Further information: John Barbour: The Novels of Marilynne Robinson 

Expanded description:

The texts for the course, all by Marilynne Robinson, are these:

Gilead (New York: Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, 2004) ISBN: 031242440X;

Home (N.Y.: FSG, 2008) ISBN: 0312428545; and

Lila (N. Y.: FSG, 2014) ISBN: 1250074843.

New paperback editions of these texts are available at Content Bookstore for approximately $50.  Used copies may be found online for a total of approximately $30 new or $15 used.

Each week, several days before class, discussion questions will be emailed to help students prepare. Our class sessions will focus on discussion of these questions, with the instructor lecturing occasionally for short periods.

Reading assignments:

January 8                     Gilead, to p. 91

January 15                   Gilead, to p. 187

January 22                   Gilead, finish ( 247 pp.) and essay by MR (distributed via email)

January 29                   Home, to. p. 127

February 5                   Home, to p. 253

February 12                 Home, finish (325pp.) , and Lila, to p. 68

February 19                 Lila, to p. 166

February 26                Lila, finish (261 pp.)

Total pages: 833 plus essay(s).  Averaging just over 100 pages of reading per week.  Given the depth and complexity of Robinson’s writing, this is a demanding course. The more you commit yourself to the Gilead trilogy and our discussions, the more engrossing, profound, and satisfying will be your experience of the novels and the course.