One Hundred Years of Solitude
6 Wednesday Sessions
Published in 1967, One Hundred Years of Solitude marked the culmination of García Márquez's long development as a writer, emerging from his years as a journalist and author of shorter works.
We'll examine topics such as the interplay between memory and prophecy, the cyclical nature of violence and love, the power of names and inheritance, and how realities become transformed into myth through the lens of family stories.
East of Eden
6 Tuesday Sessions
Published in 1952, East of Eden was considered by Steinbeck himself to be his magnum opus. Set primarily in California's Salinas Valley, the novel traces the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—across multiple generations. Drawing deeply from the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Steinbeck explores timeless themes of good and evil, love and rejection, and the human capacity for both destruction and redemption.
We'll examine topics such as the inheritance of virtue and vice, the tension between determinism and free will, the power of storytelling as meaning-making, and how personal narratives shape our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.
The Great Gatsby
6 Wednesday Sessions
Published in 1967, One Hundred Years of Solitude marked the culmination of García Márquez's long development as a writer, emerging from his years as a journalist and author of shorter works.
We'll examine topics such as the interplay between memory and prophecy, the cyclical nature of violence and love, the power of names and inheritance, and how realities become transformed into myth through the lens of family stories.
The House of Mirth
Published in 1905, The House of Mirth marked Edith Wharton's emergence as a major American novelist after years of writing short stories and books on interior design. Originally serialized in Scribner's Magazine throughout 1905, it became her first bestseller. Drawing on her intimate knowledge of New York society, she crafted an insider's view of the world she knew firsthand. The novel's acute observations of social customs, fashion, and etiquette reflect Wharton's own experiences in the exclusive circles she depicts.
We'll examine topics such as the interplay between gambling and social performance, the calculations of friendship and romance, the capital of beauty, and how social customs mask ruthless competition.