One of the benefits to working for a university is that we get to take classes at a greatly reduced rate. Not only can we take classes, but we can take them while “on the clock” so to speak.

I couldn’t take any classes last semester because of furloughs and our schedules being all funky, but this semester I got the go-ahead. Usually I take something artsy like Photography but this time I signed-up for a contemporary literature class.

This is what we’ll be studying:

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

More Stories We Tell: The Best Contemporary Short Stories by Women by Wendy Martin

Proof: A Play by David Auburn

I’ve read Atonement before (and liked it plenty too).  The others are new to me. I can’t tell you how excited I am about reading these. I like that the professor included a play in the mix and the short story collection, written by women is a real perk. I don’t read enough short fiction.

So on August 23rd, I’ll be carrying a brand new notebook, a couple of very sharp #2 pencils and hitting the books. I’m taking it for credit/no credit so there shouldn’t be any pressure, just pure reading fun. Hopefully I’ll have some good discussions to share with you here.