Your source of adult education in the humanities for 30 years.
Listed below are courses from Summer 2006 through the most recent completed term, Winter/Spring 2009. Since all of our offerings are based on instructor proposals we cannot guarantee that any of these particular courses will be offered again.
Please click on the subject links below, or simply scroll down to browse the list of seminars
Newberry à la carte
Newberry Consort Seminar Series
Chicago Interest
Arts and Music
Philosophy and Religion
History and Genealogy
Literature and Theater
Writing Workshops
What can I find in the Newberry's collections? How can I use the Library to find what interests me? If you've asked yourself these questions, join Newberry staff in this seminar series that introduces the Newberry and its collections. This seminar series ran in the Winter/Spring and Fall terms of 2006-2008.
ABC or .XYZ? Alphabets Books at the Newberry Fall 2008
The Newberry holds a distinguished collection of calligraphic manuscripts and books, among them many we would recognize as "alphabet books." After a 1998 exhibit, the library also acquired the Jane Gilmartin Gilchrist Collection of ABCs, which includes four thousand specimens of the genre from around the world. Newberry curator Paul Gehl will talk about the ABC form and its development in the twentieth century, and discuss the potential study value of the Gilchrist Collection.
Constructing a Medieval Book: Book Making and Manuscripts in the Middle Ages Fall 2007
This seminar will be a brief, hands-on introduction to the art and craft of making a medieval book. We will consider what materials went into the production of a book, how they were selected and by whom, and we will look at how a book's design and production were closely tied to its use and content in ways that differ greatly from book production today. Come get an up-close view of some of the Newberry's most beautiful and interesting medieval manuscripts, and learn how they were made along the way.
Food for Thought: Culinary History at the Newberry Library Winter/Spring 2008
From fast food and Slow Food to urban agriculturalist and tropical fruit, food is on everyone's mind these days. Join Riva Feshbach for an exploration of such topics as the introduction of new foods into Europe, food and social class, and "home economics"; and get a taste of the Newberry's diverse resources (from early books of etiquette to handwritten party menus) for learning about culinary history.
From Ibn Battuta to Invisible Cities: Exploring the Silk Road at the Newberry Library Winter/Spring 2007
For centuries, the Silk Road linked China to Europe and North Africa. In addition to commercial trade, there was an active cultural exchange along this route. In this seminar, we will take a look at travel accounts, historic maps, and literary works to see what they tell us about who traveled the Silk Road, and the people and places they encountered.
Introduction to Research at the Newberry Library Winter/Spring 2008, Fall 2007, Winter/Spring 2007, Fall 2006
This session will provide an overview of the Newberry's collections, introduce researchers to the various catalogs and print resources within the Library's Reference and Bibliographic Center, and offer a behind-the-scenes tour of the Library.
Mesoamerica at the Newberry Fall 2006
This session is an opportunity to view and discuss primary sources in the Newberry's collections from explorers and indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. We will focus on, but not be limited to, Maya-related items such as Waldeck's sketchbooks and maps. After the session, be sure to view the items exhibited in The Aztecs and the Making of Colonial Mexico.
Presidential Elections at the Newberry Fall 2008
View and discuss primary sources in the Newberry's collections relating to U.S. Presidential elections. We will focus primarily on election cycles from 1800 through 1956, and will show election ephemera including convention tickets, campaign sheet music, pamphlets, posters, and songsters. We will also consider some enduring election themes and examine how they have played out in our current election cycle. Is Monroe your man? On the raft with Taft? Keeping cool with Coolidge? Wild about Harry? Whoever you choose this fall, we hope that you will join us at the Newberry this November!
Shakespeare at the Newberry Library Fall 2006
We will explore Shakespeare, and the Shakespearean age, from a variety of the Newberry Library's particularly rich resources, including not only early printed editions of the plays and poems, but also manuscripts, prompt books, music, theater programs, maps, illustrations, and adaptations from the sixteenth century to the present.
Typesetting for the Tower of Babel Winter/Spring 2007
In our increasingly integrated world, English is in the ascendancy. But the multi-lingual Internet has also brought about a renaissance in non-English languages, many of them written in non-Roman alphabets. The Newberry's printing history curator, Paul F. Gehl, will explore the history of printing in bi-lingual or multi-lingual books, posters, and pamphlets. He will use examples from the Library's incomparable Wing collection to explore the design problems faced by those who print in more than one language and more than one script.
The Newberry Consort Seminar Series is a series designed to give participants an advance, behind-the-scenes look at each performance by the Newberry Consort. On the Saturday prior to each concert, Consort director David Douglass will lead a two-hour presentation on the background and development of the pieces played at the performance. These seminars-designed for both the devotee and the casual listener-will enhance your Newberry Consort listening experience. Consort seminars run during the Winter/Spring and Fall terms.
07-08 Season
Shakespeare's Songbook Fall 2007
One of the greatest storytellers, William Shakespeare, loved music, and used it both in the background to establish a mood and up front as an entertaining diversion. He also made frequent reference to popular music in dialogue to shape the emotions of his audience. The opening concert of the Newberry Consort Series offers the art songs, ballads, and dance tunes that gave the patrons of the Globe Theatre a deeper understanding of Shakespeare's plays. In this seminar, Consort director David Douglass details the evolution of the works on the program, from melodies to full blown performance pieces, as well as some of the history of Elizabethan and Jacobean theater music.
Journey to Bethlehem: Seventeenth-Century German Music for Advent and Christmas Fall 2007
The story of Christmas is so familiar that its true meaning is best revealed when it's set to ravishingly beautiful music. The Consort's second program includes tunes you very likely know, but in settings you've never heard before, celebrating the story of the birth of Jesus with the glorious colors of historical brass, recorders, reeds, strings, organ, and voices. Consort director David Douglass offers a glimpse into the development of German secular devotional music, as well as the world of historical wind instruments.
The Play of Robin and Marion Winter/Spring 2008
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the Newberry Consort presents a medieval debate on the subject of love, storytelling's greatest inspiration. Like the troubadours, trouvères sang the stories of their lives in elegant and touching verse. The centerpiece of this poetic debate is Le Jeu de Robin et Marion by trouvère Adam de la Halle. This pre-concert weekend seminar discusses trouvère poetry and music, the first account of the romance of Robin and Marion, and the twenty-first century exploration of early music improvisation.
Españoletta Winter/Spring 2008
Some stories are told without words. Body language, like music, can convey a story in the most immediate and visceral way. The finale to the Newberry Consort Series, and to this seminar series, presents diverse music from Spain and Latin America. Dancers in full Baroque costume tell their tales of seduction in tarantelas, canarios, folias, and more in this unique program full of dazzling rhythms and Latin spice. This seminar provides an advance look at the expressive subtleties of Baroque dance, and also at how one goes about reconstructing the largely improvised repertory of seventeenth-century Spanish instrumental music.
08-09 Season
Handel in Miniature Fall 2008
George Frideric Handel was the consummate showman: he wrote music that was both intellectually stimulating and easily accessible, and he remained consistently popular from his era (the early eighteenth century) to our own. The respect musicians hold for Handel is dwarfed only by his public appeal. The Newberry Consort program, drawn from popular editions issued during Handel's lifetime held in the Newberry Library's collections, include arrangements of works for large ensembles in versions appropriate for the parlor. David Douglass will describe Handel's musical milieu and the process of bringing these rare editions to the concert stage.
What a Difference a Day Makes: Venetian Music for Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday W/S 2009
The Newberry Consort provides party music for Fat Tuesday, using the shawms, bagpipes, and carnival songs of Renaissance Venice, then basks in the exquisite beauty of penitential music for Lent. In preparation for our inaugural concert celebrating the life and work of musicologist and mentor Howard Mayer Brown, David Douglass will describe the Renaissance Venetian life and the contributions of Howard Mayer Brown and his archive to the Library, the city of Chicago, and the field of early music.
Ecco la Primavera: The Music of Francesco Landini W/S 2009
Francesco Landini, the blind Florentine composer, poet, organist, singer, and instrument maker, was one of the musical giants of the fourteenth century. His innovative work brought us a giant step toward Renaissance music, but it also painted a picture of Italian society of his day. David Douglass will provide an inside glimpse at how he transforms rare medieval manuscripts in early notation into modern scores. He will also draw connections between the paintings, drawings, and music of fourteenth-century Florence.
Arcadia Revisited: A Garden of Earthly Delights W/S 2009
In the wake of fires, famine, war, and the beheading of their King, seventeenth-century Londoners sought solace in the utopian pastoral fantasy they called Arcadia. The beautiful music of Henry and William Lawes, Nicholas Lanier, John Wilson, and Henry Purcell spun stories of mythological drama and frolicking comedy that entertained nobles and commoners alike. We will touch on Sir Philip Sydney's Arcadia and its place in seventeenth-century English society, as well as the unique characteristics of English music from this period. David Douglass will also demonstrate the role of improvisation in the repertory.
Amusement Meets Anthropology: The Midway Plaisance at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 Summer 2006
During the course of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, one of the most popular attractions was the Midway Plaisance, a mile-long strip contiguous to the main fairgrounds, where living ethnographic displays were set cheek by jowl with commercial entertainments and amusements, including the world's first Ferris wheel. We will draw upon the Library's rich collections of primary materials from the 1893 fair to analyze the Midway's special powers of attraction and its lasting influence.
The Architecture of Louis Sullivan Fall 2006
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Louis Sullivan's birth, we will survey the architect's career. We will study Sullivan's biography and published writings; analyze his most important buildings in detail, paying attention to his development of distinctive building types for the tall office building, the department store, and the small-town bank; examine his connections to fellow architects, craftsmen, and materials suppliers in Chicago; and assess his ongoing influence and reputation.
Chicago and the Big Screen Summer 2007
This course will explore movies either shot or set in Chicago, or made by Chicagoans from the early 1900s to the present. Among the movies that will be considered are Jimmy Stewart's Call Northside 777 (1948), based on a true story about a Chicago Sun-Times reporter who helped free a man wrongly convicted of murder, and Hoop Dreams (1994), a documentary about two high school basket-ball players from Chicago's South Side.
Chicago Playwrights and Their Plays Summer 2006, Summer 2007, Summer 2008
Each week a different Chicago-based playwright will discuss one of their plays with the class. Ranging from established plays which have had a number of productions, to scripts still in the development process, this seminar will give participants an intimate glimpse into the creative process and a unique opportunity to engage in an in depth dialogue with the playwright. Note: playwrights are different each term. Past playwrights have included Robert Koon, Mia McCullough, Alice Austen, Lisa Dillman, Margaret Lewis, David Barr, Alice Austen, and Jonathan Abarbanel.
Chicago's Golden Age of Radio Winter/Spring 2008
Did you know that the Golden Age of Radio was based right here in Chicago? Learn more about the city's major role in the radio revolution of the 1930s and ‘40s while listening to Chicago-based programs like Fibber McGee‘n' Molly, The WLS National Barn Dance, Vic and Sade, and Lights Out. We'll see how radio helped bring the country together during the Depression and through World War II, and how it eventually lost its dominance to television.
Chicago's Rich and Rare Properties: Its Cemeteries Fall 2008, Winter/Spring 2009
Much has been written about the history of Chicago and the land of the living. This course will provide material about Chicago's Necropoli, the land of the dead. Through lecture and slide presentations, we will discuss the role of cemeteries in early Chicago history, ethnic cemeteries, and mourning practices. The final session will take place at the home of the instructor for an overview of the paraphernalia of funeral homes and cemeteries.
Chicago Theater Behind the Scenes Fall 2006
Why is Chicago theater known for being challenging and engaging? We will examine theater's role in interpreting world events, using productions by four award-winning theaters. We will read the plays, attend performances, and discuss them with directors and artists who created the productions. We seek to break "the fourth wall" and establish discussion between those who see theater and those who create it.
Chicago Vital Records: Finding Your Family in Civil and Church Records Fall 2006
This two-session presentation will focus on finding out when your Chicago relative was born, married, and died, and the genealogical information you can find in the records they left behind.
Civil Records
Learn how to use the many indexes that are available and how to determine the correct LDS Microfilm to find that birth, marriage, or death certificate.
Church Records
We will focus on Catholic Church sacramental records that not only supplement the civil records but also contain additional information, especially useful for European immigrant families in Chicago.
A Closer Look at Chicago Cemeteries Winter/Spring 2007
This seminar will extend the learner's knowledge of the cemetery and how it relates to the living. Through slides and lectures, we will examine the best and the worst of our system of caring for the dead.
Discovering the Past Block-by-Block: Using ChicagoAncestors.org Winter/Spring 2009
ChicagoAncestors.org is a free website where you can find and share historical information about Chicago. Are you researching the history of a neighborhood? Looking for the church where your great-grandparents got married? Interested in mapping the places where your ancestors lived? We can help. Learn how to use the tools available on this popular interactive website and find out how you can contribute to the growing amount of historical data available online to Chicago researchers.
Exiles and Immigrants: Contemporary Chicago Fiction Summer 2006
We will read and discuss the latest work by three of Chicago's most-honored writers: Stuart Dybek, Sandra Cisneros and Alexander Hemon. Their works take us from Sarajevo and Mexico to Chicago, and within Chicago from the North Shore to Pilsen. Each writer grapples with the key question: how do people make their lives meaningful in the particular places they live, by choice or chance?
Exploring Chicago's Parks Winter/Spring 2007
This seminar will explore the origins and development of several Chicago parks through a series of walking tours. We will study their evolving landscape designs, goals, and patterns of use, along with their architecture and sculpture. We will pay particular attention to the relationships between the individual parks and their neighborhoods and to the place of the parks in the larger history of recreation, sports, and leisure activities.
Imaginative Leap: Chicago Journalists Turn to Art Fall 2006
From Ring Lardner and Ben Hecht to Mike Royko, Chicago journalists have enriched newspaper columns and gone on to create notable fiction and non-fiction. We'll read the best work of writers represented in the Newberry Library's journalism collection and view their memorabilia. Highlights include stories by Ring Lardner and Sherwood Anderson, Hecht's "literary journalism," Floyd Dell's essays, Chicago Renaissance poets such as Carl Sandburg, and Mike Royko's columns.
Introduction to Chicago Cemeteries Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Winter/Spring 2008
We will explore the history, symbolism, geology, and ethnicity of Chicago-area cemeteries, both extant and lost. Mourning customs and the history of burial will also be included in our study.
It Didn't All Go Up in Flames: Researching Pre-Fire Chicago at the Newberry Fall 2006, Fall 2007
Think there's no way to research Chicago before 1871? Think the Fire burned your chances for discovering what Chicago was like in its early days? Come join us as we demonstrate that all is not (and was not) lost. This hands-on seminar will introduce you to a gold mine of pre-Fire treasures in the Newberry's collections. Maps, diaries, church records, newspapers, and sheet music are just a few of the hot items we have to share.
Public and Private Identity: Defining the Self in Chicago Winter/Spring 2009
Chicago exists as a dynamic set of relationships between different sorts of urban spaces, ranging from the public street to the private home. Reading a selection of classic and contemporary Chicago poets and authors such as Stuart Dybek, Carl Sandburg, Nelson Algren, and Gwendolyn Brooks, we will discuss the process by which individuals create their identities through their interaction with others (and Others) in such public and private urban spaces
Public Art and Public Life in Chicago Summer 2006, Summer 2007
We will explore Chicago's riches in the realm of public art, including murals, commemorative statues, architectural sculpture, commercial decorations, and park designs through a series of walking tours. We will pay special attention to the role of public art in shaping the civic, national, and ethnic identities of its audiences, and consider the role of public art in promoting tourism, commerce, and political agendas.
Pullman Car Works: The Factory Summer 2008
This seminar will research the factory on Chicago's South Side where thousands of sleeping cars were built from 1881 to 1981. The layout, description, and changes of the major building will be examined. These changes occurred during three distinct construction periods: wood, steel, and lightweight cars. We will look briefly at the corporate structure of other Pullman plants and maintenance facilities around the country and the short European Pullman period.
Reading the City: Chicago through History and Literature Fall 2007
From the city's founding through the mayoral terms of Richard J. Daley, this seminar surveys Chicago's history through both histories and literature. We'll attempt to understand Chicago through the eyes of an environmental historian, a Progressive woman reformer, a provocative African-American author, a poetic literary realist, and a cynical newspaperman. Authors to be read include William Cronon, Jane Addams, Richard Wright, Nelson Algren, and Mike Royko. Please read as much of Cronon's Nature's Metropolis as is possible for our first meeting.
Reading the Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham's Civic Vision Winter/Spring 2008, Fall 2008
The Plan of Chicago (1909) was based on the conviction of its principle writer, architect Daniel Burnham, that citizens can intervene in the headlong rush of unplanned urban growth to re-direct Chicago's physical structure, creating conditions conducive to humane and prosperous living. We will read and discuss the text, diagrams, and illustrations of the Plan itself, not only to learn about an important epoch in Chicago's history, but also to reflect on the challenge it poses to our understanding and experience of living in Chicago at the beginning the of twenty-first century.
Revisiting Chicago's Shining Moment: The Gold Coast and the World's Columbian Exposition Fall 2006
We will focus on two of Chicago's most prominent architectural and cultural achievements of the late nineteenth century: the Gold Coast and the World's Columbian Exposition. By spending two sessions studying each location (the first at the Newberry and the second touring the site) we will examine the connections between the locations forged by Gold Coast residents who were involved in the fair, including Bertha Palmer and John W. Root.
Richard J. Daley: Life and Times, Myths and Realities Winter/Spring 2008
In the 21 years of his mayoralty, Richard J. Daley became a symbol of our city, for good and ill. He kept Chicago from rusting away, yet presided over a city riven by racial and political conflict. Through biography, literature, and ephemera, we will examine the myth, reality, and the image of the man who shaped contemporary Chicago.
Suburban Sprawl and Chicago Winter/Spring 2008
Suburban sprawl has become a major issue for urban planners, politicians, environmentalists, and metropolitan residents. This course looks at the historical development of sprawl in the Chicago region and how the city has confronted suburban growth. The seminar also presents national trends and policies concerning unregulated land development. Critics and defenders of sprawl will be given significant attention as this historical issue of urban growth receives a contemporary analysis.
The White City: Art and Culture at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 Winter/Spring 2008
From its opening in the spring of 1893 in Jackson Park, Chicago, the World's Columbian Exposition captured the American imagination to a degree unsurpassed by any other single event in the late-nineteenth century, and since then has maintained a prominent position in the minds of scholars and the general public alike. This seminar will focus on the visual culture of the fair, exploring media ranging from architecture and painting to maps and souvenirs. Readings and visual examples will be drawn chiefly from primary sources in the Newberry's collection.
The Art of Digital Photography Summer 2006
In this intermediate course, improve your digital photography skills by working through technical and aesthetic questions, completing weekly shooting assignments, and by viewing selections from the Newberry's collection of prints and artists' books. We will focus on improving your knowledge of the digital camera and Adobe Photoshop and will cover both scanning and digital printing. The course will also offer a history of photography and will cover archival concerns associated with the digitization of images. Participants must have a digital 35mm camera that can be used manually as well as a laptop with Photoshop Elements.
The Big Bands of the Swing Era Summer 2008
For a brief period between the mid-1930s and the end of World War II, American popular music was dominated by the so-called big bands. They were ensembles of about 10-15 brass, wind, percussion players, and vocalists that played dance music, swing, and jazz. We will hear recordings made by many of the renowned bands, and consider the societal and musical contexts in which they thrived and suddenly fell from popularity.
Black Letter Calligraphy Winter/Spring 2007
Learn Old English (Black Letter) style calligraphy, including elaborate borders and capitals. Gain historical background on the letterforms through slide presentations and studio demonstrations. We will cover composition of letterforms by making written sampler pieces, and we will view pieces from the Library's collection. No previous calligraphy experience necessary. Materials and supplies will be discussed at the first session.
The Book of Kells and Traditional Celtic Art Fall 2008
One thousand years ago the world almost lost a book called "the work not of men but of angels." This work, The Book of Kells, was stolen from a church, stripped of its gold and jewels and thrown away. We will study the manuscript's history and the methods of its decoration. In addition to learning the history of The Book of Kells, experience the surprise and gratification of learning the basics of the Celtic style of knot work, interlacing, spirals, and exploring your hidden creativity.
Can Music Talk? Fall 2006
Is wordless music a universal language that can convey emotions, describe things, tell stories, and present abstract ideas? After centuries of debate, the answer to that question remains unsettled. We will consider the issue from all sides, using musical examples from classical, popular, and folk traditions.
Chamber Music 101: An Introduction in Symphonic Context Summer 2008
This seminar will expand the ears of chamber music devotees and serve as a primer for an encounter of the most intimate kind representing the eighteenth and nineteenth century symphonic tradition. By exploring works in various instrumental combinations (quartets, trios, quintets, etc.) from the Classic and Romantic periods - Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Dvorak - you will experience some of the richest repertoire in classical music.
Chicago and the Big Screen Summer 2007
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Classic Jazz Summer 2006
A distinctive American contribution to musical experience, jazz emerged from ragtime and blues. The audible history of jazz begins with the early recordings of 1917. In the so-called classic jazz period, from World War I to the years after World War II, soloists, small ensembles, and big bands exhibited remarkable creativity. We will listen to their recordings and consider how classic jazz was succeeded by bebop and cool. No musical training is necessary.
Combos and Vocal Groups of the Swing Era Winter/Spring 2009
Although big bands, solo vocalists, and jazz soloists dominated the swing era (1920s - 1950s), there existed a simultaneous stream of music from small ensembles, vocal and instrumental. We will listen to singing groups such as the Andrews Sisters, Ink Spots, and Modernaires. We will hear instrumental combos such as the Benny Goodman Sextet, Modern Jazz Quartet, and the George Shearing Quintet. Finally, we will sample the folksong revival of the 1950s. No musical training is necessary.
The Country I Come from Is Called the Midwest: Bob Dylan and the American Song Tradition Winter/Spring 2009
Bob Dylan created some of the most significant music of the late twentieth century and influenced generations of listeners. Yet Dylan found much of his inspiration not in contemporary music but in the music and folk customs of the past. This course will explore the links between Dylan and the ballad tradition. We will examine his influences, listen to his music, and offer close readings of his expansive songbook.
A Dagger through the Heart: Love, Death, and the American Ballad Fall 2006
The stories we tell about ourselves speak volumes about a society and its cultural mores. Of all the musical forms, none is as enduring as the ballad, a narrative song that tells a story. We will examine the history of the American ballad with emphasis on its Anglo-Celtic roots, especially the Child ballads, considered by many scholars to be the bedrock of American music. We will also discuss the ballad's appeal and its living legacy.
Exploring Chicago's Parks Winter/Spring 2007
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Family Photographs: Safe Storage and Handling Winter/Spring 2007
This two-session seminar focuses on various techniques and methods for the care, preservation, and handling of photographs. Participants are encouraged to bring individual photographs as well as bound photographic albums for evaluation and recommendation on storage and treatment.
Jazz: 1946 - 1965 Summer 2007
Jazz underwent a profound transformation after World War II, influenced by the same processes (an expanding economy, technological advances, the Civil Rights Movement, and a burst of creative energy) that shaped other aspects of American cultural life. Listen to recordings, hear lectures, and discuss the music of this twenty-year period. No musical training is necessary.
Listening to Jazz Fall 2008
Improvisation, the essence of jazz, takes place within a framework. If we understand the frame, the listening experience is more enjoyable. This seminar will examine concepts that create the structure that will help listeners follow the improvised sections by understanding where the soloist is and where he or she is going. No previous musical training is necessary.
Masterpieces: Piano Concerti of Beethoven Winter/Spring 2007, Summer 2007, Fall 2007
Explore the dynamic world of Beethoven's five piano concerti. Develop the skill of "focused listening" through direction and application of simple analysis. Move from the sensuous level of listening to music to the perceptual and ultimately to the creative. Experience the joy and richness of a deeper understanding of these masterpieces. Reading music is not essential.
Masterpieces: Piano Concerti of Mozart Fall 2006, Summer 2006
Celebrate the 250th anniversary year of Mozart's birth by studying how his creative genius was expressed in the piano concerto. No composer has produced a larger quantity of this musical form or matched the quality of these works, many of which are worthy of being called masterpieces. We approach the concerti by applying a simple analysis called focused listening. The method develops necessary skills of listening that enhance the level of appreciation and enjoyment. Reading music is not required.
The Nineteenth-Century Art Song Winter/Spring 2008
The art song for solo voice and piano was developed by German composers, beginning with Franz Schubert. German art song, known as the Lied, became-particularly in the work of Robert Schumann-the genre most expressive of the Romantic Era. At the end of the century Claude Debussy and others wrote chansons, French songs comparable to the German Lied. We will hear many of these songs, interpreted by singers of past and present. No musical training is necessary.
Opera and Revolution: How Opera Changed the World and How the World Changed Opera Fall 2008
The art form known as opera has always been a revolutionary one. From its birth during the Italian Renaissance to its current kaleidoscopic, international identity, opera has been a part of the landscape of societal change throughout its history. We will examine this unique art form through a humanistic, historical, and interpretive lens.
Opera Singers of the Golden Age Summer 2007
Opera's golden age has been identified as the period beginning in the early twentieth century and extending through the 1930s. It was an era of dominance in the musical scene by great conductors and charismatic singers, centered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. We will trace the vocal history of the period, listening to recordings by immortal artists such as Enrico Caruso, Feodor Chaliapin, Kirsten Flagstad, Lawrence Tibbett, Helen Traubel, and Ezio Pinza. No musical training is required.
Post-War Swing Fall 2007
The swing era of popular music was roughly bordered by WWI and the end of WWII. But many of the composers and performers of that period remained active through the 1950s, and the swing idiom was preserved in the work of newer talents. We will listen to swing-style works from 1946 to 1960, including Broadway and movie songs, presented by notable vocalists. No musical training is necessary.
Public Art and Public Life in Chicago Summer 2006, Summer 2007
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Radio's Classic Comedies Winter/Spring 2009
If you know why (or would like to know why) "I'm thinking it over" is the funniest thing Jack Benny ever said, this class is for you. Join us as we travel through the hilarious shows from the golden age of radio: Charlie McCarthy to Jack Benny, A Date with Judy to The Great Gildersleeve. See why the humor has never been equaled in these sidesplitting chapters from a bygone era.
Revisiting Chicago's Shining Moment: The Gold Coast and the World's Columbian Exposition Fall 2006
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
The Russian Palette: Romantic Expression to Innovative Modernism Fall 2008
The Russian symphonic tradition evolved within the context of nineteenth-century romanticism with strong nationalistic overtones into twentieth-century stylistic originality and variety. The lush sounds of Tchaikovsky gave way to the primitivism and sparse neo-classicism of Stravinsky, which was followed by the Soviet-period output of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. But all sprang from the Russian temperament and a school of distinctive orchestral color. By exploring pivotal works of these composers, you will be immersed in Russian music with new appreciation.
Seeing the City: Envisioning the Metropolis from Ancient Times to the Present Summer 2008
Throughout history, cities around the world have captured the imagination of visual artists, prompting a dazzling array of urban images. Who commissioned, created, and consumed these images? What purposes have they served? How have these representations influenced metropolitan experience of individuals and groups? Surveying a variety of cities, from Ancient Rome and Renaissance-era Venice to postmodern metropolises such as Las Vegas and Dubai, we will explore the history of urban representations through paintings, photographs, prints, drawings, maps and plans, paying special attention to examples in the Newberry's collections.
Songs and Singers of the Swing Era Winter/Spring 2007
During the swing era (roughly bordered by WWI and the end of WWII) a remarkable confluence of musical talent emerged in the United States. This seminar considers one aspect of that experience, the popular song. We will listen to works by the great songwriters as recorded by the notable vocal soloists and vocal groups of the period. No musical training is necessary.
The Symphonic Bridge from Mozart to Beethoven Fall 2007
Mozart's final trilogy of symphonies, composed in 1788 on the eve of the French Revolution, opened the doors to the Romantic Movement, paving the way for Beethoven's Third Symphony ("Eroica") written in 1804. As the Old Guard and the Classic symphonic ideal gave way to the new, Beethoven became the flag bearer for innovation and change. We will explore the last three symphonies of Mozart and the first three of Beethoven to understand this musical transition to nineteenth-century aesthetics.
Symphony Sampler: Haydn and His Legacy Winter/Spring 2009
The bicentennial of Haydn's death (1732-1809) is not only an occasion to celebrate his seminal contributions to the symphonic genre, but also to follow his enduring legacy in the works of great composers whose own innovations built upon his formidable foundation. The seminar will devote one session each to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms with a focus on their distinctive styles in the context of the classic Haydn model.
The Twentieth-Century Art Song Fall 2008
After 1900 the art song became diverse in character. While the nineteenth-century traditions of German Lieder and French melodie were retained, which presented a solo voice with piano accompaniment, new concepts also emerged. Vocal parts became more virtuosic and accompaniments more open to other instruments, even full orchestras. Composers from Britain, Northern Europe, and America assumed important roles. We will hear examples of these songs, interpreted by leadings artists of past and present. No musical training is necessary.
The White City: Art and Culture at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 Winter/Spring 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
The American Founding: Philosophical Sources and Original Intent Fall 2006
We will explore ideas of human nature and government from the major thinkers who influenced the founding generation, and then trace the development of those ideas in the framers' political writings from the pre-revolutionary period to the Civil War. We will also consider what relevance these ideas have for contemporary constitutional interpretation.
American Intellects, 1870 - 2000 Winter/Spring 2007
In this course we will explore the intellectual life of the United States, after the Civil War to the present, by studying the thought and actions of philosophers and intellectuals. In comparison to Europe, the United States has been generally accused of neglecting speculative thought in favor of devoting its energies to practical, business endeavors. To probe this assertion's validity, we'll read the work of historians Bruce Kuklick, Lewis Perry, and Louis Menand. Please review Kuklick chapters 6-10 for our first meeting.
The Confessions of St. Augustine Fall 2006
Augustine's Confessions is a work of astonishing breadth and depth. An autobiographical account of a religious conversion, it also addresses the psychology and consciousness of the human person, the experience of death and loss, our knowledge of the universe, and the nature of time. The book is both a window on the ancient world and a frame for perennial questions.
Existentialism: An Introduction Fall 2008
"God is dead; everything is permitted." "Man is condemned to freedom." "The crowd is untruth." "Man is the being whose being is in question." These are some of the defining statements of existentialist philosophies. In this seminar, we will read and explore substantial selections from the works of Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Martin Heidegger.Please read the first three chapters of Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling before the first session.
Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None Fall 2006, Winter/Spring 2009
Often misinterpreted by both disciples and critics as the scripture of a Nietzsche cult, Zarathustra stands as one of the West's great challenges to "become yourself." Exploring the themes of "will to power," "overman," and "eternal recurrence," we shall attempt to unravel the Nietzsche legend. Before the first meeting, please read the Prologue and first chapter of Walter Kaufmann, Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist.
The Gospels for the Critical Reader: Analysis and Comparison Winter/Spring 2008
The Gospels in the Christian tradition are four distinct presentations of Jesus and his public ministry based on oral tradition. How reliable is oral tradition? Why do we have four Gospels? There were also other gospels; why were they excluded from the New Testament? Through comparison and contrast, we will examine the canonical and apocryphal texts to understand the purpose and formation of the gospels within their historical and especially Jewish context.
An Introduction to Plato's Socrates Summer 2008
This discussion-based course looks at four of Plato's early dialogues featuring the figure of Socrates: the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. We will focus on Socrates as both a literary character and as a starting point for our own philosophical reflections. We will read these texts with two main goals: 1) To understand the core aspects of Socrates' conception of philosophy and his distinctive method of philosophic inquiry, and 2) To engage with Socrates' substantive views on issues of enduring interest, such as religion and morality, and the authority of the state.
John Henry Newman: The Art of the Sermon Fall 2007
The religious and psychological depth of Newman is most accessible in his sermons. The themes of his longer works are present here, for Newman's usual practice was to use his preaching to test and develop his thought. Much more than "works in progress," however, Newman's sermons are highly polished literary creations, whose elegant form perfectly matches their content. The sermons for this seminar are mostly from his Anglican years, although several are later, Catholic, compositions.
John Henry Newman's "Grammar of Assent": Faith, Reason, and Certitude Summer 2006
At the heart of the philosophy of religion lie two questions: can we believe what we do not understand? Can we have faith in what we cannot prove? Drawing on the breadth of human experience (for we do both of these things all the time in non-religious contexts), Newman develops an approach to human knowledge and our certainty about our knowledge that illuminates both the nature of faith and the inner workings of the human mind.
Religion and the Mind Winter/Spring 2008
What is the relationship between religion and the human mind? Participants in this class will explore the origins and character of mystical experience. We will focus on accounts of religious experience in the works of mystics such as Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. Critical engagement will be guided by selections from the classic text Varieties of Religious Experience by William James and from Andrew Newberg's Why God Won't Go Away. For the first session, please read p. 15 - 34 of Varieties of Religious Experience.
Siblings or Strangers? Christians and Jews in the Beginning Fall 2006, Fall 2007
We will explore the nature of the first century Jewish community, the Jewishness of Jesus and of the Christian New Testament, why the Jewish and Christian communities parted ways, and the role of the Roman Empire in the process. The seminar is based on current historical scholarship and first century sources.
Western Mysticism: Pseudo-Dionysius Summer 2007
Western mystical thought, which has its origins in Plato and the Bible, was hugely influenced by an enigmatic Syrian monk of the late fifth century who chose to write under the pseudonym of Dionysius the Areopagite, the convert and companion of Paul mentioned in Acts 17:34. We will read his treatises with an eye to seeing their effects on later developments in Western mysticism in such figures as Hildegard of Bingen, the author of The Cloud of Unknowing, and John of the Cross.
Western Mysticism: St. Teresa of Avila Fall 2008
Western mystical thought achieved crystal clarity in the writings of the sixteenth-century Spaniards St. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. In contrast to the soaring, poetic temperament of John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila's mystical vein is practical, a mysticism with shoes on it. Perhaps her most iconic moment occurred when one of her sisters passed by the kitchen and saw her rapt into ecstasy, with a frying pan in her hand. In this seminar we will examine two of her greatest works, The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle.
William James' Religious Philosophy: The Will to Believe and The Varieties of Religious Experience Winter/Spring 2007
William James' defense of religious belief, and his serious treatment of "supernatural" phenomena, places him among the great champions of the life of the spirit. The Will to Believe and The Varieties of Religious Experience are among the world's most influential writings in philosophy of religion. This seminar will explore James' legacy as a religious philosopher, and the continuing capacity of his ideas to clarify and inspire our own approaches to religious and spiritual matters.
The Age of Aristocracy: Britain and Ireland, 1688-1830 Fall 2008
During the Georgian era, the landed aristocracy dominated politics and set the tone for social and cultural life in Britain and Ireland. However, economic changes and new political ideas heralded the problems and challenges of the industrial, democratic future. Topics will include the Glorious Revolution; Whigs versus Tories; Scotland after the Act of Union; the Jacobite rebellions; the Scottish Enlightenment; the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland; British responses to the American and French revolutions; the Irish Rising of 1798; and the Regency.
The Age of Churchill: Britain 1874-1965 Winter/Spring 2009
With a focus on the political career of Winston Churchill, this course will explore the history of Britain from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Topics will include late Victorian politics; the Boer War; the People's Budget; women's suffrage; the Irish question; Churchill's role in the First World War, including Gallipoli; the "wilderness years;" the depression of the 1930's; appeasement policies and Munich; the Second World War; imperial decline; and the creation of the post-war welfare state.
The Age of Napoleon Winter/Spring 2008
In exploring the life of Napoleon and the history of France during this period, this course will consider the legacy of the legendary ruler. Among the topics discussed will be the revolutionary context of his rise to military leadership and political power; the coup of 18 Brumaire; legal reforms, including the Civil Code; the conquest and political reordering of much of continental Europe; military triumphs and the disastrous Russian campaign; the "Spanish ulcer;" the Hundred Days, and Waterloo.
The American Presidency in the Twentieth Century Winter/Spring 2009
This seminar will explore how ten United States presidents, ranging from Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, shaped our national life during the twentieth century. Reading profiles of these presidents by historians and other scholars, we will look at why some presidents have succeeded and others failed. We will ask how each president addressed two overarching issues: What is the proper role of government in the United States? What role should America play in the larger world?
Amusement Meets Anthropology: The Midway Plaisance at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 Summer 2006
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
The Architecture of Louis Sullivan Fall 2006
See listing under "Chicago Interest" .
Beginning Genealogy: A Crash Course Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Fall 2008
The Newberry Library has one of the strongest genealogy research collections in the nation. If you have considered tracing your family's history in America, this one-session course will show you where to start. Learn how to organize your research and to find information through sources that can be found in your home, courthouses, libraries, and on the Internet. Feel free to stay after class to jump into the collections!
Book Futures: Past and Present Summer 2007
From incunabula to electronic literature, the Newberry's rich offerings will provide the background for this exploration of the book's future. How do artists' books and the literary avant-garde relate to viewing Shakespeare on an iPod? By comparing the transition from manuscript to print with the current shift from print to digital texts, participants will come away with a new appreciation for the book-as-technology - one with a rich and varied history and an uncertain future.
Chicago's Golden Age of Radio Winter/Spring 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Chicago Vital Records: Finding Your Family in Civil and Church Records Fall 2006
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Classic Maya Disintegration and Resurgence Fall 2008
We will view the trajectory of Maya civilization from the north, from the waning days of the Classic Maya to the Early Post-Classic resurgence of Chichén Itzá. Emphasizing the interaction between Central Mexico and the Maya in the context of a larger Mesoamerican system, we will discuss how the transformations during this period revolutionized art, architecture, and ideology from the ninth century to the Spanish invasion.
A Closer Look at Chicago Cemeteries Winter/Spring 2007
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Clothing and Identity in the Early Modern World Winter/Spring 2008
The garments and accessories that men and women have worn expose the aspirations and identities of their wearers. We will examine the history of dress in Europe and the Americas from 1400-1800. What did men and women wear, and how did their choices express their sexual, religious, ethnic, and national identities?
The Crusades through Historical Fiction Fall 2008
Explore the Crusades from the eleventh through the thirteenth centuries-including their origins, motivation, and outcomes-through quality historical fiction. Novels by Alfred Duggan, Cecelia Holland, an others will introduce the period. With the novels as background, class meetings will discuss issues such as religious and political aspects, cultural contrasts, the Latin East, castles and sieges, food and commerce, the military orders, and women in the Crusades.
Databases for Genealogists Winter/Spring 2008
Learn advanced tips, techniques, and strategies for finding those elusive ancestors using popular databases - Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest Online, and ProQuest Historical Newspapers. We'll also cover two databases new to the Newberry - Footnote.com and the Origins Network (British and Irish genealogy). Come and discover what treasures are waiting to be found in these databases!
Dealmakers and Careerbreakers: The Medici Dynasty and the Flowering of Renaissance Florence Winter/Spring 2007
The Medici family transformed the arts, politics, and economy of Florence during the Renaissance. With an interdisciplinary focus, we will explore how the influential Medici rose to unprecedented power and led Florence to the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance. We will draw on the Library's collection of primary materials, as well as visit the Art Institute. Readings will include excerpts from Machiavelli's The Prince and Ross King's Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture. Please read the first twenty pages of The Prince for the first class.
Digging Up the Dead: The Cemetery for the Genealogist Summer 2006, Summer 2007, Summer 2008
Cemeteries generate many different kinds of records for genealogists. We can discover basic biographical information about the dead as well as more obscure descriptions of legal rights concerning burial, burial locations and relocations, and changes in cemetery populations. Explore the questions a genealogist should ask when visiting cemeteries.
Discovering the Past Block-by-Block: Using ChicagoAncestors.org Winter/Spring 2009
See "Chicago Interest" section
The Ellis Island Experience Summer 2007
Four out of ten Americans can trace their ancestry to a small island near Manhattan where the doorway to hope was opened for many, and the dreams were dashed for some. This presentation will look at the Ellis Island experience from the point of view of the immigrant, through the processing station. It will also describe how their descendants can find genealogical information from the passenger manifest and other documents the immigrants left behind on their way to American citizenship.
Endangered Species: A Short History of the Bookshop Winter/Spring 2007
Because it can change how we feel and what we think, the bookstore has always been a powerful institution. In these early years of the twenty-first century the bookstore (especially the independent bookstore) is under siege. This course will offer a brief history of the book, the publishing industry, and the bookstore, while answering the following questions: What makes bookstores special? Why do they matter? Why should we care about their fate?
Exporting Democracy? The United States and the World Winter/Spring 2009
The rhetoric and practice of supporting democracy around the world has been a part of American diplomacy for more than a century. Alongside episodes of hypocrisy and horrible failure, we can also observe moments of sincerity and spectacular success. This course will consider both, with a particular emphasis on American policy and Latin America during the twentieth century.
The French Revolutions: 1789, 1830, 1848, and the Commune of 1871 Fall 2007
The French Revolution of 1789-99 destroyed the old regime of three estates ruled by an absolute monarch and established fundamental legal equality, but failed to resolve the crucial question of how France would be governed and by whom. Further revolutionary upheavals in 1830, 1848, and 1870-71 sought to settle these issues. This course will trace the political, social, and cultural transformation of France from the 1770s to the 1870s.
Fundamentals of Genealogy Winter/Spring 2007, Winter/Spring 2008, Winter/Spring 2009
Whether you're a beginner or simply looking for formal fundamentals training, try these seminars, tailored to meet your research needs. Take all six or just those that interest you most.
Saturday, March 3
Research Methodology
We will tackle foundational genealogy methods including research basics like planning, strategy, precepts, and establishing standards of proof. We will review relevant genealogy software programs.
Records Group I
We will cover how to use vital records, the U.S. Census, religious, land, and tax records, as well as FamilySearch.org.
Saturday, March 10
Records Group II
We will discuss how genealogists use directories, newspaper, immigration and naturalization, and ethnic records, as well as maps.
Records Group III
Library reference tools are the focus of this session, including catalog searching, inter-library loan, local histories and biographical books, military publications, and local Chicago sources. We will also focus on the Newberry's genealogy collections (including a tour of the Library).
Saturday, March 17
Information Analysis, Recording, and Organizing
We will review methods for analyzing and organizing information including software available to genealogists like Bygones Research Log software, the proper way to cite sources, and how to create a style sheet.
Networking
We will cover the important sources for making connections with other genealogists to share information and ask for help, including Found Information, societies, emailing lists and eBulletin boards and more.
Getting Started With Mexican Genealogy Research Summer 2007
Designed for beginning genealogists, this seminar will provide an introduction to the research methods and resources that are particular to Mexican genealogical research. While emphasizing how to locate and use Mexican birth, marriage, death, and census records, we will also discuss local history sources and passenger ship lists from Mexico's viceregal period. Learn more about what the Newberry's holdings offer for Mexican family history research.
History of the Crusades Summer 2007
What motivated medieval European men and women to set out on the conquest of a land thousands of miles away, about which they knew very little? How did the Papacy, as head of the Catholic Church, come to promote violence against the Muslim and Jewish residents of Palestine as not only justifiable, but positively meritorious and deserving of great spiritual reward? We will explore these questions and more as this class investigates how the Crusades transformed the relations among the Muslims, Jews, and Christians in the Middle East.
History of the Sleeping Car Winter/Spring 2007
This seminar will explore the sleeping car from its beginnings in 1837 into Amtrak in the 1970s. We will cover the periods of car construction, various floor plans and room accommodations, names of the cars and some of their assignments around the country, and complicated line and designation numbers. Handouts will be available.
Hitler's Germany: From the Weimar Republic to the Third Reich, 1919 - 1945 Winter/Spring 2007, Fall 2006
We will explore the politics, society, and culture of Germany from the establishment of the Weimar Republic to downfall of Hitler's regime. Topics will include the economic and political consequences of the Versailles Treaty; Weimar politics and culture; Hitler's personal background; the rise to power of the Nazi Party and consolidation of the Nazi state; development of anti-Semitic policies from the Nuremberg Laws to the "Final Solution;" Hitler's aggressive foreign policy and quest for Lebensraum.
How the Europeans Mapped and Drew the Americas, 1500 - 1700 Winter/Spring 2008
This six-week course examines the nature of European representations of the Americas and its peoples, through maps and other images, from about 1500 to 1700. Images from this era are not only highly decorative, but also reveal the ways in which the Europeans slowly came to an understanding of what lay across the Atlantic through maps, city-plans, and drawings of places, people, and creatures.
How to Write Your Family History Winter/Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Fall 2008
Have you been doing family research for years but have not yet shared the results with your family? Learn to compile books varying from the simplest to one that includes historical information, biographies, and many pictures. Please bring an example of your research with you to the seminar.
Imaginative Leap: Chicago Journalists Turn to Art Fall 2006
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Internet Techniques for the Genealogist Winter/Spring 2007
This popular, fast-paced seminar is for any genealogist who would like to incorporate proven Internet research and networking techniques into their ancestral research. We will discuss basic Internet research methodology, explore the most important genealogical websites and databases, and focus on how to acquire original records quickly using the power of the Internet.
Introduction to Chicago Cemeteries Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Winter/Spring 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
It Didn't All Go Up in Flames: Researching Pre-Fire Chicago at the Newberry Fall 2006, Fall 2007
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Medieval Britain 1066-1307 through Historical Fiction Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Winter/Spring 2009
Explore the highlights of Medieval British history - including the Norman Conquest, the Anarchy, the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, and the Conquest of Wales - through quality historical fiction. Novels by Morgan Llywelyn, Georgette Heyer, Sharon Penman, and others will introduce the period. With the readings as background, we will discuss questions of church-state relations, food and drink, medicine, land tenure and military service, law and commerce, and the role of women in society.
Medieval Britain 1307-1485 through Historical Fiction Winter/Spring 2007, Winter/Spring 2008
Explore the Hundred Years War, the Black Death, the Age of Wycliffe, the Peasants' Revolt, the Wars of the Roses, and other highlights of medieval British history. Quality historical novels by P.C. Doherty, Sharon Penman, CandaceRobb, Josephine Tey and others provide an engaging introduction to the period. With the readings as background,we will discuss historical issues such as family dynasties, civil wars, taxation, peasant rebellions, anti-clericalism, plagues,royal intrigues, and everyday life.
Mexican Genealogy: Introduction to Mexican Genealogy Sources; Introducción a la Genealogía Mexicana (sections in Spanish and English) Summer 2008
Designed for beginning genealogists, this seminar offers an introduction to the research methods and resources used in Mexican genealogical research. Participants will have an opportunity to work directly with different library materials from Newberry collections as an introduction to genealogical information sources like birth, marriage, death and census records as well as maps, passenger ship lists, and other resources reaching back to Mexico's viceregal period. Come and learn how the Newberry works and how its resources can help you trace your family history.
Este curso esta diseñado para aquellas personas que son nuevas a la genealogía. El seminario ofrece una introducción a los métodos y fuentes utilizados en la investigación de genealogía mexicana. Los participantes tendrán la oportunidad de trabajar directamente con distintos materiales de los fondos de la Biblioteca Newberry como base de la introducción a las fuentes de información genealógica como son los certificados de nacimiento, matrimonio, defunción y censo. También veremos mapas, listas de pasajeros a México de los siglos XVI y XVII y otros fuentes que remontan a la época virreinal. Venga y aprenda como funciona la Biblioteca Newberry y como sus colecciones pueden ayudarle a trazar la historia de su familia.
Mexican Genealogy: Working with Mexican Genealogical Records; Documentos Genealógicos Mexicanos (sections in Spanish and English) Summer 2008
Working with primary source materials such as birth, marriage, death and census records is an essential part of family history research. This seminar discusses the different types of original records that are used for Mexican family history research, how to locate them, and the problems involved in their use. Participants will be introduced to the strategies involved in extracting genealogical information from original sources by looking carefully at real examples of Mexican records. Get a glimpse of the various primary source materials that are available within the Library's own collections and learn how to request copies of Mexican parish records at the Newberry.
Las fuentes documentales mexicana como las actas de nacimiento, matrimonio, defunción y los registros del censo mexicano conforman una parte fundamental en la investigación de genealogía mexicana. Este seminario trata con los diferentes tipos de documentos originales que se utilizan para este tipo de investigación, explica donde localizarlos y habla sobre las dificultades que pueden nos podemos encontrar al utilizarlos. Utilizaremos ejemplos de documentos reales para presentar las diferentes estrategias aplicadas a la interpretación de la informacion que contienen. Le invitamos a echar un vistazo a los materiales disponibles dentro de las colecciones de la Biblioteca y a aprender como puede solicitar copias de registros parroquiales mexicanos sin tener que salir de Chicago.
Mortimer J. Adler, the Great Books Idea, and Late Twentieth-Century American Intellectual Culture Fall 2006
Through the energies of Mortimer J. Adler we will explore how the great books idea contributed to the intellectual culture of late twentieth-century America. Beginning with Adler's bestseller, How to Read a Book, we will study his contributions and relevancy to education, philosophy, the "great conversation," and the "great ideas" of western civilization. Please read Parts I and II of How to Read a Book for the first session.
Origins of the Great War: European Rivalries, 1871 - 1914 Summer 2007
We will explore both the long and short term causes of the First World War. Among the topics to be treated will be the emergence of rival alliance blocs; the naval arms race between Britain and Germany; imperial rivalries in Africa and Asia; the gradual disintegration of such multi-ethnic states as Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire; the growth of nationalism, especially in the Balkans; the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand; and the "July crisis."
Polish and Polish American Genealogy: Using American and European Sources Summer 2008
Benefiting anyone interested in researching their Polish ancestors, this course will outline resources and materials available for Polish and Polish American genealogical research. We will address how to find and use microfilmed records, military records, languages, maps, jubilee books, and Polish research websites, in addition to several helpful institutions in North America and Europe. We will cover basic resources as well as less familiar auxiliary source material. Genealogists of all levels welcome.
Pullman Car Works: The Factory Summer 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Reading the City: Chicago through History and Literature Fall 2007
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Reading the Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and Civic Vision Winter/Spring 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
The Republic in Crisis: France from 1875 to the Present Summer 2008
In considering the history of France from 1875 to the present, this course will focus on periods of crisis that severely tested the political institutions and social solidarity of the French Republic. These will include the Dreyfus case, the First World War, the interwar malaise, the Second World War and the Vichy regime, the Algerian war for independence, May 1968, and current unrest among immigrant communities.
Revolutionary Traditions in Ireland, 1798-1922 Winter/Spring 2009
From the 1798 Rebellion to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, Ireland underwent a period of immense change. Using a variety of sources-visual images, literature, songs, poems, newspapers, and plays-we will examine the evolving political, social, and cultural life of Ireland throughout the period and concentrate particularly on the evolution of Irish nationalism and republicanism.
Richard J. Daley: Life and Times, Myths and Realities Winter/Spring 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Searching Library Catalogs and Databases Effectively Fall 2007, Fall 2008
Controlled vocabulary isn't what your mother meant when she told you to watch your language. What does it mean and how does it help you find information online? Did you know you can browse library shelves remotely? Or that you can search for Johnny B. Goode's obituary in the ProQuest Historical Tribune database? We will cover using *?/!# effectively, and much more, in this seminar on using twenty-first century catalogs and databases.
A Short Course in House History Fall 2006, Fall 2007
In just two sessions, learn about an array of online and hard copy sources to launch your research into your home. Investigate the inhabitants, construction date, architect and more. Hands-on time is built in; bringing a laptop with wireless access is encouraged. NOTE: we will research Chicago buildings built before 1930 only (no suburban addresses).
60 Minutes to Better Genealogy Summer 2006, Summer 2007, Summer 2008
Sometimes 60 minutes of instruction on a focused topic can help you push through a particular question or task in your research project. This seminar is designed with genealogy researchers in mind. You can take all nine sessions, or simply choose those that most appeal to you.
Saturday, July 21
9:30 am - 10:30 am
The Many Uses of Family Tree Maker 2006 Software
11:00 am - Noon
Hidden Research Sources - Part One (based on the book, Hidden Sources, by Laura Szucs Pfeiffer)
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Making Cluster Genealogy Work for You
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
The Chicago Genealogy Map
Saturday, July 28
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Ideas and Advice on "How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy" (based on the book of the same title by George G. Morgan)
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Hidden Research Sources - Part Two (based on the book, Hidden Sources, by Laura Szucs Pfeiffer)
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
The Newberry's New Acquisitions in Genealogy/Local History
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
The Latest Internet Techniques for Genealogists
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Using the Social Security Death Index
Stalinist Culture in the 1930s Summer 2007
The Stalinist period is one of the most fascinating and controversial in Soviet history. For many (including most Americans), it represents the epitome of the cruelty of the Soviet system. However, for some Russians today it is increasingly an object of nostalgia. Using historical scholarship, diaries, novels, films, and traveler accounts, this seminar will introduce some of the major themes and trends of Soviet life and culture in the 1930s: industrialization, urbanism and architecture, the position of intellectuals and the arts, and everyday life.
Stuart Britain: Rebellion, Restoration, and the Reign of Parliament Fall 2006
The dramatic events and colorful personalities of the Stuart dynasty continue to intrigue. Topics will include the growing tensions between James I and Parliament; rebellion, civil war, and the execution of Charles I; the Puritans, the Interregnum, and Oliver Cromwell; the restoration of Charles II; the accession and abdication of James II; William and Mary and the Glorious Revolution; the Bill of Rights and the triumph of Parliament; Queen Anne and the Hanoverian succession.
Suburban Sprawl and Chicago Winter/Spring 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Thomas Paine, Edmund Burke, and the Age of Revolution Fall 2008
As revolution convulsed France, Thomas Paine, the famous radical, and Edmund Burke, a founder of modern conservatism, furiously debated the meaning of that event and the basis of human rights. Participants in this seminar will read the polemics penned by these two writers and reengage in a debate that is as timely today as it was in the years following 1789.
To the Hebrides: James Boswell and Samuel Johnson's Most Excellent Adventure Fall 2007
In 1773, Dr. Samuel Johnson, the great English lexicographer, and James Boswell, his Scottish companion, made a journey to the Western Isles of Scotland. Johnson's Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and Boswell's Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides are considered among the finest literary accomplishments in travel writing. In addition to examining the journey itself, this course will examine the men-and their unlikely friendship-and their era.
The Two Conquests of Mexico: Conquistadors and Padres Fall 2006
This seminar is designed to integrate closely with the Newberry's fall exhibit, The Aztecs and the Making of Colonial Mexico. The conquest of Mexico is part of the grand narrative of imperial European expansion. Grand narratives, of course, mix folklore and myth with historical facts. We will begin with readings on the Aztecs and will continue with a discussion of the Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest. We will conclude by assessing the imprint left by the Indians of New Spain on the creation of modern Mexico.
Victorian Culture and Society Summer 2006
Often oversimplified in popular perceptions, the Victorian period remains fascinating for its cultural achievements, social transformations, and political tensions. We will explore such topics as Victorian values; the "condition of England" question during an age of rapid industrialization; the role of religion, including Evangelicalism and the Oxford Movement; political debates between Gladstone and Disraeli; the Victorian home; women and marriage; the controversies over Darwin's theory of evolution; and Victorian art, architecture and photography.
Victorian Minds: Intellectual Life in Nineteenth-Century Britain Fall 2008
With a particular focus on the writings of Matthew Arnold, John Stuart Mill, and John Ruskin, this course will explore the principal intellectual trends and controversies of nineteenth-century Britain. Topics will include the "condition of England" question during an age of rapid industrialization; liberalism and utilitarianism; the role of religion, including evangelicalism and the Oxford Movement; the controversies over Darwin's theory of evolution; and Victorian tastes in literature, art and architecture.
War, Culture, and Remembrance: World War I Fall 2007
This course explores how World War I influenced European culture, particularly the literary and visual arts. We begin by considering the experience of the war, both at the front and at home, and then discuss how poetry, painting, and cinema were shaped in important ways by the war. Please read chapter one of Paul Fussell's The Great War and Modern Memory for the first session.
The Way West: Mapping the American Frontier Fall 2007
This seminar complements the Newberry's concurrent exhibition Mapping Manifest Destiny: Chicago and the American West. We will investigate the larger trajectory of frontier cartography and Chicago's place within that history. We will consider the connections between maps and the shaping of empires and nations; the role of cartography in creating local and regional identities; and the use of maps by explorers, railroads, real estate developers, miners, tourists, and teachers.
Women's Salons: Conquering the World with Wit Winter/Spring 2007, Fall 2007
From their debut in Berlin in the 1780s to their emergence in 1930s California, women's salons served as welcoming havens where all classes and creeds could openly debate art, music, literature, and politics. We shall explore the history of some of these salons where remarkable women of intellect resolved that neither gender nor religion would impede their ability to bring about social change.
Albert Camus: The Stranger, The Plague, and The Fall Winter/Spring 2008
We shall explore the ways in which these three great novels-widely considered Camus' most important works-richly illustrate his central themes of existential alienation, the absurd, and revolt. These texts, which touched the core of European experience during the catastrophic middle decades of the twentieth century, have lost none of their essential resonance for today's readers. We shall consider Camus' place in the history of ideas as well as his relations with contemporaries such as Jean-Paul Sartre.
The American Short Story Fall 2007
The short story in America has developed and changed over 150 years. The class offers a survey of American short story writing from its beginnings in the mid-nineteenth century to today. We will read and discuss stories from classic writers as Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, Twain, James, Faulkner, Hemingway and Fitzgerald, to contemporary masters such as Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike and Richard Ford.
America, The Trial, and The Castle: Three Great Unfinished Novels by Franz Kafka Winter/Spring 2009
Franz Kafka's name has become synonymous with the enormities of civilization in the twentieth century. Through a close reading of Kafka's novels, a "trilogy of human solitude," we shall delve into the historical context and politics at the crossroads of the twentieth century, place them within the framework of literature's modernist experimentation, touch upon crisis of identity of modern man, and conclude with an examination of the reemergence of Kafka during the Cold War, and his embrace by popular culture.
At Home with Hemingway Winter/Spring 2008
Sponsored by Dominican University and the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park
*Note: This seminar will meet at Hemingway Birthplace Home, 339 N. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park
In the home where the most influential American writer of the twentieth century was born in Oak Park on July 21, 1899, we will attend to the emergence of Ernest Hemingway's literary voice through his short stories. What can we learn from the author of In Our Time (1925) about what it means to be an American and a citizen of the world in our time, 2008? Topics will include family and community; love and death; gender and sexuality; the effects of war on the human psyche; what it means to be at home in the world; and of course, what it means to be at home with Hemingway. For the first session, please read, "The Doctor and the Doctor's Wife," "Up in Michigan," and "Soldier's Home."
Beach Reading for Victorians: Sensation Novels by Wilkie Collins and Mary Elizabeth Braddon Summer 2008
After a long day of empire making, Victorians just wanted to have fun. This seminar explores one of their guilty pleasures: "the sensation novel," works of suspense, scandal, and sex that inherited gothic conventions and influenced detective fiction. Reading novels by Braddon and Collins (the genre's best-known practitioners), we will discuss how these authors blend explorations of vital social topics (including gender, imperialism, class, and religion) with thrills and chills. Please read the Prologue and chapters 1-10 of the First Period in The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins for the first class.
The Beats: Aesthetics and Conformity Fall 2006
In Cold War America, social, political and artistic conformity were equated with "true" American identity. The writers of the Beat Generation-including Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Diane Di Prima and William S. Burroughs-resisted such conformity in their art and lives. We will read the key texts of the Beats in order to examine and discuss the ways art, politics, and sex intersect in American culture.
Behind the Silence: German Perspectives on the Nazi Era Fall 2006
The silence that fell over the German people at the end of World War II is broken in four works, all translated from German. They are The Seventh Cross by Anna Seghers, a novel about working class reactions to the Nazi regime. Willie Reese's journal, A Stranger to Myself, describes a soldier's change in attitude on the Russian front. Ilse-Margret Vogel's Bad Times, Good Friends examines the heroic subversive actions of ordinary Germans against their leaders. An anonymous diary, A Woman in Berlin, recounts experiences in the immediate post-war, Russian-occupied German capital.
Beyond Jane Eyre: Other Novels by Charlotte Brontë Fall 2008
Discover hidden gems as we read and discuss lesser-known novels by Charlotte Brontë. We'll trace the development of her genius from the early novel The Professor through Shirley, written just after Jane Eyre, to her final novel, the complex and beautiful Villette. We'll explore how these texts function variously as autobiography, social critique, mysteries, memorials, jokes, confessions, wish-fulfillment, literary experiments, and early feminist manifestos.
British Drama: From Earnest to Anger Fall 2007
In this lecture and discussion-based seminar, we will examine the rich period of British theater from the late nineteenth century to the midpoint of the twentieth. From the drawing room comedies of Wilde and Coward to the innovations of Synge, Eliot, and Priestley, the major themes and movements in British drama will be explored. We will also consider the influence of the political plays of Shaw and Osborne discussing how these works function as social commentary, as well as artistic achievements.
British Drama: Waiting for Arcadia Winter/Spring 2008
From the complexities of Beckett and Pinter, the politics of Hare and Churchill, the psychology of Shaffer, and the wit of Bennett and Stoppard, British playwrights have entertained and educated through their accomplished works of drama. In a lecture and discussion based seminar, we will decipher the meanings of these works, and in doing so, gain a better understanding of the dramatic forces which inspired them and shaped the modern identity.
Charles Dickens: David Copperfield and Bleak House Winter/Spring 2007
Charles Dickens is often considered the most influential fiction writer of the nineteenth century, owing in part to his astounding prolificacy but also to his innovations and contributions to publishing, copyright law, popular culture, and the development of the novel form. In lecture and discussion, this seminar will focus on a close analytical reading of what many readers and scholars consider the crown jewels of Victorian literature: David Copperfield and Bleak House. This is the fifth in a series of eight seminars devoted to the reading of Dickens' novels (to which newcomers are cordially welcomed). Please read chapters 1-12 of David Copperfield for the first session.
Charles Dickens: Dombey and Son and A Christmas Carol Fall 2006
Charles Dickens is often considered the most influential fiction writer of the nineteenth century, owing in part to his astounding prolificacy (sixteen novels) but also to his contributions to publishing, copyright law, and the development of the novel form. In lecture and discussion, we will focus on a close reading of Dombey and Son and Dickens's Christmas stories, including A Christmas Carol. This is the fourth in a series of eight seminars devoted to Dickens's novels (to which newcomers are cordially welcomed). Please read chapters 1 through 13 of Dombey and Son for the first session.
Charles Dickens: Hard Times and Little Dorrit Fall 2007
Charles Dickens is often considered the most influential fiction writer of the nineteenth century, owing in part to his astounding prolificacy (sixteen novels) but also to his innovations and contributions to publishing, copyright law, popular culture, and the development of the novel form. In lecture and discussion, this seminar will focus on a close analytical reading of Hard Times and Little Dorrit. This is the sixth in a series of eight seminars devoted to the reading of Dickens's novels (to which newcomers are always cordially welcomed). Please read chapters 1 through 15 of Hard Times for the first session.
Charles Dickens: Our Mutual Friend and The Mystery of Edwin Drood Fall 2008
Charles Dickens is often considered the most influential fiction writer of the nineteenth century, owing in part to his astounding prolificacy (sixteen novels) but also to his innovations and contributions to publishing, copyright law, popular culture, and the development of the novel form. In lecture and discussion, this seminar will focus on a close analytical reading of Our Mutual Friend (1865) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which Dickens left unfinished at his death in 1870. This is the final in a series of eight seminars devoted to the reading of Dickens's novels (to which newcomers are always cordially welcomed). Please read the first thirteen chapters of Our Mutual Friend for the first session.
Charles Dickens: The Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist Winter/Spring 2009
In March 1836, London readers encountered the first installment of an experiment in cheap serial publication. By that summer, both the work-entitled The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club-and its young author, "Boz," had become virtual overnight literary sensations. We will examine the "Pickwick" phenomenon with a close analytical reading of Charles Dicken's The Pickwick Papers and his follow-up novel, Oliver Twist, placing both novels within their literary, cultural, and historical contexts.
Charles Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations Winter/Spring 2008
Charles Dickens is often considered the most influential fiction writer of the nineteenth century, owing in part to his astounding prolificacy (sixteen novels) but also to his innovations and contributions to publishing, copyright law, popular culture, and the development of the novel form. In lecture and discussion, this seminar will focus on a close analytical reading of A Tale of Two Cities (1859) and Great Expectations (1860-61). This is the seventh in a series of eight seminars devoted to the reading of Dickens's novels (to which newcomers are always cordially welcomed). Please read the first fourteen chapters of A Tale of Two Cities for the first session.
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Fall 2006
Situating The Canterbury Tales within the historical context of the tumultuous late-fourteenth century, participants will gain an appreciation not only for Chaucer's importance to English literature, but his continuing importance as a writer who raises questions about secular and religious authority, social class, and gender relations. No previous experience with Chaucer or Middle English is required. For the first session, please read The General Prologue in either Middle English or modern verse.
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Winter/Spring 2009
On a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury, a company of travelers told tales to pass the time. The real road, however, that Chaucer puts his pilgrims and his readers on is the road of life, with death and heaven as the final destination. Along the way, he shows us the world of medieval England, introduces us to our unforgettable companions, and presents the wisdom that every sojourner needs to find their way.
Chicago Playwrights and Their Plays Summer 2006, Summer 2007, Summer 2008
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Chicago Theater Behind the Scenes Fall 2006
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
Contemporary American Drama Winter/Spring 2007
The plays of Lorraine Hansberry, Edward Albee, David Mamet, and others defined the American experience of the second half of the twentieth century. In a discussion-based seminar, we will examine the works of these playwrights, as well as that of Sam Shepard, Wendy Wasserstein, Margaret Edson, and David Auburn. By concentrating on theme and technique these playwrights employ, their works will be revealed to be great works of literature, theater, and social commentary.
Contemporary Classics of American Theater Fall 2008
The present moment in American theater is one of its richest and most exciting. Through a combination of discussion and lecture, we will examine this moment by considering the plays of Neil LaBute, Tracy Letts, Paula Vogel, John Patrick Shanley and others. Controversial, progressive, and challenging; these plays are among the most riveting the American theater has produced. We will also examine the important role Chicago is currently playing in this exciting theatrical moment.
Crime and the Criminal in American Fiction Summer 2008
The figure of the criminal haunts American culture, but where does the criminal come from? Are criminals born or made? What inborn qualities create a criminal, and what outside qualities make one? In this course, we will discuss depictions of crime and criminals, law and punishment, in classic American literature and classic American crime fiction as well, to examine what American criminals can tell us about America.
Cross Gartered and Cross Dressed: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Winter/Spring 2007
Have fun unlocking the textual clues in Shakespeare's plays with the Folio technique, used by prominent Shakespeare theatre companies from around the world. Using this technique, the class will discuss, analyze and rehearse scenes from Twelfth Night. The class will also explore the gender issues at work in this timeless comedy. Bring Shakespeare from the page to the stage. No acting experience necessary.
Danger Ahead! Banned Books as Art and Controversy Fall 2007
In observance of Banned Books Week (9/19 - 10/6), this seminar focuses on five frequently banned books. We'll discuss the literary value and controversies surrounding these novels: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Of Mice and Men, Catch-22, The Catcher in the Rye, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Cultural changes that continue to fuel controversy will also be discussed. Please read chapters 1 - 30 of Huckleberry Finn for the first class.
The Dangers of Reading Badly: Flaubert's Madame Bovary and Garcia-Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera Winter/Spring 2008
In this seminar, we will read two of the finest novels ever written by two of the genre's greatest practitioners: Flaubert's Madame Bovary and Garcia-Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera. The novelists represent bad reading as an illness with the legible symptoms of mad romantic obsessions. We will examine how the use of narrative voice, setting, theme, and figurative language shape the characters we encounter and structure the representation of the social, cultural, and historical moment in which they are embedded.
Dante's The Inferno: The Words and the Pictures Fall 2008
Dante charted the first purely Christian country - Hell. Seven hundred years later, The Inferno still fascinates readers. Dante dramatized his descent into the underworld as a powerful experience that evoked such emotions as fear, anger, pity and horror. We will read and discuss The Inferno, understanding the historical, religious, political, and artistic climate that influenced his writing. We will also view artwork from dozens of artists over the centuries, seeing how each artist depicted Dante or The Inferno's characters, settings, punishments, etc. in his own particular style.
Dark Arts: The World of the Adult Fairy Tale Fall 2007
Fairy tales have never been just for children. Historically, they've provided a way of exploring aspects of human nature that can't be spoken of aloud. Fears are dealt with on a metaphoric level, and realities are sublimated into fantastic images that titillate, entertain, and disturb all at once. We'll explore the complicated delights of fairy tales through literature, film, and art. Emphasis will be placed on recurring themes and on how certain images cross cultural boundaries. The course is intended for anyone with an interest in this classic form of storytelling.
Dazzled by Truth: The World and Work of Franz Kafka, a Modern Jewish Storyteller Winter/Spring 2008
Kafka's name has become the household word for the enormities of civilization of the twentieth century. W.H. Auden wrote, "Had one to name the author who comes nearest to bearing the same kind of relation to our age as Dante, Shakespeare and Goethe bore to theirs, Kafka is the first one would think of." Through a close reading of Kafka's short stories, and through examination of his life and Prague, his nexus, we shall attempt to penetrate the seemingly unfathomable and inscrutable writing of this giant of literature.
Demystifying Old English - An Introductory Course Summer 2007, Winter/Spring 2008
Is Old English a foreign language? This course aims to demystify the uncanny look and sound of the earliest stage of our English tongue. We will begin with some background and introductory practice. Then we will enter the world of our texts, trying to discern within their strange mix of Christian and pagan influences some likenesses of the most important features of the English language of today.
The Detective Novel Fall 2008
Every one likes a good mystery. The detective novel, dating back to Poe and extending to Lethem and Chabon, is the progenitor of nearly all contemporary crime-solving whodunits. This course will trace the history of the detective novel, showing how this particular literary genre is tied to twentieth-century American history.
The Divine Comedy of Dante Winter/Spring 2007
For the tourist in everyone, this is the ultimate tour. Dante Aligheri the poet writes himself, Dante the pilgrim, into a journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. The real geography covered in The Divine Comedy, however, is that of the human heart and intellect. The poem is above all a drama of the soul's choice, and because no soul is isolated, the poem also presents the world of the medieval communio, including the philosophy and theology by which it lived.
Dostoevsky's Demons Fall 2006
The most explicitly political of Dostoevsky's great novels, Demons was inspired by the ideological chaos among radicals seeking to transform Russia in the 1860s. As a story about the disastrous potential of blind belief in one's ideas, the novel is especially resonant today. We will attend to the historical context of Demons, but our primary focus will be on Dostoevsky's art-exploring the problems plaguing his society (and ours) as he creates a gripping narrative.
An Enduring Heritage: Great American Short Stories of the Nineteenth Century Winter/Spring 2007
We will read a variety of classic American short stories by notable authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allen Poe and Herman Melville, and the lesser-known, including Kate Chopin and Sarah Orne Jewett. How the American character was formed, and what these writers offer us today are among the topics in this discussion-centered seminar. Enjoyment, and insight into the American literary heritage are among the goals. Please read the first five stories in the text for the first meeting.
Exiles and Immigrants: Contemporary Chicago Fiction Summer 2006
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
A Fire in the Mind: Latin American Literature of the Sixties and After Summer 2008
During the 1960s the world finally took notice of Latin America's literary production. The sudden acclaim these writers received was sometimes referred to as "el boom," with the subsequent coinage of the term "magical realism." We will read and discuss relevant examples, from authors such as Garcia Marquez and Julio Cortazar, that were produced in the 1960s as well as look at the 1990s, a period some call the "post-boom."
Flannery O'Connor and the Strangeness of Truth Winter/Spring 2008
No one who has read anything by Flannery O'Connor (1925 - 1964) has ever altogether forgotten it. Whether Hazel Motes and Enoch Emery of Wise Blood, the Grandmother and the Misfit of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," or any other one of her amazing cast of oddballs, freaks, and freakishly ordinary people, to read them is to gain a companion for life. The seminar will cover all of her published fiction, several unpublished stories, and a sampling of her essays and letters.
From Early Dostoevsky to The Brothers Karamazov Fall 2008
We will explore a variety of Dostoevsky's fiction to follow the development of his literary themes and methods from The Double to Notes from Underground to The Gambler to The Brothers Karamazov. A close textual analysis of Dostoevsky's work will be enlivened by biographical, historical, and critical information introduced by the leader at each meeting. Several brief episodes will be shown from the movies Notes from Underground and The Gambler. Please read chapters 1 - 7 of The Double for the first class session.
A Gathering of Shades: Exploring the Literature of Hell Summer 2007
"Hell" has always offered writers and artists a rich tableau to vividly explore the development of mankind's social, political, and spiritual mindset. An examination of "hell" is, in fact, an examination of how we perceive ourselves, our surroundings, our role within the community, and our place in history. In this seminar we will read and discuss Dante's Inferno, Shelley's Frankenstein, Sartre's No Exit, Beckett's Waiting For Godot, and Albert Camus' "Myth of Sisyphus," and examine how each writer presents a vision of the afterlife that is unique to his/her culture and time period.
Good and Evil: Coleridge's Struggle Winter/Spring 2009
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's work as a poet and philosopher in the Romantic period reflects his compelling and continuing search to reconcile what appears to be evil in a world he strongly believed was created as good. His work-including "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Frost at Midnight," "Kubla Khan," and "Dejection"-reveals a series of constructs, none of which remained satisfactory to him.
Herodotus' Histories Fall 2006
Herodotus is called "the father of history" for this account of the Greeks' heroic defense of their freedom against Persian invasions in the early fifth century BCE. In order to determine what made the Greeks distinctive, he also investigated other nations. We will study these profound explorations, as well as the apparently whimsical stories he tells, to see if they might help us understand his view of the Persian War and what enabled the Greeks to prevail.
Homer's Odyssey Winter/Spring 2009
The story of Odysseus' wanderings through the realms of the living and the dead and his eventual return home to reclaim his place as king, father, and husband, has fascinated readers and writers for over 2500 years. We will read and discuss in Great Books seminar fashion Robert Fagles' lively translation of the Odyssey, noting the vast number of elements in it that have influenced virtually the entire subsequent history of Western literature.
How to Read Like a Victorian: David Copperfield and Pendennis Winter/Spring 2008
In 1849 and 1850, London readers would have been able to purchase monthly parts of the latest works by rival novelists Charles Dickens and William Thackeray. In this seminar we will read David Copperfield and Pendennis serially and simultaneously, in imitation of their first readers' experience. Encountering the texts this way will help us consider how these texts respond to each other and will highlight the authors' methods for revealing their professional and private lives to readers.
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili Summer 2008
Many scholars consider the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili the most beautiful book ever printed. Published in 1499 by Aldus Manutius in Venice, it was the subject of a recent, pseudo-historical bestseller, The Rule of Four. In fact, the original is still fascinating, especially for its 171 remarkable woodcuts. This seminar will focus on some of the numerous mysteries surrounding this work, from the controversy about its author, Francesco Colonna, to the identity of the talented engraver of the woodcuts.
Imagining Paris Summer 2007
What do we dream of when we dream of Paris? Why does Paris have such power over the American imagination? In this class, we'll travel to the Paris evoked by writers such as Henry James, Janet Flanner, and Edmund White. Since art was at the center of American interest in Paris, we will examine a specific Chicago connection: the Americans responsible for the Art Institute's extraordinary collection of Impressionist art. We'll discover how dreams of Paris shape our views of that city and the world.
The Inferno and The Dante Club: Raising Hell at Harvard Fall 2006
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's translation of Dante's Inferno forms the core of the plot of Matthew Pearl's best-selling murder mystery The Dante Club set in Boston in 1865. We will read passages from the Inferno in parallel with the novel in order to study its circumstances, events, and characters.
Irish Mythology Fall 2006
The Irish mythological tradition extends back more than 2500 years. Its drama and beauty inspired William Butler Yeats and other writers of the Irish renaissance, and it continues to be a rich source of material for such modern poets as Seamus Heaney and Nuala ní Dhomhnaill. Learn about the original myths and story cycles and examine the culture in which they flourished.
Irish Playwrights Fall 2006
The drama of Ireland poignantly captures the essence of the people-their wit, vulnerability, provinciality, fatalism, and history. William Butler Yeats was inextricably involved in Irish theatre as playwright, founder of the Irish National Theatre Society, and director of the Abbey Theatre. In their own ways, Sean O'Casey, John M. Synge, and Brendan Behan sang to "sweeten Ireland's wrong." George Bernard Shaw recast Joan of Arc as an Irish comic heroine; please read "St. Joan" before the first class.
Irish Writers Winter/Spring 2007
"The English language brings out the best in the Irish. They court it like a beautiful woman. They make it bray with donkey laughter. . . ." We will test this common observation by reading prose and poetry from some of Ireland's best writers from the early modern period to the late twentieth century, including Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats, John Millington Synge, Sean O'Casey, James Joyce, and Patrick Kavanagh.
James Joyce's Early Fiction: Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Fall 2007
In this seminar, participants will learn how to read and appreciate Joyce's prose, an activity best accomplished by a careful and thorough exploration of selected stories from Dubliners and chosen passages from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Along with a close reading of the texts, we will examine the broader context of Joyce's Irish background. First-time readers of Joyce will be introduced to the rich complexities of his language while more seasoned readers will discover new verbal intricacies in his fiction.
James Joyce: From Dubliners to Finnegans Wake Winter/Spring 2009
In this seminar, participants will learn how to read and appreciate Joyce's prose, an activity best accomplished by a careful exploration of Dubliners, Exiles (his only play), and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. We will end the course by examining some passages from his final work, Finnegans Wake. Close readings of the texts will occur in the broader context of Joyce's Irish background. First-time readers of Joyce will be introduced to the rich complexities of his language while more seasoned readers will discover new verbal intricacies in his fiction.
James Joyce's Ulysses Winter/Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Winter/Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Winter/Spring 2009
Many readers attempting Ulysses for the first time find themselves overwhelmed by its length and difficulty. We will give special attention to the beauty of the book's organization, the symmetry of its plan, the relationship of style and content, and the evocation of feeling through technique. We intend to strike a balance between consideration of Joyce's experimental methods and the more old-fashioned storytelling pleasure the book offers. The text is the Hans Walter Gabler edition.
The Latin Roots of the Romance Language Family Tree Summer 2008, Winter/Spring 2009
Have you ever wondered why Italian, Spanish, French, or another Romance language is what it is? This course on the structure of Latin will introduce you to the fascinating questions of how all the languages of the Romance group basically work and of how modern ones arose from ancient Italic origins. Intended for students with no prior knowledge of Latin but with speaking knowledge or two semesters' study of a Romance language.
Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy Fall 2007
A novel about the pleasures and limitations of language and art, Sterne's eighteenth-century comic masterpiece is a book like no other. With the spirited, digressive, hopeless efforts of his narrator to tell us who he is, Sterne anticipates all manner of postmodern mischief, from Barthelme and Rushdie to Joyce and Beckett. Tristram Shandy is itself a kind of seminar on the nature of fiction, deepening our understanding of the relationship between books and life.
Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace Fall 2007
The purpose of the seminar is to help participants understand and enjoy War and Peace. We will focus on close textual analysis of the novel, supplemented by biographical, historical, and critical information related to the book as introduced by the leader. Several short episodes will be shown from the Russian movie War and Peace, a detailed adaptation of the novel. Please read Book One for the first meeting.
The Life and Work of Zora Neale Hurston Winter/Spring 2008
Many are familiar with Zora Neale Hurston's classic novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. Yet few may know of her significance in the field of anthropology or of her importance to the Harlem Renaissance. Through our engagement with her work, and drawing from voice recordings and other texts, this seminar will introduce participants to Hurston as a major contributor to American cultural history and literature, while illuminating her singular and complex journey as a writer.
Literature and the Working Class: Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Luis Rodriguez's Music of the Mill Summer 2007
Writers have been among the most politically active citizens, translating deeply felt social concerns into some of the most memorable writing in the American canon. Through Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Luis Rodriguez's Music of the Mill, we will discuss not only the literary merits of these two works, but also the role of art in the process of social change.
"Loos'd of Limits and Imaginary Lines": The Life and Poetry of Walt Whitman Summer 2006
"Loos'd of limits and imaginary lines" - these uncompromising words from Walt Whitman's Song of the Open Road announce his independence and embrace the democratic and expansive spirit of nineteenth century America. The nation's first great poet, Whitman spoke the American idiom and celebrated America's people and geography with inclusive and exuberant spirit. Whitman is essential to understanding the origins of American literature. We will be reading his most important poems and Justin Kaplan's biography. Please read "Song of Myself" and"Song ofthe Open Road" for the first session.
The Mabinogion and Welsh Mythology Fall 2008
Walk the dark world of the Welsh woods as they were nearly a thousand years ago, an unpredictable land of shape shifters and dangerous women. Meet Arthur before Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chretien de Troyes discovered him. We'll hunt an enchanted boar, go for a ride with a horse-goddess, and learn how to make a woman out of flowers. We'll use examples from Irish myth and from Gaulish Celtic archaeology to re-create the original context of these stories and discuss what the pre-Christian Celts in Wales might have believed about their world.
Madness and Women Modernists Summer 2006
We will read three experimental "high modernist" works written by women in the 1920s and 1930s. The anguished stream-of-remembering of Clarissa Dalloway in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, the erotic obsession of Robin Vote in Djuna Barnes' Nightwood, and the desperate dye-my-hair-blonde breakdown of Sasha Jansen in Jean Rhys' Good Morning Midnight, raise the questions: are these writers constructing a fragmented consciousness that better reflects the female experience, or are they writing "madness," or both? Please read the first 70 pages of Mrs. Dalloway for the first session.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time: The Captive and The Fugitive Winter/Spring 2007
This seminar will be devoted to a discussion of Proust's chronicle, in two novels, of the psychologically complex relationship between the narrator and his lover, Albertine. Special attention will be given to the mediations therein on desire, sexuality, music, and the art of introspection. Part of an ongoing discussion of Proust's In Search of Lost Time, new participants are welcome, including those with no previous experience reading the French author.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time: Guermantes Way Winter/Spring 2009
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time (a.k.a. Remembrance of Things Past) is widely acknowledged to be a twentieth-century masterpiece. A monumental work in seven parts, it is at once an inquiry into the meaning of experience; a study of the development of an artist; and a portrait of life within different social segments. This class will be devoted to a discussion of The Guermantes Way, a sensitive and subtle novel about a young man's introduction to the fascinating world of Parisian society.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time: Sodom and Gomorrah Fall 2006
Widely acknowledged as a twentieth century masterpiece, Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time is at once an inquiry into the meaning of experience, a study of the development of an artist, and a portrait of life within a particular segment of society. This class will be devoted to a discussion of Sodom and Gomorrah, a novelistic journey of discovery within the realm of sexuality, including its moral, social, and artistic expressions.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way Winter/Spring 2008
In Search of Lost Time can be seen as an inquiry into the nature of experience; a study of the development of an artist; an exploration of the dynamics of passion; and a portrait of different segments of society. This class will be devoted to a discussion of Swann's Way, the first in the series of novels that comprise Proust's magnum opus. Participants will also have an opportunity to view and discuss Volker Schlöndorff's classic film, Swann in Love.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time: Time Regained Fall 2007
This seminar will be devoted to a discussion of the concluding volume of Proust's magnum opus which is set in Paris during and following the first World War, and which gathers together major themes of the previous novels, including time, self, memory, jealousy, and art. Participants will have an opportunity to view and discuss Raul Ruiz's highly acclaimed film adaptation of the work.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time: Within a Budding Grove Fall 2008
A monumental work in seven parts, In Search of Lost Time is at once an inquiry into the meaning of experience; a study of the development of an artist; and a portrait of life within particular segments of society. This class-part of an ongoing discussion of Proust's magnum opus to which newcomers are cordially welcomed-will be devoted to his sensitive and subtle novel about adolescent love which has also been known as In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower.
Masters of American Drama: O'Neill, Williams, Miller Fall 2006, Winter/Spring 2009
The plays of Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, and Arthur Miller not only defined American theater in the twentieth century, but defined America itself. In this discussion-based seminar we will examine the works of these playwrights to gain insights both cultural and psychological as to what it means to be American. By concentrating on theme and the stagecraft these playwrights employ, their works will be revealed as great works of literature, theater, and social commentary.
The Modernist War Zone Summer 2008
Modernism is often considered one of the most innovative periods of literary production. In this course we will ask to what degree modernism is indebted to the wars and historical violence of the early twentieth century. Our discussions will take us to three kinds of war zones: the colony, the front, and the war metropolis. Writers include T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Christopher Isherwood, Elizabeth Bowen, and Louis MacNeice.
Money and Class in American Drama Winter/Spring 2008
Social class and the pursuit of money have been recurring concerns in American drama. We will explore and discuss these concerns in selected twentieth century plays of Odets, O'Neill, Hellman, Barry, Miller, Williams, Guare, and Mamet - nine plays in all. Please read O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms for the first meeting.
Monstrous Enlightenment: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in Its Revolutionary Context Winter/Spring 2008
Frankenstein is now more familiar to us as a metaphor for the dangers of knowledge than as the revolutionary novel it is. This course will give students the opportunity to read Frankenstein in its historical context in order to discuss the still troubling questions Frankenstein raises: How do human beings become human? What does it mean to be a monster? Alongside the novel, we will read texts by Rousseau and Wordsworth, among others.
"My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun": The Life and Poetry of Emily Dickinson Summer 2007
Dickinson's metaphor of "a loaded gun" suggests a much different understanding of her life and work from the usual stereotypes: demure spinster, droll maiden, eccentric poetess. As one of the first great American poets, Dickinson's writing is essential to defining and under-standing the origins of American literature. We will read about Dickinson's life and controversies surrounding the publication of her poems as a way to inform our understanding of her remarkable poetry. Please read chapters one and two of The Life of Emily Dickinson for the first class.
Protest Plays: Linking Past to Present Summer 2006
Often rooted in historic events, protest plays engage us in contemporary issues such as war and the individual conscience. The Night Thoreau Spent in Jailexamines both war and conscience in the context of the Mexican War. How playwrights combine history, fact, and fiction to produce art will also be discussed as we read Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Heinar Kipphardt's In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Jerome Lawrence's Inherit the Wind.
Proust on Reading (and on Reading Proust) Summer 2008
"Reading," the narrator of In Search of Lost Time observes, "teaches us to take a more exalted view of the value of life, which we didn't know how to appreciate and of whose magnitude we've only become aware through the book." This seminar explores Marcel Proust's insight into the experience of reading books, including his own. No prior familiarity with Proust is required. Following the seminar, participants are invited to gather for a prix fixe lunch in celebration of Proust's one hundred and thirty-seventh birthday at Bistrot Zinc. Seminar materials and a traditional petit dejeuner are included in tuition; lunch is not.
Proust on Sleep Summer 2006
We will explore Marcel Proust's reflections on various phenomena relating to sleep - including going to bed, dreaming, and awakening - through a discussion of selected passages from In Search of Lost Time. Following the seminar participants are invited to a prix-fixe lunch in celebration of Proust's one hundred and thirty-fifth birthday at Bistro Zinc, 1131N. State Street. A materials fee is included in tuition; lunch is not.
Proust on War Summer 2007
"War is something that is lived, like a love or a hatred," the narrator observes toward the end of Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. This program will explore selections from Proust's magnum opus that relate to the art and experience of war, both as a distinctive phenomenon and in relation to ordinary life. Following the seminar, participants are invited to join for a prix fixe lunch in celebration of Proust's one hundred and thirty-sixth birthday at Bistrot Zinc, 1131 N. State Street. All materials and a traditional French petit dejeuner are included in tuition; lunch is not.
Public and Private Identity: Defining the Self in Chicago Winter/Spring 2009
See "Chicago Interest" section
Reading Gravity's Rainbow Fall 2006
Called the greatest work of fiction of the late twentieth century, Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow traces a number of characters through a bizarre labyrinth of unconventional and often hilarious events during the final days of World War II. Pynchon's lyric prose, the dense layering of plots and counterplots, and his compelling use of metaphor have made this book a challenge and a delight for readers. The class will offer a strategy for approaching this monumental work of fiction.
Reading Ivan Turgenev Summer 2008
The purpose of the seminar is to help participants to understand and enjoy a variety of Ivan Turgenev's work: his best novels Fathers and Sons and A Nest of Gentry, novellas First Love and Spring Torrents, short stories, and non-fiction. We will focus on close textual analysis of Turgenev's work, supplemented by biographical, historical, and critical information introduced by the leader at each meeting. Several episodes will be shown from the movies A Nest of Gentry and Torrents of Spring.
Reading Paradise Lost Summer 2006
John Milton's Paradise Lostis one of the most sublime literary achievements ever penned. While remaining true to the creation myths in Genesis, Milton offers an encyclopedic look at the war in heaven that led to Satan's downfall, details the creation of earth and humankind, recounts the major myths in the Christian Old Testament, and creates a universe uniquely "Miltonic." We will explore, through lecture and discussion, this epic poem.
Revival of Memoir: The 50th Anniversary of Elie Wiesel's Night Fall 2006
Recently memoirs selected for Oprah Winfrey's book club have triggered sharp public exchanges about recalling and transmitting memory, memory's selectivity, and its relation to historical truth. We will examine memory, memoirs, stories, and history, and the art of evocative (and occasionally imaginative) journeys into one's personal past by close reading and analysis of Elie Wiesel's Night and other memoirs about the Holocaust.
Robert Musil's The Man Without Qualities (vol. 1) Winter/Spring 2009
For its incisive portrait of an empire in decline, no novel surpasses this landmark of twentieth-century literature, often compared to Ulysses and Remembrance of Things Past. The man of the title is Ulrich, plagued by the disparity between the intellect's precision and the vagaries of experience. Set in Vienna on the brink of World War I, Musil's comic masterpiece is a fiercely intelligent tour of a society whose foundations are giving way. Only volume one will be discussed.
Saga of Centuries: García Márquez' One Hundred Years of Solitude Fall 2007
One Hundred Years of Solitude is a masterwork that many critics have compared to James Joyce's Ulysses and Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Times Past for its monumental scope and influence on contemporary fiction. Celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the book's publication, this seminar will present the novel in the setting of the extraordinary burst of literary creativity in Latin America known as the "Boom," of which it is the centerpiece, and will emphasize its breadth of allusion and universal relevance, as well as its innovative technique of "magic realism."
Shakespeare: Beyond the Books and on the Boards Summer 2006
Shakespeare never "directed" his actors. In the earliest collected edition of his works, published in 1623 as the First Folio, the playwright's editors used spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to convey meanings to actors. Later editors removed these "irregularities," but recently prominent theatre companies have begun to use the First Folio to discover Shakespeare's intentions. Using this Folio technique, we will discuss, analyze, and rehearse scenes from Midsummer Night's Dream and have fun unlocking textual clues. Bring Shakespeare from the page to the stage. No acting experience necessary.
Shakespeare: "Problem Plays," Sonnets, and Romances Winter/Spring 2008
Shakespeare's "problem plays," or "dark comedies" (All's Well That Ends Well, Measure for Measure, and Troilus and Cressida), raise challenging moral issues. The sonnets are among the greatest lyric poems in our language. The dramatic romances (Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest), were among Shakespeare's last plays and are often interpreted as his most profound reflections about his life and art.
Shakespeare's Comedies Fall 2007
Dr. Johnson said that Shakespeare's tragedy "seems to be skill, his comedy to be instinct." Through a unique blend of seriousness and wit Shakespeare displays a profound understanding of lovers and their complex emotions. The comedies are enriched by a gallery of unforgettable characters, including Bottom, Portia, Petruchio and Kate, Beatrice and Benedick, Rosalind, Malvolio, and - on the darker side - Shylock. The seminar will consider in order "The Comedy of Errors," "The Taming of the Shrew," "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," "Love's Labour's Lost," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Merchant of Venice," "The Merry Wives of Windsor," "Much Ado About Nothing," "As You Like It," and "Twelfth Night."
Shakespeare's Hamlet and Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment Fall 2008
In this course, we will explore two of the most tightly wrought, perfect tales ever unfolded: Shakespeare's Hamlet and Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. We will take our time as we move through these demanding texts so as to assure that we are plumbing their depths with the mature thoughtfulness and patience that they both demand and deserve. The payoff for seminar participants will be a rich understanding and appreciation not just of two of the greatest pieces of literature ever written but also of two of the most complexly portrayed characters ever represented: Hamlet and Raskolnikov.
Shakespeare's Histories Winter/Spring 2007, Winter/Spring 2009
Shakespeare's histories deal with fascinating problems: the nature of kingship, violent personal and political conflict, the use and misuse of power. While raising these profound issues, Shakespeare also enriches the plays with a gallery of memorable characters, among them Richard II, Richard III, King Henry IV, Prince Hal, Hotspur, and the unforgettable Sir John Falstaff. After an introductory session, we will read in order the three parts of Henry VI, Richard III, King John, Richard II, Henry IV, Parts I and II, Henry V, and Henry VIII.
Shakespeare's Tragedies Fall 2006
The tragedies of Shakespeare, like those of the Greeks, are among the most sublime achievements of the human spirit. With incomparable artistry they force us to confront ourselves and our relationship with the universe. We will consider, in order, Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, and Timon of Athens.
Theatre of the Absurd Summer 2008
Since critic Martin Esslin coined the term "Theatre of the Absurd" in 1962, it has been used to describe everything from the antics of Monty Python to the double-speak of Eastern Bloc bureaucracies. Starting with the origins of the Absurd in the anti-art performances of the Dadaists, the films of the Marx Brothers, and the philosophy of Albert Camus, this course ultimately focuses on the flowering of absurdity in the works of the great playwrights of the 1950s and '60s, including Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, and Tom Stoppard. Please read Eugene Ionesco's Bald Soprano prior to the first session.
T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets Summer 2008
How do you read a modern poem? Reading the Four Quartets asks us to wrestle with that question. Written at the end of his career and after a religious conversion, Four Quartets (like Eliot's earlier, less reconciled epic, The Waste Land) challenges us to read without the aid of the traditional unities of time, place, and narrator. Eliot's musicality, imagery, and allusions guide us through the poem, as we become adept at reading the modern idiom. We will explore his themes of time, pattern, movement, and reconciliation, referencing the influence of religion (both Eastern and Western) and science on his vision. To prepare for the first class, please begin to read the first quartet, Burnt Norton. Optionally, you may read the essay "The Life of the Poet" in the Cambridge Companion.
Twentieth-Century World Literature Winter/Spring 2009
Inspired by Nadine Gordimer's essay, "The Essential Gesture: Writers and Responsibility," this course explores how twentieth-century writers of varying nationalities and ethnicities, each of whom challenged the political, social, and economic conditions in which they lived, recorded their life and times on the page. We'll read Albert Camus, J.M. Coetzee, Clarice Lispector, and Toni Morrison, among others. Please read Gordimer's "Essential Gesture," available online, before the first class.
Vision and Revision in W.B. Yeats's Poetry Fall 2008
Many prolific writers tend to engage in the act of repetition-or worse, self-parody-once they've attained a certain level of fame and maturity. Not William Butler Yeats, who, even as "the poet of Ireland," was constantly revising his poetry and reinventing himself. In this seminar, we will study selections of Yeats's poetry from the different phases of his life. We'll begin with the early Yeats and end with "Under Ben Bulben," the poet's "obituary" for himself.
W.B. Yeats: Search for Permanence Winter/Spring 2007
The work of the Irish poet, William Butler Yeats - the major and enduring poet of the twentieth century - presents a lifetime search for consolation and permanence in a world of ever-insistent time. This seminar is a reading and interpretation of selected poems tracing the arc of that search, from an early emotional base to a later intellectual one. Please read "A Stolen Child," "Lake Isle of Innisfree," and "Song of the Wandering Aengus" for the first meeting.
William Blake: Poet and Painter Fall 2006
In this interactive seminar we will explore William Blake's illuminated poetry. We'll begin with his simplest poems and progress to his great prophecies, discussing Blake's ideas about nature, culture, erotic spirituality, social responsibility, and God. Participants will spend a session viewing the Newberry's Blake materials.
Women's Voices in American Fiction: Short Novels by Kate Chopin, Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, and Eudora Welty Winter/Spring 2008
We will discuss short novels by four great American women authors: Kate Chopin, Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, and Eudora Welty. At the end of the seminar we should be able to answer the question "What does it mean to be an American woman writer?" with much more sophistication than at the beginning of the seminar. Please read Chapters I-XVI of Kate Chopin's The Awakening for the first class.
Women's Voices in Fiction: Short Novels by Virginia Woolf, Antonia White, Zora Neale Hurston, and Carson McCullers Fall 2008
In this discussion-based seminar we will study short novels by four great twentieth-century women authors: Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse (1927); Antonia White, Frost in May (1933); Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937); Carson McCullers, The Ballad of the Sad Café (1943). A comparison of these works will give us a sense of the different issues occupying British and American women writers during this time period.
World War II Italy: A History Told through the Neorealistic Novel Winter/Spring 2009
This six-week seminar explores the chaos of World War II Italy and the literary movement that sprang from it: Neorealism. This new novel dealt with the politics of the times and portrayed in intimate terms the grim reality of daily Italian life under fascist oppression. We will discuss four significant novels by Giorgio Bassani, Carlo Levi, and Alberto Moravia, and look at their impact at home and abroad.
Writers and Responsibility Winter/Spring 2007, Winter/Spring 2008
Inspired by Nadine Gordimer's essay, "The Essential Gesture: Writers and Responsibility," we'll explore the relationship between responsibility and art by reading the fiction of writers of varying nationalities and ethnicities, the majority of whom lived and worked in the twentieth century, each of whom challenged the political, social and economic conditions in which they lived. We'll unpack the context and craft behind the work of writers including Virginia Woolf, Anton Chekhov and Toni Morrison and, for those interested, we'll also do some writing of our own. Please read Gordimer's "Essential Gesture," available online, before the first class.
Activate Your Writing Ambitions Winter/Spring 2007 - Winter/Spring 2009
Learning to be a writer is about owning the title "writer," making space in your life for creativity, giving yourself permission to activate your creative energy, and harnessing your creative imagination. This one-day workshop, using writing exercises to help participants transition from dreaming to doing, is appropriate for writers in all genres.
Adding Color to the Cheeks of Historical Characters Summer 2007
This workshop is ideal for the writer who wants to add more dimensions to the historical facts of their fiction. Participants will engage in developing character, plot and setting for their historical fiction using photographs, maps, music, and historical research. Learn how to make the characters and settings of the past spring to life on the page.
Antimemoirs: Constructing Life on the Postmodern Page Summer 2006
Forget the fray over James Frey's memoir. Writers have been bending autobiography - sometimes to the breaking point - for almost a century. Learn how to turn your life into a unique literary work, whatever your genre. Unite life and language in a wholly original way like the poet Lyn Hejinian. Start a literary movement like Sylvia Plath. Create a new genre like Truman Capote, or deconstruct an old one like Dave Eggers. Then share your results and your insights in this supportive workshop.
Contemporary Poetry Workshop Fall 2008
This seminar is a traditional poetry workshop supplemented by weekly readings designed to familiarize writers with issues in contemporary poetry, including ultra-talk, the new sincerity, Oulipo, underrepresented populations, the taboo, and book-length projects. This course is for anyone who may be familiar with well-established poets but who is looking for new voices to admire.
The Craft of Poetry: An Introductory Workshop Summer 2007
This workshop will spark your creativity with regular writing experiments and suggested assignments, provide you with constructive feedback on your new poems in a friendly workshop environment, and help you to become a more astute reader of other people's work. Each week we will pay close attention to the techniques of poetry writing - line and stanza breaks, imagery and detail, voice and style, repetition and rhythm - and to how these elements operate in your new poems.
Crazy Shapes: Innovative Forms for a New Century Summer 2007
You don't have to be in the avant-garde to learn from the crazy shapes Postmodern experimentalists have invented (but it doesn't hurt either). This workshop will give you dozens of new ideas for shaping poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and drama. Put the fun back in writing by exploring new ways to do it. You'll learn how to read crazy shapes too - and what to add to your summer reading list. For writers in any genre (and those who want to break free of genre).
The Elements of Creative Writing Winter/Spring 2008, Fall 2008
Suspense and conflict, figures of speech and point of view, rhyme and rhythm, setting and scene, form and structure, diction and dialog, exposition and narration, plot and theme, assonance and consonance. These are just some of the elements of creative writing. This supportive yet challenging workshop will provide weekly assignments to help writers at all levels and every genre master these elements. Lively class discussions of student work will give participants the chance to see the elements of creative writing in action and to get feedback on their own work.
Figuratively Speaking: 500 Ways to Say What You Mean Fall 2007
Did you know that in addition to metaphors and similes, there are 500 other figures of speech at your disposal? This workshop will help you make the most of them, producing work that is richly textured, vivid, and packed with meaning. It is the nature of figures of speech to mean more than you say, after all. You will also learn how writers use figures of speech to break through writer's block, why critics call this the metonymic age, when rhetoric is a good thing, what figures of speech work best with particular genres, and how contemporary writers and theorists view and use these powerful writing strategies.
Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories Summer 2006 - Winter/Spring 2009
This workshop is designed for writers, journal writers, and family historians who want to record their life stories - those significant tales of childhood, transition, adventure, loss, and triumph. We will use creative writing exercises to retrieve and record the important people, places, and events in our lives. We will also discuss how, in telling our stories, we come to better understand the meaning they have for us. Open to all writers, from those who want to keep a more interesting personal journal to those who would like to publish. Participants will have the opportunity to present drafts of their work for group feedback.
Food Writing 101 and Beyond Fall 2007, Summer 2008, Winter/Spring 2009
Could you be a food writer? More than the yum-yum experience, food writing is only beginning to approach its social, artistic and humanistic potential. We will discuss various kinds of food writing plus how to bring your vision, personality and research to your work. Participants may bring their own short review (200 to 500 words) of a Chicago restaurant for discussion (not mandatory).
Forms of Poetry: An Introductory Workshop Winter/Spring 2008
Even before they had paper and pen, ancient poets were drawn to formal structures, and contemporary poets continue to write formal verse. What makes traditional form so compelling? How do contemporary writers borrow from and reinvent forms for their own poetic ends? This workshop provides an introduction to traditional forms of poetry from a variety of traditions, including blank verse, the sonnet, the villanelle, the ballad, the pantoum, and the elegy.
From History to Story: Writing Great Historical Fiction Winter/Spring 2007
In recent years historical fiction has become one of the most popular of literary genres. Yet how exactly does history become story? In this short course, participants will learn how a writer is a little like an archaeologist, bringing the story to light through patience and persistence. Our discussion will include the crucial elements of fiction (particularly characterization, structure, and point-of-view), as well as issues pertaining to research, documentation, drafting, and revision. This seminar is open to all levels.
Getting Away with Murder: A One-Day Seminar on Mystery Writing Winter/Spring 2007, Winter/Spring 2008, Winter/Spring 2009
Designed for anyone who has ever wanted to write a mystery novel or short story, whether novice or experienced writer. We will address common problems in mystery writing such as pacing, building suspense and writing realistic dialogue. We will also review the conventions of mystery writing and finding an agent or publisher.
Getting Published: Understanding Queries, Copyright, and Contracts Winter/Spring 2007, Fall 2008
This seminar will provide participants with an understanding of legal basics for writers, including copyright, fair use, defamation, and privacy rights. We'll move on to getting your writing into the readers' hands by discussing what makes a winning query to editors and agents, or whether self-publishing is right for you. Finally, we'll decipher those often puzzling periodical and book contracts. Participants are encouraged to bring a query or book proposal they are working on to the third class.
Going the Distance: A One-Day Seminar on Writing a Novel Fall 2006, Fall 2007
Designed for anyone who has ever started a novel but been unable to finish, as well as for the aspiring writer intimidated by the entire process. We will address the most common problems encountered in fiction writing, including planning and plotting a book, characterization, creating an effective opening, writing realistic dialogue, avoiding common mistakes, dealing with writer's block, doing research, and finding an agent or publisher.
Got Plot? Strategies for Narrative Structure Winter/Spring 2008
Many writers are good with words. But arranging these skillful sentences and paragraphs into a sustained narrative may be another...story. Stories are among the least "formal" of verbal genres, and their structure is hard to see. We will analyze great stories to see their specific techniques and corresponding effects, and do supervised exercises to build skills in applying these techniques.
How to Write the Personal Essay Winter/Spring 2007, Fall 2006
The personal essay is often the door through which writers enter the writing world. It's short, relatively easy to publish, and, unlike a memoir, it is an excursion into an idea in order to enlighten and entertain. Essentially, it is the writer's take on the world. Many writers first discover their authentic voice in this form. The personal essay is unique: the writer must "get in quick and get out." While a personal essay can be poignant and moving, humor and wit are often used as leavening to broaden its appeal.
Indirection for the Poet Fall 2007
Maybe you're sick of writing about yourself. Or, maybe it's just you're sick of the way you're writing about yourself. This course intends for us to get away from the "me me me" poem and to generate poems of experience that are a little more mysterious, indirect, and challenging. We'll read and write unusual poems, discovering a riskier concept of what a poem can be. Wallace Stevens, Anne Carson and Kay Ryan will be among the poets explored.
The Instant Play Seminar Summer 2008
In just two days, learn the fundamentals of dramatic writing, experience fun, hands-on writing and editing activities and theatre games, and write a complete short play which will be performed by professional actors. A great introduction to theater, a way to jumpstart your creativity, or just a fun way to spend a couple of days. Appropriate for students of all levels of writing experience.
Introduction to Playwriting Summer 2006
The British paper, The Guardian, calls Chicago the "theatre capital of the world." Be part of the action. Write your own plays, explore a new medium, or learn about the inner life of a play. In this hands-on seminar, we will learn about plays by analyzing classics and creating new ones. Participants will write a short play that will be performed by professional actors in the final session.
I Write; Therefore I Am Fall 2007
Join the ranks of essayists and memoirists all over the world. This workshop will introduce you to the marvels of the genre over the centuries as well as teach you the basic skills (and secrets) of memoir and personal essay writing. We all carry stories from our earliest years to the present. It is time to put them down on paper and enjoy the process.
Mapping the Conflict: Crafting a Plot from Start to Finish Winter/Spring 2007
A plot isn't merely a string of occurrences; it is a carefully orchestrated telling of events. Whether you are writing a short story, novel, or memoir, plot problems may have you stuck in the middle of your work. This class, intended for people who have works in progress, aims to end your indecision about what happens next. To the first class and every class following please bring five double-spaced pages of your work to be discussed within the group.
The Mind at Work: Writing the Personal Essay Winter/Spring 2007 - Winter/Spring 2009
The personal essay thrives today because of its versatility of both subject and form. It can be funny, serious, scolding, or meditative. It can take the shape of a memoir or character sketch; book review or opinion piece; travelogue or nature essay. In this writing workshop, people will practice writing the personal essay, then have the opportunity to present drafts of their work for group feedback. For the first class, please read the foreword, introduction, and essay by Marjorie Williams in The Best American Essays 2006.
New Techniques for Keeping a Writer's Journal Summer 2007, Summer 2008
Learn about new types of journal entries and observations that can inspire essays and works of fiction. Writing exercises will give participants an opportunity to practice techniques for extending and deepening their initial ideas and entries and maximizing their potential for finished narrative forms. Please bring a personal photograph to the workshop. It may depict a scene, a person, a group, or whatever engaged your attention.
No More Excuses! A Writing Workshop for On-Going Projects Fall 2006
Participants should already be engaged in writing a long work of historical fiction, autobiography, biography, family history, or creative nonfiction. The class will help you add 50 or more pages of material to your on-gong work. Please bring five double-spaced pages of work in progress to the first class and plan to add five new pages each week thereafter. The class will cheer you on as you move closer to completion, guiding you toward in-depth description, scene-writing, and character development.
Oh the Possibilities: Writing for Children in Today's Publishing World Winter/Spring 2007, Winter/Spring 2008, Winter/Spring 2009
Eager to write that children's book you've always dreamed of writing? Anxious to learn what to do once you actually write it? This workshop introduces newcomers to today's world of children's book publishing - the markets, the genres, the formats and audience niches, as well as recommends a few rules of the road and tried-and-true short cuts to make navigating that world easier. Participants will have the opportunity to share briefly a work-in-progress in order to see its possibilities in today's publishing world. (Note: please bring a bag lunch as class will meet during the lunch hour).
Picture This: Writing Picture Books for Children Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Fall 2008
This workshop focuses on how to create and write a successful children's picture book, so that it touches, delights and informs today's young readers. Participants' manuscripts will be shared and discussed to highlight the variety of available picture books, the craft, the writing process, and today's children's book publishing world. Writers of all levels will be offered a supportive, challenging, and encouraging environment.
Poetry Workshop Fall 2006
The chief goals of this workshop are to help participants write imaginatively and precisely, sharpen their skills as poets and enrich their experience of poetry. Participants' poems, some of which will be written on assignment, will be discussed closely by classmates and the instructor in a supportive atmosphere against a background of contemporary poetic practice.
The Point of Point of View Fall 2006
Writers make a primary choice with point of view, driving the narrative and precluding other choices. It seems simple, but successful execution may be challenging. We'll develop awareness of the relationship of point-of-view to psychic distance, character, style, theme, and plot, and, most importantly, structure. We'll also explore and experience techniques for effectively managing point of view through reading, writing, and feedback.
See the World; Write the Story Fall 2006, Fall 2007
This workshop is ideal for travelers and writers. Whether you plan to publish your articles or simply improve the descriptive power of your letters and postcards, whether you travel to the other side of the globe or simply to another neighborhood in your city, this workshop will teach you the basic skills (and secrets) of successful travel writing.
Setting As Muse and Metaphor: A Writing Workshop on Time, Place, and Identity Winter/Spring 2009
This workshop will help writers in any genre handle setting effectively. Through assignments and discussions of your work, you will learn practical techniques for creating vivid settings, including observation; research; and the description of scenes, events, and objects. We will explore theories of time and place that will enhance your metaphoric and formal range. And we will examine the connection between setting and self to discover how time and place affect character development, create identity, and influence plots, dialog, and imagery.
Shape Up Fall 2006
If your writing seems out of shape, flabby, unfocused, or unorganized, this seminar will help. You will learn to use shaping tools such as genre and formal conventions, plotting, and organizational patterns and you will be encouraged to invent new ones. By sharing your writing, you will discover what shaping strategies elicit the reactions you are looking for. Shaping strategies range from the traditional (like Aristotle's plot pyramid) to the organic (like free verse) to the experimental (like Postmodern randomness).
Short-Shorts: A Writing Workshop Fall 2008
In our fast-paced modern world most people have little time to read and even less to write. Short-shorts (or flash fiction), a short form of storytelling, come to their rescue. Although short-shorts have been around for a long time, this genre is enjoying a renaissance in the publishing world. In this workshop we will read published examples of short-shorts as well as write our own and offer critiques of students' works.
Showing and Telling: The Effective Use of Scene and Detail Fall 2007
The foundation of any narrative form, such as fiction and memoir, is the scene. It "shows" characters in action and moves the plot forward. The impact of any scene depends on its relevant details. Through a series of writing exercises, participants will become familiar with the main functions and best openings of scenes. We will also examine how and when to use dialogue and description. Everyone will have a chance to read work aloud and gain helpful feedback. Writers of all levels are welcome.
Six Secrets of Writing Short Stories Summer 2006, Winter/Spring 2007, Winter/Spring 2008
This workshop includes specific writing exercises to create and structure a short story. Combining autobiographical and fictional elements, each participant will create a main character whose goal is to escape or change his or her current situation. But, stymied by inner and/or outer conflicts, the character must make choices. These choices have consequences that ultimately erupt in a climax - leading to a surprising though inevitable conclusion. We will also examine the uses of dialogue, the five senses, and "point of view" to create the greatest emotional impact.
Transforming Autobiography into Fiction Summer 2006, Winter/Spring 2009
Memoir and fiction writers draw on the same sources for inspiration: experience, observation, and point of view. They use their skills to express private visions in a universal art form. Through a series of writing exercises, participants will re-renter their experiences, re-examine their points of view, and use fiction techniques to expand their discoveries into finished work. Everyone will have achance to read work aloud and gain helpful feedback. Writers of all levels are welcome.
Twenty Lines a Day: Writing Strategies That Work Winter/Spring 2007
This workshop offers proven strategies like Stendhal's "Twenty lines a day, genius or not" to get you started, keep you going, and even help you publish. The instructor will draw on her own literary relationships to provide knowledge and suggestions you won't find anywhere else. Assignments will inspire you, and discussion of your work will sharpen you revision skills. At the end of the course, you will send out a piece for publication. Suitable for writers of any genre or level.
The Write Place: A Facilitated Children's Book Writers Group Summer 2006, Summer 2007, Summer 2008
Writers will have the opportunity to share their stories in a supportive, focused and enlightening environment. Facilitated discussions of participants' manuscripts will highlight the writing process, story components, elements of narrative, craft, revision and a story's marketability within today's children's book publishing world. Writers of all levels will be offered a variety of writing exercises, suggested readings, and current marketing information.
Writing as a Reader: Learning from the Best Fall 2007
What writer could resist a class with her or his favorite authors, living or dead? Imitation is an important tradition in all forms of art. Prior works can serve as inspiration, models, and jumping off places for new work. By engaging with published works we can participate in a cultural dialogue, improve our craft, and develop our unique perspective. Each class will include a discussion of the reading(s) and a writing exercise based on the readings. Participants are encouraged to bring in other examples related to the topics and authors we study.
Writing Family Stories Winter/Spring 2008
This workshop is offered for people who want to write family stories - those real-life accounts of the important people, places, and events in their and their family's life. These stories can be recorded as letters, diary entries, short remembrances, character sketches, even eulogies. We'll practice writing in each of these forms, then share our efforts with each other. Everyone will leave the workshop with a handful of good stories to pass along to family members.
Writing Poetry: A New Way of Seeing Summer 2008
In this poetry writing workshop, we will explore new ways of seeing and writing about what we see. Each week, we will discuss a specific concept or idea, and write new poems based on writing exercises. In a supportive, encouraging atmosphere, we will discuss and share our work. The exercises will include "The Visual and the Poetic," "Collaboration," and "Mapping Our Way," where we will write about historic maps from the Newberry Library's collection.