Cost and Registration Information

Early Registration Price (January 9 at 10 am – January 26 at 4 pm): $250
Regular Registration Price (January 26 at 4 pm – first day of class): $275

Members, seniors, and students get a 10% discount.

This seminar is full. Please call (312) 255-3700 to be added to the wait list.

Excuse our dust!

Beginning January 2018 the Newberry will be undertaking renovation of much of the first floor. The Adult Education Seminars Program will still have use of the basement classrooms, but please check this link frequently for the latest conditions - which exterior doors are open or closed, where to find an accessible entrance, which restrooms are available, etc.

Because of the renovation, the Newberry Bookstore will be closed during the Winter/Spring and Summer 2018 terms. As such, seminar participants will be responsible for acquiring all required texts for their seminars on their own. We apologize sincerely for the inconvenience, and appreciate your understanding. We have put together a list of helpful resources that should make it easy to find the books you need.

Seminar Description

Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield is one of the Victorian era’s most beloved books, filled with memorable characters, entertaining plot twists, and poignant insights. This seminar invites participants to immerse themselves in the world of the novel by reading it in consecutive parts that reflect the original publication schedule. As we work our way through the novel, our spoiler-free discussions will also feature film excerpts and other visual media. Eight sessions.

Steven J. Venturino, PhD and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism, has led seminars at the Newberry Library and taught at Loyola University Chicago.

Materials List

Required:

• Charles Dickens, David Copperfield. Norton Critical Edition. ISBN#: 978-0393958287

First Reading:

• For the first class, please read only Chapter One: “I am Born.”

This class is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about our registration procedures.