LIT 197 — The Contemporary American Short Story
Quarter: Spring
Instructor(s): Michael Krasny
Date(s): Apr 2—Jun 4
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Tuition: $550
Refund Deadline: Apr 4
Unit(s): 2
Status: Registration opens Feb 24, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Spring
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 10 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Apr 2—Jun 4
Unit(s): 2
Tuition: $550
Refund Deadline: Apr 4
Instructor(s): Michael Krasny
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Feb 24, 8:30 am (PT)
This course focuses on American short stories published from 1945 to the present, with a selection of accomplished and diverse writers of the period, including highly iconic and widely anthologized authors. We will examine major themes and also concentrate on stylistics and craft. What elements culturally link American writers who emerge from diverse backgrounds but come from the same zeitgeist? Why do certain storytellers from this period affect readers so strongly, and how do we judge or evaluate who belongs in the pantheon? Class sessions will include lectures and discussions. Emphasis will be on close readings and textual analysis. We will read and discuss 20 gems by major figures including Shirley Jackson, Flannery O’Connor, John Cheever, Grace Paley, Philip Roth, Bernard Malamud, Raymond Carver, Sherman Alexie, Don DeLillo, James Baldwin, Ernest Gaines, Jamaica Kincaid, Leslie Marmon Silko, Louise Erdrich, Joyce Carol Oates, Isabel Allende, Amy Tan, Jhumpa Lahiri, Junot Díaz, and ZZ Packer.
For students who have previously taken the course, the structure is the same but the content is new. Past students are encouraged to join.
MICHAEL KRASNY
Professor of English, Emeritus, SF State
Michael Krasny is a literary critic, scholar, and broadcast journalist. He is the author of many books, including Off Mike, Spiritual Envy, and Let There Be Laughter; the co-author of Sound Ideas; and the creator and presenter of the audio lecture series Masterpieces of Short Fiction. He is the host of the podcast Krasny Conversations and former host of Forum on KQED Radio. Textbooks for this course:
(Required) John G. Parks (ed.), American Short Stories Since 1945 (ISBN 978-0195131321)