Is this course for me?

I highly recommend taking this course if you are looking for:

A dedicated moment away from the NYC hustle to do some deep reading
Guidance on how to approach a long text and generate profound insights from it
An in-person community of thoughtful, friendly, reading nerds

More details on the approach

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This course will explore the art of deep engagement through the practice of close reading. Using Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece Anna Karenina as our guide, we will cultivate skills that extend beyond literature, enhancing our ability to analyze, interpret, and find meaning in various aspects of our lives.

The reading approach will be: to read slowly, to document our impressions and associations, to trace words and patterns, to write in the margins and in journals, to inquire the author’s use of key terms, and to examine themes across the angles of the story.

Each session, I will provide supplementary materials to deepen our understanding of the cultural context, Tolstoy's philosophy, and the novel's relation to the literary canon.

This course welcomes participants from all walks of life - literature enthusiasts, professionals seeking new perspectives, anyone eager to engage with literature.

The novel

Published in 1878, Anna Karenina offers profound insights into human nature, societal expectations, and the complexities of love and marriage. Over eight sessions, we will immerse ourselves in the tapestry of 19th-century Russian society that Tolstoy weaves.

We'll examine topics such as the nature of happiness, the conflict between societal norms and personal desires, and the role of forgiveness in relationships.

Vivien Leigh as Anna Karenina in 1948

Throughout our journey with Anna Karenina we aim to cultivate not just better reading skills, but a more nuanced understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Join us in this exploration of literature's power to illuminate the human experience and enrich our daily lives.