Any time is right for reading Morrison’s work, but with her recent death a close look at three of the novels that won international attention would be both timely and respectful. In this course we will read Song of Solomon (1977), Beloved (1987), and Jazz (1992), books from the heart of a writing career that stretched over nearly a half-century. The characters in these three books are Black and the stories very much about Black experience, but like Faulkner who drew characters from the deep South of the Mississippi Delta, Morrison’s treatment of social history is deeply American and involves us all.

The reading for these six classes will be demanding (140-150 pages per week), but these books are hard to put down for people who enjoy great literature. Our classes will be discussion-based, always with an eye on the texts. Whether you will be rereading Morrison or approaching her work for the first time, there is a place for you in this course.