Session 1: April 29, 7 – 9 p.m.
Session 2: April 30, 1 – 3 p.m.
The 1960s were full of great music, questionable fashion, as well as war and peace, justice and corruption, and rebellion and retribution. It was a time of affordable college, job prospects, sexual freedom, as well as the heyday of questionable substance abuse. In this class we’ll look at three novels from the era, at least one of which would be found in any Woodstock generation crash pad. Folk musician Richard Farina, Joan Baez’s brother-in-law, was on his way to fame akin to Bob Dylan when on the way home from a 1966 party to celebrate his first novel, he fatally flipped off the back of a motorcycle. This was a mere two days after the publication of his novel Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me. The novel is now a cult classic, based on Farina’s college experiences and travels. Star Trek wasn’t the only sci-fi of the sixties: Robert Heinlein’s 1961 messianic novel Stranger in a Strange Land offered his version of extraterrestrial life, but also shows a character trying to understand American culture of the 60’s, and that is what we’ll try to grok – the word this book made famous. Finally, the counter-culture celebrated consciousness, turning German Nobel Prize winner Herman Hesse into an American best seller, with the embrace of his work Siddhartha.
Books:
Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me by Richard Farina
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
Nominated for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America, James Grady is best known for his first novel that became the Robert Redford movie Three Days of the Condor. Grady's published a dozen more novels and twice that number of short stories, been a journalist for Jack Anderson's column and AOL's PolticsDaily.com. France gave Grady its Grand Prix du Roman Noir, Italy gave him its Raymond Chandler medal. He's taught numerous classes for Politics & Prose on such topics as Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, James Cain, John LeCarre, noir, private eye and spy novels.
REFUND POLICY: Please note that we can issue class refunds up until seven (7) days before the first class session.