The Open Road: classics of living on the road
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- Start Date: 07 May 2025End Date: 18 Jun 2025This course has startedWed (Daytime): 10:30 - 12:30In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 6 sessions (over -7 weeks)Course Code: HLT292Tutors: Julian BirkettFull fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00
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What is the course about?
We’ll be reading three classic accounts from three different continents and three different periods. In 1934 Laurie Lee left his Cotswold village to walk to Spain to fight in the Spanish civil war. He earned his keep by playing the fiddle. His lyrical account of that journey, As I Walked out one Midsummer Morning, is full of beauty and pathos.
On the Road (1957) by Jack Kerouac, defined the mood of a generation – footloose, rebellious but fired by a sense of the poetry of America’s vast distances, quirky small towns and vibrant cities.
A third title TBC in January 2025.
What will we cover?
We’ll compare our texts with other classics of the genre, asking ourselves what turns an account of a journey into literature. And of course we’ll be seeing how the experience of being on the road changes over half a century.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Recognise recurring themes in the genre
• Relate these to the wider world of modern culture
• Feel confident enough to explore further reading on your own.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is introductory. An enthusiasm for reading and discussion is all that is required.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course is an interactive mixture of tutor exposition and class discussion. You will asked to read the texts before the class.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Students should buy or borrow the following texts:
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee - Penguin Modern Classics
On the Road by Jack Kerouac - Penguin Modern Classics
3rd title TBC in January 2025.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please look for other literature courses under History, Culture and Writing/Literature at www.citylit.ac.uk.
Julian Birkett is a teacher and writer specialising in modern literature. He previously worked in the Arts department at the BBC as a producer of series such as The Late Show, Modern Poets in their Own Words, The Victorians and The Culture Show. He has taught in London and at the University of Mumbai.He aims to create a friendly but thoughtful atmosphere in his City Lit classes and to provide a stimulating variety of activities from tutor input to discussion to group work and video clips.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.