The Modern Comic Novel
Register for this Spring 2023 course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website.
Though serious literature is often associated with tragic outcomes, there is a rich tradition of the comic novel which uses humor, satire, and irony to devise engaging stories and affirm the ongoing nature of social customs and patterns. We will read seven British and American comic novels from the past few generations: Ishmael Reed, The Terrible Twos;
Bich Minh Nguyen, Pioneer Girl;
Muriel Spark, A Far Cry From Kensington;
Richard Russo, Straight Man;
Tom Rachman, The Imperfectionists;
Joseph Heller, Catch-22;
and
V. S. Naipaul, The Mystic Masseur
.
Spring 2023 tuition is $529.
You'll Walk Away with
- Familiarity with important comic novels
- An understanding of how the comic novel uses humor, satire, and irony to create engaging stories
- An appreciation for the comic novel’s place in literary tradition
Ideal for
- Those with an interest in modern literature
- The curious and creative
NO open sections available for this course at the moment. Please check back next semester.