong? These are provocative questions that
are plaguing the world today. Using Paris—1919: Six
Months That Changed the World, we will study the
triumphs and failures of the Treaty of Versailles and the
men involved in creating it. Book: Paris—1919: Six
Months That Changed the World, M.MacMillan and R.
Holbrooke
Enid Kirtz
LITERATURE
The Beguiling Author: Anne Tyler
With what appears to be effortless talent, Anne Tyler can crush the heart with hopelessness in one paragraph and rescue it with exuberance the next. Her magical ability to write about everyday events where nothing seems to happen while, in fact, everything is happening, is a joy to any reader. Books: Ladder of Years, A Slipping-Down Life, The Amateur Marriage, A. Tyler
Micki Brook
The Best of Toni Morrison: Song of Solomon and Beloved
Here are two novels by the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning author, exploring the residual effects of slavery and the retelling of the black experience in America. Morrison incorporates myth and oral tradition in her writing and creates a fascinating set of characters, many of whom are in search of self-discovery, while struggling in highly dysfunctional environments. Morrison’s provocative narratives are morally compelling. Books: Song of Solomon, Beloved, T. Morrison
Whitney Lloyd
Contemporary British Literature: Haunted by the Past
Although the British Empire is a distant memory and the British Isles today are fourishing economically in the new European Union, British writers continue to be haunted by their illustrious past. This course will examine three recent Booker Prize recipients. Kazuo Ishiguro explores the life of a young Englishman whose parents are kidnapped in early 20th century Shanghai; John Banville lyrically recreates a boyhood in an Irish seaside town of the 1950s; A.S. Byatt turns to an 1860s England stunned by new scientific breakthroughs in biology. Books: The Sea, J. Banville; When We Were Orphans, K. Ishiguro; Angels and Insects, A.S. Byatt
Joseph Jacoby
Edith Wharton’s New York
Wharton’s great themes of stifled passion, suffocating souls, conflicting ideals and the erotically charged constellations of marriage, adultery, divorce and betrayal should all combine for wonderful literary discussion. Books: Edith Wharton, H. Lee; The New York Stories of Edith Wharton, E. Wharton and selected by R. Robinson
Micki Brook
Ernest Hemingway: The Main Man
It has been said that Ernest Hemingway did more to change the style of English prose than any other writer in the 20th Century. We will visit this literary giant in his second great classic, A Farewell to Arms (1929), in his memorable novella, The Old Man and the Sea (1952), and in a variety of his short stories. Books: A Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Seaand The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway (Finca Vigia edition, Scribner, 2003)
Dick Michel
Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Magical Realism - Fact or Fantasy
A study of the Colombian writer, Garcia Marquez’s epic A Hundred Years of Solitude, along with his magical romance, Love in the Time of Cholera. In addition we will read the Garcia Marquez autobiography, Living to Tell the Tale. The class will investigate the literary genre, magical realism, examining where to draw the line between fact and fancy. What is reality? Garcia Marquez’s memoir brings clarity to this dilemma. Books: A Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Time of Cholera, G. G. Marquez
Whitney Lloyd
Gemstones
Canadian writer Alice Munro is generally acknowledged to be “one of the finest contemporary story writers in the English language.” In fact, one critic called her “ the living writer most likely to be read in one hundred years.” Similarly, noted author William Maxwell, has give us a collection of short stories that has left book critics breathless in their praise. In this course, we will read a selection of stories from each author and see if we agree with the critics. Books: Selected Stories (Vintage, 1997), A. Munro; All the Days and Nights (Vintage, 1995), William Maxwell
Dick Michel
The Human Condition Under Siege
William Golding and José Saramago, whose books were separated by four decades, place their characters into unlikely situations where the rules of civilized society do not exist. Saramago’s Blindness is a phantasmagorical allegory. A highly original work, it explores the ability of the human spirit to survive under extreme and absurd conditions. Lord of the Flies, Golding’s 1954 classic, weaves religious, psychological and political imagery into a tale which is often unnerving and at times horrific. Together we will study human nature and draw our own conclusions within the context of events and issues or our own time and culture. Books: Lord of the Flies, W. Golding; Blindness, J. Saramago
Barbara Parr
Joyce Carol Oates: A Master in Her Prime
Oates writes with seething passion, supreme intellect and deep psychological insight about a multitude of memorably diverse characters and situations. Her remarkably distinct style offers “a great read” as well as plenty of fodder for discussion. Books: Them, The Tattooed Girl, The Gravedigger’s Daughter, J. C. Oates
Micki Brook
Mark Twain: The People’s Author
As the post-Civil War United States struggled with
a new configuration of radically changed business,
social complexion and technology, Mark Twain took
on clergy, tycoons and an easily aroused public headed
for a culture of fear and intolerance. Born the day
Halley’s comet astounded the earth in 1835, Twain
defied society’s prejudices with passion and sly wit.
He lived and wrote in the mid-West, the West, the
Eastern seaboard and Europe, shooting his arrows in all
directions. He experienced tragedy and financial failure
but was known finally as “The People’s Author.” Books: Life
on the Mississippi, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Pudd’nhead Wilson, M. Twain
Marjorie Johnson
Marriage, Nineteenth Century English Style
Nine characters in George Eliot’s masterpiece, Middlemarch, traverse from being single to being married---one does it twice—and a tenth begins the journey but never completes it. In exquisite detail, the author paints a canvas showing how each character seeks answers to major intellectual and emotional questions. However, as we will see, many times the questions are asked in the wrong way. Marriage sometimes creates more questions than it answers. Many feel that Middlemarch is the greatest of all English novels; we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves. Book: Middlemarch, G. Eliot
Bruce Ackerman
Masterpiece: Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks
A Nobel Prize Laureate, Thomas Mann is generally considered Germany’s greatest novelist of the 20th century. His extraordinary first novel, Buddenbrooks, burst on the scene in 1900. It chronicles the lives of four generations of a North German mercantile family with profound psychological insight and a deep understanding of this complex society. The elegant, relatively new translation by John E. Woods is a requirement. Book: Buddenbrooks, T. Mann, trans. J. E. Woods
Joseph Jacoby
Oh, Horrors!
As the British Empire continued its slow downward
tumble toward the 20th century, English writers
were exploring the darker recesses of the mind.
Different ways of reading classic texts might bring us
new perspectives. What political and social insights
does Carroll offer in his Alice books? How does
Stoker manipulate the vampire myth to capture our
fascination? How does James turn the screw? What
does the transformation of Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde tell
us about the human psyche? Books: Alice in Wonderland,
Through the Looking Glass, L. Carroll; The Strange Case
of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, R. L. Stevenson; Dracula, B.
Stoker; The Turn of the Screw, H. James
Marjorie Johnson
The Painted Word
The works of W. Somerset Maugham, one of the great novelists of the English language is the subject of this course. An intrepid traveler and first class observer, Maugham wrote about the Orient and South Pacific long before others did. He immortalized the fictional character Sadie Thompson in his short story "Rain" and beckoned us to faraway places with his bewitching narratives written in the best storyteller tradition. Books: Of Human Bondage, The Painted Veil, W. S. Maugham
Phyllis Asnien
Paris and the Belle Epoque
Explore Paris in its golden age, 1870 to 1914, when peace reigned and the arts and fashion flourished. It was the Paris of Impressionists, boulevardiers, courtesans, and the Follies Bergère—a time when railroads, department stores and fashion houses were the rage. We will discover Paris in all its glory through the eyes of Guy de Maupassant and Emile Zola. De Maupassant reveals the attempts of an ambitious young provincial to make good in the city and Zola shows us how a woman who works at the fictional equivalent of Le Bon Marché wins the heart of a confirmed capitalist. Books: Bel-Ami (Lady-Killer), G. de Maupassant (Eng. Trans.); Au Bonheur des Dames (The Ladies’ Delight), E. Zola, (Eng. Trans.)
Michael MacIver
P.D. James: The Detective
Novel as Literature
Detective fiction has rarely been taken completely
seriously by the literary establishment. But P.D. James writes so
eloquently and explores the human condition so deeply, that some
critics describe her as a major author who happens to write detective
fiction. We will read her moving "fragment of an autobiography,"
To Be in Earnest, and explore two of her finest works, A
Taste for Death and Original Sin. Books:
To Be In Earnest, A Taste for Death,
Original Sin, P.D. James
Joseph Jacoby
People of the Book
Join us as we explore the religions of Abraham through modern fiction. In The Savior, a German Jewish violinist is forced to play for camp inmates during WWII. We will visit 17th century Japan in the book Silence and see Christianity in crisis. A Thousand Splendid Suns will immerse us in the world of two oppressed Afghani women. Judaism, Christianity and Islam will come alive for us in daily life. Books: The Savior, E. Drucker; Silence, S. Endo; A Thousand Splendid Suns, K. Hosseini
Bill Head
Postwar Classics of the 1950s
As our nation sinks deeper into economic turmoil, the postwar period might be viewed as a lost golden age. The 1950s was a decade of rich literary accomplishment. We will examine the sharp detail and exquisite style of John Updike’s Middle America, explore the visionary realm of one of American’s great story tellers, Flannery O’Connor and delight in the resplendent humor of John Cheever’s upper-crust New England. Books: Rabbit, Run, J. Updike; A Good Man is Hard to Find, F. O’Connor; The Wapshot Chronicle, J. Cheever
Joseph Jacoby
South American Odyssey
As the Hispanic influence on the United States increases dramatically, there is no better time to explore the immense riches of South American Literature. We will consider several “magical realist” novellas of Colombia’s Nobel Prize Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez, enter the mysterious and timeless world of Brazil’s Paulo Coellho, and examine Isabel Allende’s epic novel of 20th century Chile, which distills the essence of the Latin American experience. Books: Collected Novellas, G. Garcia Marquea, Trans. G. Rabassa and J. S. Bernstein; The Alchemist, P. Coellho, trans. A. R. Clark; The House of the Spirits, I. Allende, trans. M. Bogin
Joseph Jacoby
Thomas Hardy: Two Controversial Classics
Using two masterpieces from this consummate storyteller, we will explore rural, early nineteenth century England with its prevailing class discriminations and social constraints and examine why the moral difficulties in Hardy’s plots upset Victorian critics. We will investigate the role of fatalism in molding the destinies of Hardy’s memorable characters and the ambiguous moral dilemmas into which they were thrust. Hardy’s characters and gripping plots fascinate us today. Books: Return of the Native, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, T. Hardy
Whitney Lloyd
Three Spiritual Journeys
James Hilton takes us on a journey with four travelers who discover timeless wisdom in a hidden Utopia. Willa Cather depicts the life of a French missionary priest as he brings order to the vast diocese of mid-nineteenth century New Mexico. Jonathan Safran Foer creates a nine-year old boy who is forced to confront tragedy in contemporary New York City as a result of September 11. It has been said that one should exercise great care before wishing for a particular thing. We will examine the ways in which our protagonists’ wishes are realized. Books: Lost Horizon, J. Hilton; Death Comes for the Archbishop, W. Cather; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, J. Safran Foer
Bruce Ackeman
Two Families - Alcotts and Marches: Fathers, Daughters and Writers
Geraldine Brooks gives us March, a believable novel about the absent father of the March family from Little Women. Mr. March is a Civil War chaplain who encounters the moral complexities of war and its strains on finances and marriage. To evoke this idealistic New Englander, Brooks researched the journals of Bronson Alcott, Louisa May’s father( a friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau). Eden’s Outcasts is the biography of Bronson and Louisa May Alcott that documents a complex father-daughter and writer to writer relationship. Books: March, G. Brooks; Eden’s Outcasts, J. Matteson
Ellen Erzen
Two Masterpieces by Wallace Stegner
Angle of Repose won the Pulitzer Prize and Crossing to Safety was his final masterpiece. Both novels focus on the tensions within relationships amongst individuals from disparate geographic social and economic backgrounds. These novels are part of the American story, poignantly illustrating the determinations of characters in challenging circumstances. Stegner, the founder of Stanford University’s creative writing program avows “In fiction we should have no agenda but to tell the truth.” His insightful prose is truly inspiring. Books: Angle of Repose, Crossing to Safety, W. Stegner
Whitney Lloyd
Ulysses
James Joyce's Ulysses offers a portrait of a city, of a people,
of western history, philosophy, and culture. A perilous reading
adventure in form and meaning, it demands close attention simultaneously
on many levels, but its rewards overflow with humor and good will
and rich learning. Book: Ulysses, J. Joyce, (ed. H.W. Gabler)
Marjorie Johnson
Victorian Classics
George Eliot's
The Mill on the Floss is the poignant account of Maggie Tulliver’s quest for happiness in
the sexist England of the nineteenth century. Thomas
Hardy’s controversial Jude the Obscure explores the
fortunes of Jude Fawley in his attempt to breach the
rigid class barriers of Victorian Oxford. Both novels
are wonderful human stories filled with intellectual,
political, and social issues which are still timely today.
Books: The Mill on the Floss, G. Eliot; Jude the
Obscure, T. Hardy
Joseph Jacoby
What Makes a Good Novel?
E.M. Forster wrote two short love stories of significant merit—stories that pit British reserve against Italian “La Dolce Vita”—and wrote a short exposition on the hallmarks of great literature. This course will examine his critique of literature and evaluate his own writing against his literary benchmarks. Your own examples to bolster or rebut Forster’s concept of what a novel ought to be and do are encouraged. Books: A Room with a View, Where Angels Fear to Tread, Aspects of the Novel, E.M. Forster
Michael MacIver
WORLD CULTURE
Authentic Voices of the Third World
Let’s discuss revelations of unique societies and their messages to the world. In White Tiger, Aravind Adiga with his delightfully mordant wit anatomizes the fantastic cravings of the rich in India as well as the desperate struggles of the deprived. In her powerful memoir, Ayaan Hirse Ali tells her riveting story from a traditional Muslim childhood in Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Kenya to her intellectual awakening and subsequent activism in the Netherlands, as well as her current life under armed protection in the West. Finally, in Three Cups of Tea, we will learn of one man’s mission to promote peace by building schools under the nose of the Taliban in remote Pakistani villages. Books: White Tiger, A. Adiga; Infidel, A. H. Ali; Three Cups of Tea, G Mortenson and D. O. Relin
Stuart Wallace
Culture Clash on Two Continents
Join us on a journey to India with Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling and onto Africa with Booker Prize winner Chinua Achebe. Kipling explores the life of a boy who embarks on a quest assisted by his spiritual master. Achebe presents two protagonists who, through circumstances, find themselves forced to reassess the very foundations upon which they have built their lives. These three novels are set against a backdrop of British imperialism but upon closer inspection, reveal motives informed by profound spiritual longing. Books: Kim, R. Kipling; Arrow of God, Things Fall Apart, C. Achebe
Bruce Ackerman
Three Settings in Oceania
Herman Melville narrates his encounter with a community of man-eating savages in his first book Typee. He was one of the first Europeans to enter a purely oceanic community. Fifty year later, Paul Gauguin retreated from Paris to the islands of Tahiti as a court painter and was transformed by the indigenous men and women who were his painting subjects. A fictionalized account of Gauguin’s life is the subject of Somerset Maugham’s The Moon and Sixpence. Finally, the film “Moloka’i” , about the Hawaiian island leper colony, tells the story of Father Damien, the Belgian priest who ministered to the lepers there. Polynesia, made vivid by these tales, is an interesting and exciting place to visit. Books: Typee, H. Melville; The Moon and Sixpence, W. S. Maugham; Film: “Moloka’i”
Phyllis Asnien
West of Kabul, East of New York
The events of September 11 have changed the world forever. Most of us have focused on the changes in ourselves and our nation. There is a growing body of work that offers the unique and thought-provoking perspective of others who were also affected by this global event. In one, a young American-Arab teenager embraces the radical views of his Imam in New Jersey. In another, the narrator is a brilliant Princeton-educated Pakistani man who faces a powerful internal conflict once the attacks occur. The third is a non-fiction book that evolved from an email written by an Afghan-American who responded to the thoughts of a few friends on September 12, 2001. Each work provides significant insight for the thoughtful reader still searching for understanding of the post 9/11 world. Books: Terrorist, J. Updike; The Reluctant Fundamentalist, M Hamid; West of Kabul, East of New York, T. Ansary
Barbara Parr
RELIGION
After Kite Runner, What?
Discover the roots of Islam, why the Sunnis and Shi’ites
differ, who Mohammad was as well as the roots of
many of the issues between the West and Islam today.
Also, read and discuss what a modern Islamic woman
thinks and feels about her Muslim heritage and life.
Books: No God but God, R. Aslan.; The Trouble with
Islam Today, I. Manji
Bill Head
Understanding the World's Great Religious Traditions
"Globalization," "multicultural," "pluralistic," and "secular" are terms that describe our world today. Religion and religions continue to be major players in the news. In the 21st century, it is important to be aware of the religios component of the world's cultures. We will discuss the salient teachings and practices of the major traditions that have been in practice for at least a millenium, including the Asiatic, Western and indigenous traditions. Books: The World's Religions, Tales of Wonder: Adventures Chasing the Divine, an Autobiography, H. Smith
Michael Petit
SCIENCE
History
as a Branch of Biology
For many centuries, philosphers, church leaders, historians, and
demogogues portrayed the story of civilization as a chronicle of
competition between cultures, ideas, and armies, as the triumph
of progressive or godly groups over backward or evil adversaries.
Scientists today assert the primacy of Nature and natural history
- the forces of the Earth itself, including climate, the regional
uniqueness of flora and fauna, and the mutability of microbes -
as the true governors of human potential, the rise of certain civilizations,
and the decline and demise of others. There are compelling links
between natural and human history, but do they provide convincing
answers to age-old questions about who we are, where we are, and
how we got here? Book: Guns, Germs, and Steel,
J. Diamond
Jay Abercrombie
ECONOMICS
What Really Moves the Stock Market?
The US economy experiences damaging cycles of financial crises: the dot-com bubble, the real estate bubble, the credit market meltdown. Financial crises never go out of style and have a profound effect on the stock market. So, why not learn as much about them as possible and be prepared to foresee and navigate the financial crises that lie ahead and safeguard your investments? Books: Manias, Panics and Crashes: A History of Financial Crises, 5th ed, C. P. Kindleberger, R. T. Aliber, R. Solow; supplemental material
Michael MacIver
Who Made Your T-Shirt?
Globalization is a hot-button topic that generates strong feeling on all sides. We struggle to understand this phenomenon as we contemplate boarded-up businesses at home and sweatshops both here and abroad. In this 6-week course, we will explore the ways in which free trade and protectionism have changed the world, by focusing on the garment/textile industry. Who DID make your t-shirt? Book: The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power and Politics of World Trade, P. Rivioli
Gale Falment
ISSUES
Henry David Thoreau, Redux
Take this opportunity to revisit what you may have missed in high school—to take a closer look at Thoreau and engage in a dialogue about his extraordinary thoughts on life. Walden, Civil Disobedience, Life Without Principle and some of his letters will be the basis of our discussion. Thoreau stated “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor.” We will endeavor to do that. Books: Walden, Civil Disobedience, Life Without Principle, H. D. Thoreau
Michael Weil
Local Food and Sustainable Agriculture
What is a Food System? What do we eat and how is it produced and processed for us? Our smorgasbord of books will help us to see what is and also what could be. Michael Pollan helps us look at the way America eats and the way our food is grown. Thomas Lyson turns our attention to alternative “local food” models that are proliferating alongside the mainstream food system. Books: Omnivore’s Dilemma; M. Pollan; Civic Agriculture, T. Lyson
Joe Konen
Nature Bats Last
Jared Diamond returns to pick up where he left off
with Guns, Germs and Steel. In Collapse, Diamond looks
at history’s losers. He feels that the most important
question is a society’s relationship to its climate,
geography, resources and neighbors. He is perhaps the
first writer to argue that the most prosaic elements of
the earth’s ecosystems—soil, trees, and water—account
for the success or failure of whole societies. Book:
Collapse, J. Diamond
Jay Abercrombie
