Literary genius can take innumerable shapes and forms through novels, plays, and poetry. Brilliant minds use their gifts to entertain, inspire, engage, and enlighten about philosophical and artistic concerns, social trappings, and human conceit. This course examines a selection of great minds each semester through a curated reading list that illuminates the particular brilliance of each individual featured author.
Students should read Medea by Euripides for the first class.
Fall 2026 Reading List:
Virgil, The Aeneid (Selections)
Li Qingzhao, Selected Poems
William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing
Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Life Is a Dream
Tove Jansson, The Summer Book
Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 0
You'll walk away with
- Increased cultural literacy
- Knowledge of major authors and texts
Ideal for
- The curious and creative
- Professionals who use critical thinking