All upcoming Authors, Books, & Writing programs

Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, explores the literary elements of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and then considers its afterlife in two major literary works: John Milton’s brilliant epic, Paradise Lost, and John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, a modern-day classic. Luzzi explains the rhetorical structures of the Bible and provides a sense of how its brilliant storytelling techniques shaped the development of modern literature.

From preserving his father’s family photographs and his own teenage documentaries of outdoor adventures through his youth in Paris to his physical breakdown in Africa and Cuba, Ernest Hemingway’s process served as his magnetic north throughout his eventful life. Drawing on his personal papers and private photograph collection, Hemingway biographer Hilary Justice recreates how Hemingway worked, illustrating the writer’s process: Experience sparks inspiration, and creativity meets craft in service of “one true sentence.”

One of Shakespeare’s most beloved and aesthetically brilliant comedies is Twelfth Night from 1602. Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, guides participants through an in-depth discussion of the play’s key elements, including its gorgeous lyricism, emphasis on masks and shifting identity, and exploration of the complexities of love.

Romance novelist Katherine Center, known for stories about resilience and joy, discusses why she believes love is good for you. Her new novel The Shippers follows JoJo Burton, who boards a cruise for her sister’s wedding hoping to fix her bad luck in love by pursuing an old crush—with help from childhood friend Cooper. Close quarters rekindle unresolved feelings, and they stumble into realizing they might be meant for each other. Center explores how love, humor, hope, and real-life lessons shape her work.

Walt Disney frequently adapted Victorian children’s literature, from Alice in Wonderland to Peter Pan. Literary scholar Patrick Fleming follows how works evolved from concept to franchise, examining how Disney’s writers engaged with original texts and historical contexts throughout long production cycles. Fleming also notes that Disney’s ties to the Victorians extend beyond adaptation: Walt Disney’s career parallels that of Dickens, and Disney’s princesses, musicals, theme parks, and marketing rely on Victorian cultural and legal frameworks.

Spend a day with Michele L. Simms-Burton, scholar of African American and Africana studies, exploring the Black Arts Movement in the United States. Study the post–World War II historic moments and cultural events that fostered an emergent Black aesthetic. Encounter artists, composers, musicians and writers from rural and urban areas and learn how their lives and experiences informed their artistic achievements. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

William Blake, a leading Romantic artist and poet, fused image and text in his “illuminated books,” inspired by medieval manuscripts. These illustrated volumes let him confront themes of religion, poverty, inequality, and human existence. His etched poems and images created a true union of painting and poetry, most famously in Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. Art historian David Gariff offers insights into Blake’s achievements as both poet and artist. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Robert Watson, Distinguished Professor of American History at Lynn University, reveals the lesser-known stories, surprising twists, and forgotten voices behind the most iconic document in U.S. history. Drawing from a wealth of primary sources—including letters, diaries, newspapers, and diplomatic communiqués—he reconstructs the debates, drafts, and drama that surrounded the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Focusing on the influence of women, enslaved individuals, and Indigenous peoples, Watson brings to light the varied cast of often-forgotten characters and perspectives that shaped the American experiment in his book, Declaration: The Story of American Independence.

Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface, the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for a course of three online workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts. The sessions spotlight a diverse range of visual art chosen to inspire writers of all experience levels to deepen their process and practice. This writing session is inspired by Mary Cassatt's The Boating Party.

A picture is not only worth a thousand words: It can sometimes inspire a whole invented world. Art historian Heidi Applegate explores the art and artists behind three works of historical fiction by contemporary authors. Gain new perspectives on Johannes Vermeer, Leonardo da Vinci, and Henri Matisse by delving into the novels followed by Applegate’s examination of the factual background along with the fiction. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)