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The Story of America in Seven Books with Dr. Joseph Luzzi

The Story of America in Seven Books with Dr. Joseph Luzzi


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What does it mean to be “American”? A heavy question, oft pondered by academia and average folk alike, for such a diverse, dynamic country. With questions as broad and subjective as this one, there is a world where one can turn to look for answers: books.

What are the books that have had the greatest impact on U.S. history and culture? How can fiction illuminate the hard truths of American life? Are there books that encapsulate the American experience? The American experience for whom?

This fascinating presentation will lead audiences through the world of American literature, as we explore how masterpieces ranging from Herman Melville's Moby-Dick and William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury to Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, Philip Roth’s American Pastoral, and more, reveal the characters and conflicts of the American spirit. Join your expert, professor and New Yorker-featured author, Dr. Joseph Luzzi, for a deep dive into literature's lens on America and the American experience.

Joseph Luzzi received his Ph.D. from Yale University and is a Professor of Comparative Literature and Faculty Member in Italian Studies at Bard College, where he has taught since 2002 after being a visiting faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania. A frequent contributor to publications including the New York Times, TLS, and Chronicle of Higher Education, he is the author of 5 books, including "My Two Italies," a New York Times Editors' Choice selection and "In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love," a Vanity Fair “Must-Read” selection. His work has been translated into multiple languages and his many awards include a Yale College Teaching Prize, Dante Society of America Essay Prize, and Wallace Fellowship at Villa I Tatti, Harvard's Center for Italian Renaissance Studies. In 2017 he was named Cittadino Onorario/Honorary Citizen in Acri, Calabria, his Italian parents' birthplace. His next book is "Botticelli's Secret: The Lost Drawings and the Rediscovery of the Renaissance," which will be published by W. W. Norton. Professor Luzzi is the founder of the Virtual Book Club, an online community of readers dedicated to exploring some of the best books ever written. Learn more at JosephLuzzi.com.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

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Suzette Shelmire (Oxford, US)
The Story of America in 7 books

I just loved Dr. Luzzi's talk He gave me so good ideas on reading books I have missed and his thoughts on the books and there were more than 7 was thought provolking and entertaining

Customer Reviews

Based on 1 review
100%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
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S
Suzette Shelmire (Oxford, US)
The Story of America in 7 books

I just loved Dr. Luzzi's talk He gave me so good ideas on reading books I have missed and his thoughts on the books and there were more than 7 was thought provolking and entertaining