Medieval

[close] Shuller Block 1 Independent Reading

[close] Inspired by the Ph.D. Qualifying 50-Book Exam administered to second-year Ph.D. students in the English Department at the University of Pennsylvania, I have created my own version of that daunting task - meaningfully read 50 books across a diverse range of historical periods; generic and formal categories; national and geographic origins; and personal and societal identifications - all from a catalogue of texts spanning more than 1000 years. In the spirit of the exam, I encourage participants to organize their selected 50 works into three broad rubrics according to Genre; Historical Period; and Theme or Theory. Each topic should provide a framework to structure their reading with works that speak to one another. Each of the three rubrics should also include one or two critical, theoretical, or historical works. Keeping with their guidance, all or most of the works from the period chosen should be included in the Historical Period list (i.e., not in the Genre or Theme/Theory lists) to prevent that period's overrepresentation in the challenge as a whole; no more than 20 works from that period should appear on the full list. In other words, at least 30 of the 50 works should be outside of one's designated period of specialization. I want to use this group to make this challenge dynamic. Whether it's weekly discussion posts on specific themes or genres, a support group for those who jumped head-first into the Medieval period, or a deep-dive into the oddities of a specific literary movement or author, an ongoing dialogue is encouraged. The Reading List: https://www.english.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Ph.D.%20Qualifying%20%252250-Book%2522%20Exam%20Book%20List.pdf For further insights on how to think about Genre, Historical Period, and Theme/Theory when building our your list and rubrics: https://www.english.upenn.edu/graduate/requirements-rules-procedures/first-year-oral-exam

[close] A group for those who enjoy reading about hilariously awful, tragically undertaught historical events and ideas. If your friends and family don't want to hear any more talk about corpse medicine, radioactive cosmetics, or the plights of executioners, then you'll find a ready ear right here. Both fiction and non-fiction are welcome; primary sources as well as academic studies. If it's interestingly awful, you're in the right place. We do prefer to focus on relatively unknown aspects of the past (for example, medicinal cannibalism in 17th century Europe) rather than well-known topics. That said, even the most familiar historical stories have some interesting nooks and crannies.