Newberry Library Seminars Program

Your source of adult education in the humanities for the past 30 years.

Fall 2010 Seminars

Welcome to the Fall 2010 term of the Newberry Library Seminars Program! We are proud to offer a wide variety of informal, non-credit courses designed for adults with busy schedules and inquiring minds, all under the roof of one of the nation's most renowned humanities research libraries.

We’re certain there’s a class for you: writing workshops for both beginning and advanced writers, a seminar to help genealogists collect interviews and research family history, a variety of topics in philosophy and history, and a good selection of literature courses that span continents and centuries: Molière to Julio Cortázar, or Shakespeare to Mikhail Bulgakov. Explore the humanities in a Newberry Library seminar this fall.

Registration opens August 10th; classes begin September 21st.

Seminars Open House, Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Stop by the Newberry Library between 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm to register for a seminar, buy books for class, learn about tuition discounts through Library membership, mingle with instructors, and discover more about this lifelong learning program that offers some of the best classes in the city.

Please click on the subject links below, or simply scroll down to view all the seminars offered this term.

Chicago Interest
Arts and Language
Philosophy
History and Genealogy
Literature and Theater
Writing Workshops

Chicago Interest

# Domestic Architecture in Chicago, 1910-f2010f
Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 21 – November 23
10 sessions, $210
Register Now

Using metropolitan Chicago's domestic architecture—its bungalows, suburban developments, high- and low-rise apartments, and public housing—we will examine connections between the built environment and the city's larger social and cultural history. We will compare perspectives of architects, real estate developers, mail-order retailers, historic preservationists, community activists, politicians, and residents on the tensions between economic, social, moral, and aesthetic imperatives; the role of architecture in the creation of Chicago's public image; the connections between local styles and international movements; and the impact of the historic preservation and sustainable architecture.

Diane Dillon is Assistant Director of Research and Education at the Newberry Library. She holds a Ph.D. in the history of art from Yale University.

The Other Mayors: Chicago Beyond the Daleys
Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 21 – November 9 (class will not meet October 5)
7 sessions, $180
Register Now

Although the Daley name has become synonymous with Chicago—father and son have reigned over the metropolis for nearly 42 of the last 55 years—the city has a much broader political tradition. We will discuss some of its other mayors, including Ogden, Medill, Harrison II, Dunne, Thompson, Cermak, Byrne, and Washington, with an eye toward what they reveal about Chicago’s colorful past. Please read as much of Jack Harpster’s The Railroad Tycoon Who Built Chicago as interests you by the first session.

Heath Carter is a Ph.D. candidate in United States histofry at the University of Notre Dame.

The City of Big Shoulders on Its Knees: A Religious History of Chicago
Thursdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 23 – November 11
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Despite its reputation as a city of industry, Chicago has a rich religious history. Beginning with the 1893 World’s Parliament of the Religions, we will explore Chicago’s Catholic heritage, Jewish immigrant communities, Social Gospel settlement houses, fundamentalist revival campaigns, African American storefront churches, and the more recent emergence of Chicago’s Hispanic Catholic and Muslim communities. We will use first-hand accounts to examine the religious sources of Chicago’s successes and conflicts.

Christopher D. Cantwell is a Ph.D. candidate in history at Cornell University.

Chicago: History on the Ground
Saturdays, 1 – 3 pm
September 25 – November 6 (class will not meet October 2)
6 sessions, $165
Register Now

In this fieldtrip-based course, we will explore, literally, significant public sites, from the mid-nineteenth-century Bughouse Square across from the Newberry to twenty-first-century Millennium Park. We will study these urban spaces in relation to their architecture and their functions as social spaces, using local author Sally A. Kitt Chappell’s Chicago’s Urban Nature as our text and tour book. Class will meet at the Newberry for the first session and at various historically significant locations for the other five sessions.

Barbara Geiger, a landscape historian, is Adjunct Professor in the College of Architecture at IIT and teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Botanic Garden.

# Chicago Nonfiction, Classic and Contemporary
Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
October 5 – November 16
7 sessions, $180
Register Now

Chicago is one of the most-written about cities in the world. One emerging literary genre—creative nonfiction, which draws its style from poetry, fiction, essay, and reportage but cannot be categorized by any one of them—is especially pertinent to Chicago-themed works. We will read and discuss the evolving features of this genre, from Nelson Algren and Saul Bellow to contemporary writers Eula Biss and Martin Preib. We will delve into how these writers create a sense of place, and how that place, their particular Chicago, works.

Bill Savage holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, where he is a Senior Lecturer in the English Department. He has led seminars at the Newberry since 1992.

Return to Subject List
Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered on a weekday morning or afternoon
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification

Arts and Language

* Stories, Scenes and Ideas in Sound: How the Extra-Musical Speaks
Tuesdays, 2 – 4 pm
September 21 – November 9
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Instrumental program music assumed many forms in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, such as symphonies, overtures, tone poems, and ballets. Major works from this era enriched the tone palette of the orchestra with new instruments and special effects, and revolutionized the harmonic and rhythmic foundations of music in America and Europe. This seminar’s repertoire will include major works by composers who expressed literary, visual, and conceptual ideas in the realm of sound, including Berlioz, Liszt, Strauss, Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, Debussy, Ives, Copland, and Bernstein.

Stephanie Ettelson has offered pre-concert lectures and classes in classical music for more than four decades. She was an orchestral and chamber music violinist, and is a former music critic and arts writer.

# Sacred Art in World Religions
Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 23 – December 2 (class will not meet November 25)
10 sessions, $210
Register Now

We will consider the role of art in five of the world’s major religions—Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—thereby providing an introduction to comparative religious studies through the lens of images. What is the role of images in religion? Why have some religions been vehemently opposed to images, while others have embraced them as an indispensable part of worship? We will read important primary sources and will view representative images for each religious tradition.

Ryan Preston holds a Ph.D. in the study of religion from Harvard University. He has taught for three study-abroad programs and currently teaches at Columbia College and Oakton Community College.

The French Connection: A Relaxed Approach to Le Français
Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 23 – November 18
9 sessions, $200
Register Now

Would you like to try a laid-back and enjoyable way to start studying French or to improve your French pronunciation? This course, intended for students at any level of proficiency, uses an accepting classroom atmosphere and the vocabulary of fine food and wine to help you decode the French spelling system and pronounce French more easily and accurately.

Susan Pezzino, a confirmed Francophile and former United States Fulbright Scholar, holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics and works as a professional language teacher and multimedia curriculum designer in Chicago.

Sketch Your Heart Out
Saturdays, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
October 16 - November 6 (NEW DATES! These dates are updated from information in the printed catalog.)
4 sessions, $160
Register Now

Learn how to sketch with confidence. The blank paper is a magic surface upon which you can express what you see. Sketching from life, we will explore principles of drawing, including shading, shapes and space, composition, light to dark relationships, and perspective. A recommended supply list will be provided upon registration. You already have some materials at home. Artists of all drawing levels are welcome.

Cynthia M. Kukla is Professor of Art at Illinois State University and a member of the U.S.A. Watercolor Honor Society.

Radio Dramas: Night and Day
Saturdays, 1 – 3 pm
September 25 – November 13
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Dramas from radio’s golden age ran the gamut from sudsy women’s serials in the daytime to blockbuster episodes of Lux Radio Theatre at night. We will explore dramas from the beginning to the end of the era’s broadcast day, including soaps, cops and robbers, suspense, horror, westerns, and theatrical productions from Hollywood.

Gwen Ihnat, a former editor at the Chicago History Museum, holds an M.A. from Northwestern University and has taught several Newberry seminars on old-time radio.

From the Galliard to the Grind: Social Dancing as Social History
Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 29 – November 17
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

What makes a dance scandalous or socially acceptable? Drawing on the library’s collection of dance manuals and anti-dance writings, we will examine the role of social dancing in western society from the Renaissance to the present. We will investigate how the initial reception and development of dances like the waltz and Lindy hop reveal assumptions about sexuality, class, race, and youth culture, and we will explore why critics have found dancing threatening—and irrepressible.

Emily Winerock is a dance historian and Ph.D. candidate in history at the University of Toronto.

# * The Musical on Stage and Screen, 1940-1959
Thursdays, 2 – 4 pm
September 30 – November 18
8 sessions, $190
Online registration for this class is closed; to register, please call (312) 255-3700.

The bubbly, extravaganza musical revue of the 1930s was challenged by a new style of stage production in the 1940s. Songs were integrated into story lines that reflected social and literary themes and ballet sequences often replaced chorus girl production numbers. Meanwhile, movie musicals tended to remain in the earlier inter-war style, a trend that created vivid contrasts between stage and screen. On both stage and screen, new composers joined the established writers. We will study this musical genre through visual and audio excerpts.

Guy A. Marco holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, has written ten music reference books, and has taught at eleven universities. He has offered Newberry seminars since 1996.

Romantic Music of the Nineteenth Century: The Beautiful and the “Strange”
Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 29 – November 17
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Today’s audiences are devouring the Romantic sounds of the nineteenth century— the music of Strauss, Mahler, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Chopin—and turning away from the ultra-modernism of the twentieth century. We will explore reasons for this shift by examining the richness of nineteenth-century Romantic music and its provocative mixture of beauty and strangeness. Is this return to Romanticism inspiring a new vigor and relevance for classical music in the twenty-first century?

Stephen Kleiman is a composer, conductor, teacher, and lecturer.

See also "Americans in Paris " in the History and Genealogy section.

Return to Subject List
Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered on a weekday morning or afternoon
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification

Philosophy

Two Roads Diverged: The Origins of Conservatism and Liberalism in the Modern U.S.
Wednesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 22 – November 10
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

The labels “liberal” and “conservative” are shorthand for the two dominant philosophies in American politics. But what do these labels mean? Have their meanings remained consistent over time? Is there anything peculiarly American about how we understand them? We will address these questions and more as we enter the 2010 election season, with the aim of finding a richer historical understanding of our own viewpoints and achieving a better appreciation of other perspectives.

Theo Anderson holds a Ph.D. in modern U.S. history from Yale University and specializes in intellectual and religious history.

Moral Freedom and Knowledge in the Western Religious Tradition
Saturdays, 10 am – Noon
September 25 – October 23
5 sessions, $150
Register Now

The relationship between moral knowledge and human ability to act accordingly has been contested throughout the history of Western religion. Through engagement with five important thinkers—Augustine, Pico, Luther, Montaigne, and Milton—we will explore the historical development and contemporary significance of religious conceptions of moral bondage and freedom.

Vincent Evener is a Ph.D. candidate in the history of Christian thought at the University of Chicago.

Idealism in the American Grain: George Santayana and Josiah Royce
Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 29 – November 17
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Contemporaries of William James and John Dewey, George Santayana and Josiah Royce developed distinctive idealistic alternatives to the dominant pragmatism of their era. Santayana suggestively combined metaphysical idealism with atheistic naturalism and aesthetic values; Royce argued forcefully for a more traditional absolute idealism, one relevant to the modern context. We will discuss significant excerpts from their major works, focusing upon their contrasting accounts of religious belief, ethics and morality, and authentic human community.

Eugene Newman holds masters degrees in philosophy and literature. He has led Newberry Seminars since 2001.

Return to Subject List
Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered on a weekday morning or afternoon
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification

History and Genealogy

Medieval Britain through Historical Fiction, 1066-1307
Tuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 21 – December 7 (class will not meet October 26 and November 23; the week of October 19 class will meet on October 21)
10 sessions, $210
Register Now

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 this period. With the readings as background, class meetings will discuss issues such as church-state relations, food and drink, medicine, land tenure and military service, law and commerce, and the role of women in society.

Matthew Bird, a law librarian and independent scholar, holds a B.A. in history from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in international politics from the University of Wales.

Britain and France in the Atlantic World, 1600-1800
Tuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 21 – October 26
6 sessions, $165
Register Now

From the seventeenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth, Britain and France competed for mastery in the Atlantic world, an area that encompassed Western Europe, the eastern seaboard of North America and the Caribbean, and West Africa. By examining how people, goods, and ideas moved around the Atlantic world, we will compare British and French imperial policy, from the expansion of the fur trade to the American and Haitian revolutions. We will also discuss cultural contact, slavery, information networks, environmental history, and European politics.

Heather Welland is a Ph.D. candidate in history at the University of Chicago.

Everyday America, 1600-1865
Wednesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 22 – November 10 (class will not meet October 6)
7 sessions, $180
Register Now

This seminar will explore the contours of everyday life in early America. We will witness major events—the American Revolution and the Civil War—and will observe cultural transformations of the family, the frontier, and the workplace. Instead of seeing through the eyes of presidents and generals, we will re-read this history as experienced and shaped by Chesapeake mothers, Algonquin warriors, Massachusetts farmers, Virginian slaves, and disgruntled artisans. Please read chapters 8 and 11 of Edmund Morgan's American Slavery, American Freedom for the first session.

Heath Carter is a Ph.D. candidate in United States history at the University of Notre Dame.

Political Economy: Adam Smith and His Contemporaries
Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 22 – October 27
6 sessions, $165
Register Now

How is it that Adam Smith, a moral philosopher, wrote what many consider to be the seminal book on modern capitalism? We will read and discuss selections on political economy by Smith, alongside texts by David Hume and Jean Jacques Rousseau, to learn how Smith fashioned the intellectual and moral foundation for modern economics in his famous Wealth of Nations.

Joseph Harrington holds an M.A. in modern European history from the University of Connecticut. This is his fourth Newberry seminar.

# Free State to Celtic Tiger: Ireland 1922-2010
Saturdays, 10 am – Noon
September 25 – December 4 (class will not meet November 27)
10 sessions, $210
Register Now

During the twentieth century, Ireland experienced a stunning transformation from a socially conservative, church-dominated, and largely rural society to a modern, increasingly secular, and urban society that has attracted investment and immigrants. We will explore such topics as the establishment of the Free State; the political legacy of the Civil War; the insular, traditional society of de Valera; the dominance and decline of the Catholic church; the Northern “troubles;” and the economic boom and collapse of recent years.

Frank A. Biletz holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago, with a primary specialization in British and Irish history. He is currently Lecturer in History at Loyola University Chicago.

Americans in Paris
Saturdays, 10 am – Noon
September 25 – November 13
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

For decades, American artists considered Paris the capital of high culture. They arrived in the city wide-eyed, eager to learn from the masters at the Louvre, visit the legendary sights, and experience the “French Art of Living.” In this seminar, we will explore the artistic work of American expatriate painters, artists, photographers, and writers in Paris from the mid-nineteenth century to the 1960s.

Juelle Daley, an Assistant Director at DePaul University, is a French-trained urban designer and planner, experienced in the field of European architectural and urban history.

Compelling Stories, Verifiable Facts: Getting the Best of Both Worlds
Saturday, 1 – 4 pm
October 9
One session, $65
Register Now

Quotable quotes and colorful tales enliven any online or print writing. How do you get page-turning anecdotes and the facts to back them up? Daniel P. Smith, a journalist, and Grace Dumelle, a genealogist, share their respective expertise in this seminar, designed to enlighten and motivate interviewers and fact-finders of all stripes, including genealogists and non-fiction writers. Learn how to think like Studs, how to water a desert of dry facts, and much more.

Grace Dumelle is the author of Finding Your Chicago Ancestors and is a principal of an historical research firm. Daniel P. Smith is author of On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department.

Return to Subject List
Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered on a weekday morning or afternoon
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification

Literature and Theater

# Shakespeare’s Tragedies
Tuesdays, 5:45 pm – 7:45 pm
September 21 – November 16
9 sessions, $200
Register Now

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 relationships to 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.

David Zesmer is Emeritus Professor of English at Illinois Institute of Technology.

There Are Second Acts in American Drama
Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 21 – November 9
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

We will focus on works by well-known American playwrights that most traditional survey classes about American drama do not cover. In this lecture- and discussion-based seminar, we will read Hughie, Golden Boy, Our Town, The Little Foxes, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Crucible, among others. Concentrating on themes, structure, and social impact, we will consider why these plays might be considered masterpieces and how they exemplify what makes American theater so powerful. Please read Hughie for the first session.

Todd Bauer holds an M.A. in liberal studies from Northwestern University. He is a playwright and director, whose work has been staged in Chicago and New York.

Marcel Proust’s Time Regained
Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 22 – December 1 (class will not meet November 24)
10 sessions, $210
Register Now

We will read and discuss 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. We will also view and discuss Raul Ruiz’s highly acclaimed film adaptation of the work, Le Temps retrouvé (1999).

Joel Rich leads an ongoing series on Proust at the Newberry; he created and maintains the website, www.proustian.com.

Literature and Humor in Buenos Aires: Borges, Bioy, Cortázar, and Macedonio
Wednesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 22 – December 1 (class will not meet November 24)
10 sessions, $210
Register Now

How can humor function as a tool for literary experimentation? How can humor survive translation? Julio Cortázar’s Historias de Cronopios y Famas—a delirious collection of literary fragments and fantasies that play with paradox and contradiction—will be our primary text as we study literary humor in Buenos Aires. Selected writings of Jorge Luis Borges, Adolfo Bioy Casares, and Macedonio Fernández will demonstrate different approaches to the creation and reception of humor. All texts and discussions will be in English.

Max Ubelaker Andrade holds a Ph.D. in Spanish and Latin American literature from Boston University.

# Banned Books: Literature and Censorship
Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 23 – November 18
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Chicago is a resonant city in which to think about censorship. In 1909 a censorship code sprang up in Chicago, and by the 1910s the city birthed the country’s first censorship agency. On the other hand, Chicago’s Bughouse Square (the park in front of the Newberry) was for half a century one of the most celebrated outdoor free-speech centers in the United States. We can learn much about a culture by studying the literature that it blacklists, bans, and censors. We will read work by Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad, Chinua Achebe, Vladimir Nabokov, Nawal El Sadaawi, among others.

Matt Laufer holds a Ph.D. in English from Columbia University. He teaches literature at Francis Parker and has published articles on Nabokov, Melville, and Woolf.

Amerika, The Trial, and The Castle: Three Great Unfinished Novels by Franz Kafka
Thursdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
September 23 – December 9 (class will not meet September 30 and November 25)
10 sessions, $210
Register Now

Kafka’s name has become synonymous with the enormities of twentieth-century western civilization. Through a close reading of his novels, a “trilogy of human solitude,” we will delve into early twentieth-century European history and politics; place the works within a framework of modernist literary experimentation; and conclude by examining the reemergence of Kafka during the Cold War and his embrace by popular culture.

Dagmar Herrmann, an award-winning translator and independent scholar, has studied and lived in Prague.

Manuscripts Don’t Burn: Reading Mikhail Bulgakov
Saturdays, 10 am – Noon
September 25 – December 4 (class will not meet November 27)
10 sessions, $210

Although less known than Boris Pasternak and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, playwright and novelist Mikhail Bulgakov ranks with them as a giant of twentieth-century Russian literature. Bulgakov wrote his masterpiece, The Master and Margarita, in great secrecy in Moscow in the 1930s and it was not published until after his death, in 1967. We will focus on a close reading his work, supplemented with biographical, cultural, and historical context, and clips from Russian films. Please read Bulgakov’s The Fatal Eggs for the first session.

Julia Kriventsova Denne studied literature at St. Petersburg University, Russia, and leads several groups on Russian literature in the Chicago area.

# * Molière: Master of French Comedy
Tuesdays, 2 – 4 pm
September 28 – November 16
8 sessions, $190f
Register Now

Known for sharp social commentary on such topics as love, sex, gender, class, religion, and medicine, Molière’s plays have endured for over 300 years. We will read several comedies in English translation, including Tartuffe and The Misanthrope. Please read the first two chapters of Virginia Scott’s biography of Molière for the first session.

Daniel Smith holds a Ph.D. in theatre studies from Northwestern University. He is an Artistic Associate with Caffeine Theatre.

Charles Dickens: Dombey and Son and A Christmas Carol
Tuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 28 – November 16
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

In the mid-1840s, Charles Dickens produced two literary works that changed his approach to writing: a novel and a timeless holiday tale that propelled his popularity for generations. Through lectures and discussion, we will focus on a close reading of Dombey and Son and Dickens’s Christmas stories, including The Cricket on the Hearth, The Chimes, and, of course, A Christmas Carol. Part of an ongoing seminar series devoted to Dickens, newcomers are always cordially welcome. Please read chapters 1 through 13 of Dombey and Son for the first session.

An educator for over twenty years, Tim Strzechowski holds an M.A. in English literature and leads seminars on Paradise Lost, the literature of Hell, and the novels of Charles Dickens.

How to Read Like a Victorian: Outsiders Among Us
Wednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 29 – November 10
7 sessions, $180
Register Now

In 1847, readers were introduced to three compelling outsiders: Emily Brontë’s Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights, the governess of Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey, and the female scholar of Alfred Tennyson’s The Princess. We will explore how those on the fringe are romanticized, demonized, and utilized to uphold and/or question the status quo. We will also examine how Victorians responded to nontraditional views expressed by authors and characters. Please bring your calendars to the first class so we can choose a date to see Lifeline Theatre’s new adaptation of Wuthering Heights as a group.

Jennifer Sampson holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago and likes to imagine herself as an interloper in 1847.

Reading Paradise Lost
Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 30 – November 11
7 sessions, $180
Register Now

John Milton’s Paradise Lost is 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 of the Christian Old Testament, and creates a universe uniquely “Miltonic.” We will explore, through lecture and discussion, this extraordinary epic poem.

An educator for over twenty years, Tim Strzechowski holds an M.A. in English literature and leads seminars on Paradise Lost, the literature of Hell, and the novels of Charles Dickens.

Like a Snow Hill in the Air: Reading Moby-Dick
Saturdays, 10 am – Noon
October 2 – November 13
7 sessions, $180
Register Now

Melville’s masterpiece is one of the enduring classics of American literature. It is an encyclopedic work that uses nineteenth-century whaling as a lens to focus on the larger issues of existence and the nature of meaning. We will explore different approaches to interpreting Moby-Dick, drawing upon the Newberry’s extensive Melville collection. Whether you have read the book many times or you are discovering Melville for the first time, this course offers insights into this extraordinary landmark of nineteenth-century American fiction.

Gary Millman is an independent scholar who has taught Newberry seminars on Herman Melville, Vladamir Nabokov, and Thomas Pynchon.

* “My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun”: The Life and Poetry of Emily Dickinson
Thursdays, 2 – 4 pm
October 7 – October 28
4 sessions, $125
Register Now

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, and eccentric poetess. As one of the first great American poets, Dickinson’s writing is essential to defining and understanding the origins of American literature. We will read about Dickinson’s life and the controversies surrounding the publication of her poems as a way to inform our understanding of her remarkable poetry. Please bring Johnson’s text of Dickinson’s poems to the first session.

Joyce Goldenstern writes fiction, has taught in the English department at Loyola University Chicago, and has taught seminars at the Newberry Library since 1998.

How Language Works: Joan Didion Writes the American Century
Thursdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
October 7 – November 18
7 sessions, $180
Register Now

We will explore the varied work of Joan Didion, whose body of nonfiction chronicles the past American century in singular style and with certain lasting influence. Didion's work never lapses on its insistence that language is the shaping force of experience; we will look through this lens to consider Didion’s shifting politics and endless search for meaning within the
frenetics of our lives. We will also weigh in with some of her critics and commentators.

Erica Lipper holds an M.A. in English literature from Georgetown University and works as a teacher and writer in the Chicago area.

Night and The Color of Water: Two Compelling Memoirs
Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
November 2 – December 7
6 sessions, $165
Register Now

Elie Weisel and James McBride write about difficult or dark subjects, yet have created well-crafted, deeply compelling human stories. In Night, Weisel recounts the loss of his home, family, innocence, and faith during the Holocaust. McBride, in The Color of Water, recalls his childhood in a mixed race family and includes his mother’s depiction of her remarkable life: flight from Orthodox Judaism; marriage to an African American minister; establishment of a church; and raising twelve multi-racial children. We will explore the books’ common themes, values, and legacies.

Linda Levine holds an M.A. in English education from Northwestern University and has taught English and the humanities for many years.

Return to Subject List
Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered on a weekday morning or afternoon
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification

Writing Workshops

Writing Poetry: A New Way of Seeing
Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 30 – November 18
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

In this poetry-writing workshop, we will explore new ways of writing about what we see. We will discuss a specific concept or idea each week, and write new poems based on writing exercises. In a supportive, encouraging atmosphere, we will share and discuss our work. The exercises will include “The Visual and the Poetic,” “Collaboration,” and “Mapping Our Way.”

Kate Ingold is a 2009 Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Finalist Award winner, a 2007 Poetry Society of America National Chapbook Fellow, and a visual artist.

The Mind at Work: Writing the Personal Essay
Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 23 – October 28
6 sessions, $165
Register Now

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 commentary, blog post or travel essay. We will practice writing the personal essay and will present drafts of our work for helpful feedback. We will also research and discuss markets for our finished pieces.

Carol LaChapelle is a writer and writing coach. She offers private instruction in memoir and personal essay writing and is the author of Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories.

Food Writing: A Culinary Odyssey
Saturdays, 10 am – Noon
September 25 – October 16
4 sessions, $170 (includes a $30 restaurant fee and $15 materials fee)
Register Now

Spice up your personal voice by joining this food-writing odyssey designed to deepen and season your writing craft. We will visit a local restaurant, an excursion that will develop your powers of criticism. Fortify your confidence in making judgments and enhance your literary style while expanding your understanding of your own perspective. For one session, we will meet at a local restaurant from approximately 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Ethel Hammer is a nationally-published food writer who specializes in celebrity chef interviews and social commentary.

Fiction Writing Intensive
Saturdays, 12:30 – 4:30 pm
September 25 – October 2
2 sessions, $120
Register Now

This writing-intensive seminar is designed to provide participants the opportunity to overhaul a whole piece of short fiction or an excerpt from a larger work. We will engage in a series of exercises designed to give depth to characterization, plot development, setting, and language. Participants will also learn and use the skills of peer editing. Please prepare an excerpt from a work-in-progress to submit to the instructor prior to the first session.

Zelda Lockhart is author of the novels Fifth Born and Cold Running Creek. She is currently teaching and is conducting research for her third novel, The Hundredth Turtle.

# The Elements of Creative Writing
Saturdays, 1 – 3 pm
September 25 – November 13
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Suspense and conflict, figures of speech and point of view, rhyme and rhythm, setting and scene, form and structure, diction and dialogue, exposition and narration, plot and theme, assonance and consonance, induction and deduction, line breaks and stanzas 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. Participants will see elements of creative writing in action and will gain feedback on their work through lively class discussions.

Brooke Bergan has taught creative writing for nearly twenty years and has published critically acclaimed poetry, fiction, essays, translations, and a play.

# The Postmodern Fairy Tale: Rewriting Childhood Stories
Saturdays, 1 – 3 pm
September 25 – November 13
8 sessions, $190
Register Now

Fairy tales and cultural myths often demonstrate implicit cultural values. In this writing-intensive course, we will learn techniques to rewrite fairy tales and childhood stories using contemporary contexts and new characterization. In particular, we will read and examine works by feminist writers Angela Carter and Aimee Bender. By the end of the class, participants will produce a complete draft of a short story.

Heather Momyer holds an M.F.A. in fiction and a Ph.D. in literature. She teaches at Columbia College Chicago and reads fiction for the literary journal, Hotel Amerika.

Picture This: Writing Picture Books for Children
Tuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm
September 28 – November 2
6 sessions, $165
Register Now

This workshop focuses on how to write a successful children’s picture book that touches, delights, and informs today’s young readers. We will consider the variety of picture books available today, the craft involved, the writing process, and today’s children’s book publishing world. Participants will share and discuss their manuscripts in class. Within a supportive environment, writers of all levels will be challenged to improve their writing.

Esther Hershenhorn authors award-winning picture books and middle grade fiction, coaches children's book writers, and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Going the Distance: A One-Day Seminar on Writing and Selling a Novel
Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm
October 2
One session, $95
Register Now

This workshop is for anyone, whether novice or experienced writer, who has ever attempted to write a novel but has been unable to finish, or for the writer who wants to fine-tune and market a manuscript. We will address writer’s block, plotting problems, characterization, and creating effective dialogue. The class will focus on the expectations of editors, and will discuss marketing the finished novel and finding an agent.

Michael Raleigh is the author of seven novels, including In the Castle of the Flynns and The Blue Moon Circus. A retired teacher of English and history at Truman College, he now teaches writing at DePaul University.

Seeing is Believing: The Effective Use of Scene and Setting to Show and Tell
Saturday, 12:30 – 4:30 pm
October 16
One session, $80
Register Now

The foundation of any narrative form is scene and setting. They show characters in action, move the plot forward, affect mood and atmosphere, and can be a metaphor for a story’s meaning. Through a series of writing exercises, participants will become familiar with the main functions of scenes and setting, and some of the best ways to open scenes. We will also examine how to use dialogue and narrative scenes. Participants will have a chance to read their work aloud and will gain helpful feedback. Writers of all levels are welcome.

Enid Powell has led numerous writing workshops over the past twenty years and has published fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, and poetry. She holds an M.A. in English with a creative writing specialty from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories
Saturdays, 10 am – Noon
October 30 – December 11 (class will not meet November 27)
6 sessions, $165
Register Now

This workshop is designed for journal writers, people writing family stories, and creative writers who want to record their life stories—those significant tales of transition, adventure, loss, and triumph. We will use a series of 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.

Carol LaChapelle is a writer and writing coach. She offers private instruction in memoir and personal essay writing and is the author of Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories.

Activate Your Writing Ambitions
Saturday, 1 – 4 pm
November 13
One session, $65

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, which uses writing exercises to activate one’s imagination, will empower people who would like to write but don’t know how to begin. Writers in all genres are welcome.

Lisa Rosenthal facilitates writing groups and works as a private writing coach to help encourage young-career writers. She is an author, playwright, and freelance book editor.

Return to Subject List
Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered on a weekday morning or afternoon
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification