Tell the Truth: Reading and Writing the Modern Memoir

LIT4286.01
Course System Home Terms Spring 2017 Tell the Truth: Reading and Writing the Modern Memoir

Course Description

Summary

In the past twenty years, the genre of memoir has exploded onto the literary scene. What is it about the intimate details of someone else's life that intrigues the reading public? Is there a hint of voyeurism is our enjoyment? Or do we simply fall in love with real people through the power of their words, and hope for them to overcome the obstacles that life has thrown in their way? In this class, we'll read writings by Vladimir Nabokov, Tobias Wolff, James McBride, Edwidge Danticat, and Marjane Satrapi, among others, and each student will write and revise part of their own memoir. Corequisite: Students are required to attend all Literature Evenings and Poetry at Bennington events (typically held on Wednesdays at 7:00pm).

Prerequisites

Interested students should submit a creative prose writing sample to Brando Skyhorse's Bennington email address by November 7, 2016. Class lists will be posted outside of the Literature office on November 14, 2016.

Please contact the faculty member : mdumanis@bennington.edu

Corequisites

Students are required to attend all Literature Evenings and Poetry at Bennington events (typically held on Wednesdays at 7:00pm).

Instructor

  • Michael Dumanis

Day and Time

Academic Term

Spring 2017

Area of Study

Credits

4

Course Level

4000

Maximum Enrollment

15