Romanticism

[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] For all things books & individual book exploration, with focus on characters/their lives/literary technique. And chat/all things good. 🎇📖

[close] For caffeine addicts, who prefer to have their daily caffeine intake in the form of tea to be consumed.

[close] Do you love nature and its bounties? Are you delighted at the sight of twilight gently withdrawing from the common din, as if in arbitrary reassurance? Do you compare dew drops on the leaves with the 'tiny jewels of dawn' and the frost with the 'frozen essence of love and beauty?' Do you see your happy reflection in the 'mirrored lakes when the Sun beams dance about its sapphire crust' or would you prefer the reflection of love when 'the crescent moon smiles upon the mystic lake' Does your heart sing as well upon hearing the soft melodies of songbirds or you prefer the noise and commotion of this world instead.....If the answer to the former is yes, this group is meant for you