Your source of adult education in the humanities for the past 30 years.
Welcome to the Fall 2008 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 invite you to explore the humanities in one of more than 50 seminars at the Newberry Library this fall.
From opera to jazz, British history to the history of Chicago, Hamlet to contemporary American theater, or writing workshops for poets or novelists, the Newberry Library Seminars Program has a course for you.
Please click on the subject links below, or simply scroll down to view all the seminars offered this term.
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.
Saturdays, 10 am -- Noon
Tuition: 1 session, $35/ all 3 sessions, $90
Special rate for Associates of the Newberry Library: 1 session, $30/all 3 sessions, $80
Register Online (3 Session Rate)
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| Newberry Library Archive, 1894 Librarian's Office |
Introduction to Research at the Newberry Library
October 25
John Hassett Brady, Director of Reader Services - Bibliographer of Americana
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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.
Presidential Elections at the Newberry
November 1
Matt Rutherford, Reference Librarian; and Autumn Mather, Reference Services Senior Library Assistant
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| Richard Hinton, The life and public services of Hon. Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois, and Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine, 1860. |
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!
ABC or .XYZ? Alphabets Books at the Newberry
November 8
Paul F. Gehl, Custodian, John M. Wing Foundation on the History of Printing; and Jenny Schwartzberg, Collection Development Assistant & Gift Specialist
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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.
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Saturdays, 10:00 am - Noon
Tuition: 1 session, $35/ all 4 sessions, $125; Free for 2008-2009 Consort season subscribers (space is limited; advance registration is required). Special rate for Associates of the Newberry Library: 1 session, $30/all 4 sessions, $110
Register Online (4 Session Rate)
The Newberry Consort Seminar Series is designed to give participants an advance, behind-the-scenes look at each performance. 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 experienced and casual listeners-will enhance your Newberry Consort listening experience. For more information on the Newberry Consort, visit their website or call (312) 255-3700.
Handel in Miniature
October 11, 2008
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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
February 14, 2009
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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
March 14, 2009
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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 the music of Renaissance, but it also painted a picture of the 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
April 25, 2009
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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 commoner 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.
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* indicates the class is offered during the day on a weekday
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification
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| Commercial Club of Chicago, The Plan of Chicago, 1909. |
Reading the Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham's Civic Vision
Tuesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 16 - October 14
5 sessions, $120
*This course is full. To place yourself on the waiting list, call (312) 255-3700.
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 of the twenty-first century.
Donald H. Whitfield, Director of Higher Education Programs at the Great Books Foundation, is an experienced discussion leader and has recently led study groups on the Plan of Chicago in Hyde Park as well as at the Newberry.
Chicago's Rich and Rare Properties: Its Cemeteries
Saturdays, 10 am - Noon
September 27 - October 18
4 sessions, $100
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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.
Helen Sclair, known as the "Cemetery Lady," was recently featured on WTTW's Hidden Chicago and has spent more than thirty-five years researching cemeteries and their importance in the fabric of the metropolis.
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| MMS Thomas Butler Carter, Letters 1837-1898, business card. |
It Didn't All Go Up in Flames: Researching Pre-Fire Chicago at the Newberry
Saturdays, 10 am - 1 pm
November 8 - November 22
3 sessions, $100
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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 seminar will introduce you to a gold mine of pre-Fire treasures in the Newberry's collections. Learn how to find and use maps, diaries, church records, newspapers, sheet music and the many other hot items we have to share!
Ginger Frere, M.L.S., and Matt Rutherford, M.L.S., are reference librarians in Local and Family History at the Newberry Library.
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Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered during the day on a weekday
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification
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| Richard Strauss, [Sketch of a proposed, by unutilized insertion into a duet of Die schweigsame Frau.], ca. 1933. |
*# The Twentieth-Century Art Song
Thursdays, 2 pm - 4 pm
September 25 - November 20 (class will not meet October 9)
8 sessions, $160
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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.
Guy A. Marco (Ph.D. humanities/music, University of Chicago) has given Newberry seminars since 1996, including three on opera and one on the nineteenth-century art song. He has taught in 12 universities, written ten music reference books and edited 50 others, and has been music adviser for the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
* The Russian Palette: Romantic Expression to Innovative Modernism
Tuesdays, 2 pm - 4 pm
October 14 - November 18
6 sessions, $140
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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.
Stephanie Ettelson has offered pre-concert lectures and classes in classical music for over three decades. She is a former music critic and arts writer who holds a B.A. in history and English from the University of Michigan.
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| Johann Georg Bürkli, Biographie von Georg Friedrich Händel, 1837. |
* Opera and Revolution: How Opera Changed the World and How the World Changed Opera
Wednesdays, 10 am - Noon
October 15 - November 12
5 sessions, $120
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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.
Mark Hagland is a professional journalist and public speaker with an extensive musical background as both an instrumentalist and vocalist, and has been absorbed in the operatic art form for two decades.
The Book of Kells and Traditional Celtic Art
Thursdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
October 16 - November 13
5 sessions, $120
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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.
Frank Crowley holds an M.A. in education and is the Director of Windy City Arts. He teaches traditional Celtic art courses at the Irish American Heritage Center and has shown his work in China, Japan, Europe, and the United States.
Listening to Jazz
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
October 29 - November 19
4 sessions, $100
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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.
John Friedland is an amateur musician who has played, studied, and enjoyed jazz for more than fifty years.
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Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered during the day on a weekday
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification
Western Mysticism: St. Teresa of Avila
Tuesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 16 - November 18
10 sessions, $180
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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.
Robert Sprott holds an M.A. in anthropology and theology, and a Ph.D. in linguistics. A Catholic priest and a Franciscan, he is on the staff at St. Peter's Church in the Loop.
Existentialism: An Introduction
Saturdays, 10 am - Noon
September 27 - November 15
8 sessions, $160
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"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.
Eugene Newman holds M.A.s in philosophy and literature, and has led Newberry seminars on philosophical and literary topics since 2001.
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Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered during the day on a weekday
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification
The Crusades through Historical Fiction
Tuesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 16 - November 25 (class will not meet October 21)
10 sessions, $180
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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.
Matthew Bird is a law librarian and independent scholar. He holds a B.A. in history from Princeton University, and a Ph.D. in international politics from the University of Wales.
Reading the Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham's Civic Vision
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
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| Wallis’s tour through England and Wales, a new geographical pastime, 1794. |
# The Age of Aristocracy: Britain and Ireland, 1688-1830
Saturdays, 10 am - Noon
September 20 - November 22
10 sessions, $180
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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.
Frank A. Biletz received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago, with a primary specialization in modern British and Irish history. He is currently Lecturer in History at Loyola University Chicago.
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| Richard Watson, An apology for the Bible : in a series of letters addressed to Thomas Paine, 1796. |
Thomas Paine, Edmund Burke, and the Age of Revolution
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 24 - October 22
5 sessions, $120
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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.
Joseph Harrington holds an M.A. in modern European history from the University of Connecticut.
Searching Library Catalogs and Databases Effectively
Thursdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 25 - October 9
3 sessions, $90
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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 on-line? Did you know you could browse the library's 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.
Ginger Frere, M.L.S., is Reference Librarian at the Newberry Library and a researcher who has been introducing people to technology for over 20 years.
Chicago's Rich and Rare Properties: Its Cemeteries
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
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| Charles Darwin, On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or The preservation of favored races in the struggle for life, 1875. |
# Victorian Minds: Intellectual Life in Nineteenth-Century Britain
Thursdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
October 2 - November 6
6 sessions, $140
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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.
Frank A. Biletz received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago, with a primary specialization in modern British and Irish history. He is currently Lecturer in history at Loyola University Chicago.
Beginning Genealogy: A Crash Course
Saturday, 1 pm - 4 pm
October 4
One session, $60
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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!
Marsha Peterson-Maass is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and has taught numerous seminars at the Newberry.
# Classic Maya Disintegration and Resurgence
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
October 15 - November 19
6 sessions, $140
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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.
Donald McVicker holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago. He is a professor emeritus, North Central College, and an adjunct curator of Mesoamerican Archaeology at The Field Museum.
Compiling Your Medical Family Tree
Saturday, 1 pm - 4 pm
October 18
One session, $60
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Compiling your medical family tree might be easier than you think even if you don't have formal medical or genealogical training-anyone can do it! This class will show you how to compile an MFT chart and Predisposition Results Sheet, and will equip you with the tools to create your own. An MFT could be one of the most valuable gifts of information you ever give to yourself, your children, and other relatives.
Marsha Peterson-Maass is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and has taught numerous seminars at the Newberry.
How to Create Your Family History
Saturday, 1 pm - 3 pm
October 25
One session, $35
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Have you been doing family research for years but have not yet shared the results with your family? Mike Karsen will show how to compile books varying from the simplest to one which includes historical information, biographies, and many pictures. Please bring some of your research with you to the seminar.
Mike Karsen, professional genealogy speaker and instructor, is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and Genealogical Speakers Guild and the author of five family histories.
It Didn't All Go Up in Flames: Researching Pre-Fire Chicago at the Newberry
See listing under "Chicago Interest"
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Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered during the day on a weekday
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification
James Joyce's Ulysses
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 17 - November 19
10 sessions, $180
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Many readers attempting Ulysses for the first time find themselves overwhelmed by its length and difficulty. This seminar gives 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 will strike a balance between consideration of Joyce's experimental methods and the more old-fashioned story-telling pleasure the book offers. The text is the Hans Walter Gabler edition.
Steve Diedrich has taught Ulysses at the Newberry since 1987.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time: Within a Budding Grove
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 17 - November 19
10 sessions, $180
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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.
Joel Rich has given ongoing seminars on Proust's writings at the Newberry for a number of years and regularly lectures on Proust in the University of Chicago's First Friday series. He created and maintains the website, proustian.com.
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| William Shakespeare, Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories & tragedies : published according to the true originall copies, 1623. |
# Shakespeare's Hamlet and Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment
Thursdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 18 - November 20
10 sessions, $180
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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.
Courtney Federle holds a Ph. D. in German Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of California-Berkeley and was an Assistant Professor in humanities, German and film studies at the University of Chicago.
# David Mamet: A Life in the Theatre
Thursdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 18 - November 6 (class will not meet October 9)
7 sessions, $150
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Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright David Mamet is one of the most prolific and powerful voices in contemporary American theatre. Mamet's reputation as an innovative playwright invites appraisal of his thought and the evolution of his craft. We will discuss his major plays-such as American Buffalo, Glengarry Glen Ross, Speed-the-Plow, and Oleanna-and explore the machismo, marginality, moral conduct, and brilliant use of comedy that characterize his work. In so doing we will immeasurably enhance our understanding of his artistic expression.
An Emeritus Professor of English, Fulbright Lecturer Leslie Kane holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from New York University. She is the author and editor of eight books on David Mamet.
From Early Dostoevsky to The Brothers Karamazov
Saturdays, 10 am - Noon
September 20 - November 22
10 sessions, $180
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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.
Julia Kriventsova Denne studied literature at St. Petersburg University, Russia, currently guides several groups on Russian literature and led previous Newberry Library seminars on Tolstoy and Turgenev.
# Beyond Jane Eyre: Other Novels by Charlotte Brontë
Tuesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 23 - November 18
9 sessions, $170
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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.
Jennifer Sampson holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago and thinks many lesser-known Victorian novels deserve to be better known.
Charles Dickens: Our Mutual Friend and The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Tuesdays, 6 pm - 7:30 pm
September 23 - November 11
8 sessions, $160
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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.
Tim Strzechowski holds an M.A. in English literature and regularly conducts seminars on Paradise Lost and the literature of Hell, along with his ongoing series on Dickens.
Contemporary Classics of American Theater
Wednesdays, 6 pm - 7:30 pm
September 24 - November 12
8 sessions, $160
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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.
Todd Bauer holds an M.A. in liberal studies from Northwestern University, has directed pieces at Victory Gardens Theater, and is the visiting artist at Visible Theatre Company in New York.
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# Vision and Revision in W.B. Yeats's Poetry
Wednesdays, 6 pm - 7:30 pm
September 24 - November 12
8 sessions, $160
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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.
Susan Bazargan is an English Professor Emeritus and a specialist in Irish literature.
Dante's The Inferno: The Words and the Pictures
Thursdays, 6 - 7:30 pm
September 25 - December 11 (class will not meet October 9 or November 27)
10 sessions, $180
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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.
Linda Levine holds an M.A. in English education from Northwestern University. She taught English and humanities for many years, including seminars on The Inferno.
Yesterday's Dystopian Tomorrows: Brave New World, 1984, and The Handmaid's Tale
Thursdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 25 - December 4 (class will not meet 11/27)
10 sessions, $180
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We live in a time when the term "culture wars" is used to describe the reasons Americans are politically divided. The bases of these "wars" make up the themes of these three works: civil rights, the purpose of war, religion, power, sexuality, drugs, morality, materiality, art, education, and, perhaps most importantly, the use and abuse of language. Join what promises to be a lively discussion of these works and why they matter in the world we live in.
Jim Hecimovich has taught courses on Don Quixote, Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, Don Delillo, and Jorge Luis Borges at the Newberry. He is "ABD" in English from the University of Chicago.
The Mabinogion and Welsh Mythology
Thursdays, 6 pm - 7:30 pm
September 25 - November 6
7 sessions, $150
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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.
Michael McMechan is an independent scholar and holds a degree in Celtic folklore and mythology from Harvard University. He has taught a number of seminars on Irish mythology at the Newberry since 1990, and he teaches classes in the Irish language, literature and tradition.
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| Thomas Beale, The natural history of the sperm whale. To which is added a sketch of a South-Sea whaling voyage, in which the author was personally engaged, 1839. |
"Like a Snow Hill in the Air": Herman Melville's Moby-Dick
Saturdays, 10 am - Noon
September 20 - November 8 (class will not meet October 4)
7 sessions, $150
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Melville's masterpiece is one of 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 and make use of 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.
The Detective Novel
Tuesdays, 6 pm - 7:30 pm
September 30 - November 18
8 sessions, $160
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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.
Michael Moreci holds an M.A. in English from Northwestern University. His work has been published in a number of journals and magazines.
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Demystifying Old English
Saturdays, 1pm - 3 pm
September 27 - November 22 (class will not meet October 25)
8 sessions, $160
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Is Old English a foreign language? This course aims to demystify the uncanny look and sound of the earliest stage of the 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 today.
Susan Pezzino, a former United States Fulbright Scholar in the field of English grammar, holds an M.A. in applied linguistics and works as a professional language teacher and curriculum designer in Chicago.
#* Women's Voices in Fiction: Short Novels by Virginia Woolf, Antonia White, Zora Neale Hurston, and Carson McCullers
Wednesdays, 2 pm - 4 pm
October 1 - November 12
7 sessions, $150
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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. Please read chapters I-XVI of Part I, The Window, of Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse for the first session.
Barbara S. Stone is a professor of German and humanities at Shimer College.
Two Faces Have I: Robert Louis Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
October 15 - November 12
5 sessions, $120
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Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was a sensation from the start. Since then it has been adapted into movies (more than 100), theater, television programs, musicals, and even cartoons, its story retold and re-interpreted while the phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" has entered mainstream culture and the novella itself anticipated modern psychology. What is it about this work that spans generations and transcends national boundaries?
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, June Sawyers has published extensively on Scotland. She is editor of Dreams of Elsewhere: The Selected Travel Writings of Robert Louis Stevenson and is working on two Stevenson projects: Epistles from a Wayward Son, a screenplay based on the life of Stevenson, and In Dreams, a cultural history of Jekyll and Hyde.
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* indicates the class is offered during the day on a weekday
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification
# Short-Shorts: A Writing Workshop
Saturdays, 10 am - Noon
September 27 - November 1
6 sessions, $140
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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.
Beatriz Badikian-Gartler has taught creative writing for more than twenty years and is the author of a novel and two collections of poetry.
Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 17 - October 22
6 sessions, $140
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Whether in a personal journal, for family histories, or as published essays and memoirs, telling our stories is a transforming experience. When we write down the important events in our lives, we better understand what they mean to us. Rachel Naomi Remen says in Kitchen Table Wisdom that facts bring us knowledge but stories bring us to wisdom. In this workshop, the instructor will help participants recall and record their stories, in the process discovering their significance. Open to writers at all levels.
Carol LaChapelle is a writer and writing coach. She conducts workshops and offers private instruction in memoir and personal essay writing, and is the author of Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories.
Dynamic Dialogue: A Concise Course
Wednesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 24 - October 8
3 sessions, $90
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Effective dialogue has an enormous impact on fiction. And writing good dialogue is a challenge for many writers, particularly newer ones. Learn what dialogue can do for your fiction, what makes dialogue work, and how you can make yours better.
Julie Benesh, M.F.A., is an avid reader, educator, and published fiction writer.
Contemporary Poetry Workshop
Thursdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
September 18 - November
8 sessions, $160
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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.
Brandi Homan is the author of Hard Reds (Shearsman Books, forthcoming) and is editor-in-chief of Switchback Books.
# The Elements of Creative Writing
Saturdays, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
September 27 - November 15
8 sessions, $160
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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.
Brooke Bergan has taught creative writing for nearly twenty years and has published critically acclaimed poetry, fiction, essays, translations, and a play.
Getting Published: Understanding Copyright, Queries, and Contracts
Saturdays, 1 pm - 3 pm
October 4 - November 1
5 sessions, $120
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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 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.
Amy Cook is a publishing attorney, freelance writer, and former literary agent. She is managing editor of the Chicago Bar Association's magazine, The Record, and was a long time contributing editor to Writer's Digest magazine.
Picture This: Writing Picture Books for Children
Tuesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
October 7 - November 11
6 sessions, $140
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This workshop focuses on how to create and write a successful children's picture book that touches, delights, and informs today's young readers. Participants' manuscripts will be shared and discussed to highlight the variety of available picture books, 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.
Esther Hershenhorn authors award-winning picture books and middle grade fiction, coaches children's book writers and serves on The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators board of advisors. She also heads the organization's Illinois chapter.
Going the Distance: A One-Day Seminar on Writing and Selling a Novel
Saturday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
October 11
One session, $85
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Whether a novice or an experienced writer, this class is for anyone who has ever attempted to write a novel but has been unable to finish. This seminar is designed to address the problems in writing a long piece of fiction, including writer's block, plotting problems, characterization, and writing effective dialogue. We will also discuss marketing the finished novel, including finding an agent, and what to expect in dealing with the publishing world.
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 has taught at the Newberry for many years.
The Mind at Work: Writing the Personal Essay
Tuesdays, 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
October 21 - November 25
6 sessions, $140
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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, participants will practice writing the personal essay, then have the opportunity to present drafts of their work for group feedback.
Carol LaChapelle is a writer and writing coach. She conducts workshops and 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 8
One session, $60
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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, will empower people who would like to write but don't know how to begin. This workshop includes inspiration and ideas appropriate for writers in all genres.
Lisa Rosenthal is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists and affiliated artist at American Theater Company. She was an editor at Chicago Review Press for more than 11 years, and is author of A Dog's Best Friend and editor of The Writing Group Book.
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Registration Information
* indicates the class is offered during the day on a weekday
# indicates CPDU credit available for Illinois teachers seeking recertification