What Were We Thinking: Novels from the Sixties (1523)

Session 1: April 29, 7 – 9 p.m.
Session 2: April 30, 1 – 3 p.m.

Price: 
$40 (10% off for members)

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.

Stranger in a Strange Land By Robert A. Heinlein Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9780441790340
Availability: Special Order—Subject to Availability
Published: Ace - May 15th, 1987

Siddhartha: An Indian Tale By Hermann Hesse, Joachim Neugroschel (Translated by), Ralph Freedman (Introduction by) Cover Image
By Hermann Hesse, Joachim Neugroschel (Translated by), Ralph Freedman (Introduction by)
$13.00
ISBN: 9780141181233
Availability: In Stock—Click for Locations
Published: Penguin Classics - January 1st, 1999