As I mentioned before, one aspect of how the Seton Hill MFA program is structured is the “Readings in Genre” courses. Students in the program complete a minimum of three (the courses themselves are offered in cycle, the focus repeating every third semester). Entering my second semester, and second Readings course, here’s what’s on tap for the term ahead.
| Horror: Hauntings Novels Hell House – Richard Matheson The Shining – Stephen King Ghost Story – Peter Straub The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens Grave’s End – Elaine Mercado The Amityville Horror – Jay Anson Movies The Others Paranormal Activity GhostbustersHow-To May Genres, One Craft – ed. Michael Arnzen & Ruby Miller |
SF/Fantasy: Fantasy Classics A Short History of Fantasy – Farah Mendlesohn and Edward James The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula LeGuin Nine Princes in Amber – Roger Zelazny* The Riddle Master of Hed – Patricia McKillip* Anubis Gates – Tim Powers War for the Oaks – Emma BullNote: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum The King of Elfland’s Daughter – Lord Dunsany** The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – C. S. Lewis Witch World – Andre Norton* Determined by polling of registered students ** 3rd in voting for the “student selected” books |
| Mystery: Classics Hound of the Baskervilles – Arthur Conan Doyle (Intellectual Detection) The Seven Dials Mystery – Dame Agatha Christie (Cozy) The Big Sleep – Raymond Chandler (Private Eye) Brat Farrar – Josephine Tey (Criminal as Protagonist) Lady Killer – Ed McBain (Police Procedural) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – John LeCarre (Suspense) Whip Hand – Dick Francis (Thriller) |
Romance Classics Pamela Regis, A Natural History of the Romance Novel Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austin Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte A Civil Contract (Regency) – Georgette Heyer Nine Coaches Waiting (romantic suspense) – Mary Stewart Shield’s Lady (futuristic) – Jayne Ann Krentz Montana Sky (western) – Nora Roberts · One contemporary book of your choice that you believe will become a classic, according to our class discussions and readings. Don’t choose this book now; wait until at least halfway through the course. |
In addition to the above, the “common novel” for the next Residency will be Ernest Cline’s Ready, Player One. Everyone in the program also has an assigned “Craft” book for the semester… mine is James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure.
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#1 by Jenni on April 24, 2013 - 18:43
Jeff, I am in the children’s books RIG this semester…do you want our reading list?
#2 by Jeff Evans on April 25, 2013 - 12:59
Yes, that would be great! Email it to me through my campus account. Thanks!