Richness of Self: New Ways of Reading Solitude [Liza Birnbaum]

The course title has been corrected from the print catalog.

All Levels | Narratives of independence and solitary living often foreground a certain kind of character: tough, aloof, and usually male. In this reading-centric course, we’ll seek stories that challenge those tropes and expand our expectations of what aloneness looks like on the page. Through close reading of work by Claudia Rankine, Claire-Louise Bennett, Abi Andrews, and others, we’ll investigate how writing might capture solitude as, in May Sarton’s words, “richness of self.” Expect lively conversation, craft discussions, and optional writing assignments.

All students in reading classes will receive a book club discount on the instructor’s reading list at the Elliott Bay Book Co.