8 BOOKS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
Joseph Luzzi / Bard College
What 8 books can change your life, the ones you would want to take to your “desert island”? This presentation about the books that changed the world will unveil the mysteries of the Bible, Homer’s Odyssey, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet then closer to today Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird and Joseph Heller’s Catch 22. We will explore the creative processes behind these masterpieces as we trace their impact and develop reading skills to release their remarkable riches. Professor Luzzi will show how these fascinating works help us understand some of the most pressing concerns today, including the nature of religious faith, questions of personal identity, even the quest for the American Dream. Participants will be encouraged to develop their own list of “essential reading,” as Professor Luzzi helps them acquire the skills necessary for enriching their encounters with books of all kinds.
Joseph Luzzi is a Literature and Italian Professor at Bard College, and was previously a Visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received the Scaglione Prize for his teaching. He is also the author of the audio course, “The Art of Reading.” Professor Luzzi previously taught at Yale University, where he was awarded a Yale College Teaching Prize.