How do writers transform experience into art? And when a work is not overtly autobiographical, where does its emotional truth come from? Through close reading and conversations with acclaimed Stanford authors, we’ll explore how writers draw on memory, observation, research, and imagination to create enduring works of literature.

We’ll read The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson, The Hill by Harriet Clark, Country People by Daniel Mason, The Antidote by Karen Russell, and This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff. Each book will be featured over two weeks. During the first, we’ll discuss the book in depth, examining the craft choices shaping its emotional impact and generating focused questions for the author. During the second week, the author will join us to discuss their creative process and answer your questions. Whether you’re an aspiring author or simply a bibliophile, you’ll benefit from reading these books with a writer's eye, then having the rare opportunity to chat with their authors about how they brought their stories to life.
 

A note on the reading: Adam Johnson's The Wayfinder is longer than the other books and should be read before the course begins. It will be discussed in its entirety during the first class, and Johnson will visit the second class to answer questions about the book.