OSHER 359 - Short But Sweet: Literature in a Bite

Mystery, romance, drama, intrigue, the plight and pathos of the human condition-- all ingredients found in great literature. But one does not have to read for long hours to encounter these, one can simply peruse some of the most memorable short fiction of the 20th century. Discover the heartrending and unforgettable tale of Paul Gallico's Snow Goose. Search the streets of London with the famous detective Jesse Dark as she scours the city for the fiendish and elusive Miss Hinch. Read the anguished, yet hopeful diary of Charley Gordon as he joins an experiment to artificially increase his intelligence in Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon. Ponder unexpected life lessons with brothers Frisco and Carlton in Michael Cunningham's White Angel and with Doodle and Brother in James Hurst's The Scarlet Ibis. Study these and other poems, short stories and novellas, revealing universal truths and the subtle workings of the human heart. Readings will be provided by the instructor.