Surveys over 70 literary geniuses and masterpieces of western literature. Examines the works, styles, themes and relationships with one another and the role they played both within the context of their own times and within the larger span of literary history.

"The best of ancient Greek literature retains a freshness and immediacy that reaches far beyond its time and place of creation and speaks to readers and audience members today. In these 36 lectures, we discuss selections from that group of masterpieces, starting in every case with the cultural and historical background of each, then focusing on close readings of the works themselves"--Page 1 (guidebook).

"This course takes you on an exciting ride through an itinerary that samples 23 of the world's greatest short stories. The form of the genre, as well as the various ways in which it has evolved, is highlighted along the way with a display of the essential nuts and bolts of storytelling-- plot, character, setting, style, point of view, and theme. A mix of critical approaches will also be brought in to enhance analysis and interpretation and to explore...

Professor Weinstein of Brown University presents eighty-four lectures on the great classics of American literature, showing how such authors as Irving, Poe, Thoreau, Hemingway, and Faulkner bring the past to life, changing as each generation steps forward to interpret it anew.