City Lit reading group 2

What is the course about?

This is not so much a course as a forum for a group of us to share our feelings about and reactions to a selection of contemporary novels. Please come to the first session with suggestions (contemporary literary fiction in paperback) and having read 'Absolutely and Forever' by Rose Tremain.

'This is a book about the comic, painful, life-long search for human understanding. Not a word is wasted; not a phrase trite. It is mesmerising, masterly and profoundly moving' - Financial Times.

What will we cover?

Each month you will read books chosen by group consensus, considering a range of contemporary fiction, written in English. During the session we will discuss the novel in question by considering various aspects such as theme, plot, characters, etc. We will also discuss how successful we think the author has been in the particular work.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

-read books you might not have considered before
-focus on key points when discussing a literary work
-express your opinion clearly.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

The level of the course is introductory. No previous knowledge or experience of Literature is necessary. However, learners will, ideally, need the following skills and attributes:
An enthusiasm for reading and discussing a range of texts in large and small groups.
A willingness and ability to do some reading and preparation outside the class. You will be expected to read the selected novel for each session.
An interest in, and ability to listen to, the responses of other students to the work discussed.
A commitment to acquiring and developing ways of understanding how the writer uses language to achieve effect.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Each month, the group will select a novel to be read before the following session, when there will be a group discussion on the merits of the book in question.

Monthly meetings take place on 26/9, 31/10, 5/12, 23/1, 20/2, 20/3, 8/5, 5/6, 3/7.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Please read and bring a copy of 'Absolutely and Forever' by Rose Tremain (published by Chatto & Windus, 2023) to the first session. You will be required to borrow or buy the selected book in paperback for each session.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

We have an online monthly Evening Reading Group on Mondays from 7-8.30pm (HLT173) and Reading Group 1 (HLT06), that meets three times a term on alternate Fridays from 12.45-2.45pm. Look up other fiction courses under History, Culture & Writing/Literature on the website: www.citylit.ac.uk.