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).