Literature and Writing   

This summer our fiction short story focus will be on the early American writings of Washington Irving. Both stories we will discuss via zoom are available on-line and free. We will have read “Rip van Winkle” by the first class and the second class will focus on “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Hope you can join me to read and discuss these two American Classic short stories. Session: 2 

This summer we will focus on the most popular Native American classic in America - “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian” by Sherman Alexie. This easy read won the National Book Award in 2007 while it’s also one of the most banned books in America by right-wing conservatives. This is a fun read and leads to a great discussion. Sessions: 2 

In October 2022, the French author Annie Ernaux was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory.” Self-defining as “someone with a woman’s history who writes”, A. Ernaux emphasizes the collective biography, the basis for the auto-socio-biographical genre in which the individual and family narratives are inseparable from the social narrative. This course will study the author’s life, literary work, and contributions to global literature. The Years (2008) is the selected text for the course. Sessions: 5

In October 2022, the French author Annie Ernaux was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory.” Self-defining as “someone with a woman’s history who writes”, A. Ernaux emphasizes the collective biography, the basis for the auto-socio-biographical genre in which the individual and family narratives are inseparable from the social narrative. This course will study the author’s life, literary work, and contributions to global literature. The Years (2008) is the selected text for the course. Sessions: 5

Sing along as you read along! Taylor Jenkins Reid’s delightful book “Daisy Jones & The Six” has taken the world by storm—now a best-seller and a hit TV series. “Daisy” is gripping and realistic novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous breakup. Set mostly in California in the rock & roll heyday, it will be a familiar and fun trip down memory lane for all of us Boomers. We’ll meet three times, first to introduce the book, then to review and discuss the book. Students will have two weeks to read the book on their own. Sessions: 3  

Sing along as you read along! Taylor Jenkins Reid’s delightful book “Daisy Jones & The Six” has taken the world by storm—now a best-seller and a hit TV series. “Daisy” is gripping and realistic novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous breakup. Set mostly in California in the rock & roll heyday, it will be a familiar and fun trip down memory lane for all of us Boomers. We’ll meet three times, first to introduce the book, then to review and discuss the book. Students will have two weeks to read the book on their own. Sessions: 3  

Life Reflections are inspired by a series of stories, photos, meaningful objects, favorite quotations, life lessons & traditions. Celebrate & preserve stories as poetry, artwork, memory books, shadow boxes or written collection. This introductory workshop uses mind-mapping & memory prompts to identify, develop & organize stories. Multiple handouts provided. Sessions: 4