Syllabus – COR 400G – Heroism and the Human Spirit, Spring
2021
(as of 1/25/2021)
Zoom, Office Hours, and contact information
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Zoom class meetings at 1:30PM MWF
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Office hours through zoom: MWF —9:00-9:45AM during office hours,
and by appointment.
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Tel: 315-445-4489
— Campus voice mail - you should receive a reply within a few
days.
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Email:
kagan@lemoyne.edu
— You should receive a reply within a day or so (not including
weekends).
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My Le Moyne College website
Goals
In his 1907 address to the Alumnae Association at Radcliffe College,
William James suggested that the aim of a successful college education is
that those who have it will be able to recognize a good person when they
are fortunate enough to encounter one. This course shares that aim. It
will involve varied readings from world literature, augmented by some
extra readings from philosophy and psychology in search of responses to
the question, “What makes a person great?” Of central concern
will be the issue of the nature of the heroic; we will also be concerned
with some other philosophical problems which arise in connection with
this question (such as: the problem of evil; personal identity;
determinism, free will and fatalism; death; the mind-body problem and the
problem of other minds; philosophical anthropology and philosophical
psychology as well as some philosophy of psychology; philosophical
analysis of religious experience). Students will be encouraged and
expected to bring their own learning from other disciplines to this
quest.
Student learning goals and objectives
The main purpose of this course is to provide students with an
opportunity to bring their disciplinary training and life experience to
develop their own answers to the question, “What makes a person
great?” It is hoped that giving students a chance to address this
problem while seeing its inter-connections with fundamental philosophical
issues will help them integrate their heroic visions into their own
philosophies of human existence and/or philosophic religious faith.
Students in COR 400G are expected to develop their own approaches to the
goals of this course, encounter new ways of approaching texts and
problems, and to bring their own backgrounds and disciplinary training to
bear on specific questions raised in the readings. Students are expected
to develop, present, and demonstrate:
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their own approaches to interpreting texts
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their appreciation of some differing priorities and multiple
perspectives involved in seeking and recognizing human excellence
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their understanding of how human culture, both past and present,
affects our judgment of some related philosophical problems and their
potential solutions
Students will also demonstrate critical speaking, listening, reading and
writing skills as they present interdisciplinary reflections and
arguments.
Requirements and grading
Requirements
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SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: You are to select and
complete three or four (the top 3 scores count for grading purposes)
of the eight short writing assignments. A reading question is given
along with each assignment. Unless otherwise indicated, please answer
the reading question in less than one TYPED page
(all assignments, except in-class writings, are to be typed).
Make sure you are working with the current version of
this syllabus.
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STUDENT PRESENTATIONS: For every presentation, you will
be required to turn in an outline or abstract of your presentation
[if you are using Google Slides or PowerPoint, a copy of your slides
will take care of this requirement], complete with a list of all
works used. Please submit this material on Canvas before your
presentation.
Also, if you use any web pages, not only should these
be listed on the outline with the rest of your bibliography, but you
are also required to turn in a printout of all web pages used in
preparing the presentation. If your group divides the work into
separate parts, each member of the group will need to provide his or
her own outline/abstract and printouts.
Outlines/abstracts and printouts are to be given to me
BEFORE the presentation. Failure to do so
BEFORE the presentation will result in a
30% deduction from the relevant presenter’s presentation grade. If
the outline and printouts are not turned in by the next class, there
will be an additional 30% deduction. You may use up to
but not more than 2 minutes of videotaped material for your
presentation. In the event of a technical glitch, power
failure, or delivery problem, make sure you can present without the
computer/videotaped material.
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STUDENT PRESENTATIONS ON READINGS: All students are
expected to do all readings and to share their understanding with one
another in class discussions by leading their own and participating
in other students’ presentations on the various readings. Student
presentations on readings begin after the second week of class, and
will be scheduled during the first week. The subtopics will be
divided up into student groups whose size will be determined by the
class size.
Remember: You have less than an hour to present. Focus on the aspects
your group finds most interesting and important. Do not try to cover
everything. Your presentation will be improved if you make it easier
for others to participate. (Please try to help others’
presentations by participating!) Please feel free to meet with me to
discuss your presentations. If the posted office hours do not work
with your schedule, please email me at
kagan@lemoyne.edu.
Although you can always leave a voice mail message at
314-445-4489, I tend to check email more often.
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THE PROJECT might involve further investigating the
issue of human greatness and heroism, a philosophical essay
concerning some related issue of philosophical interest in a work of
literature, a creative literary work of the student’s own (e.g., a
short story, 1st chapter of a novel, etc.), or a philosophical
analysis of some related issue present in one of the works we
studied, detailing the position(s) set forth in the work, and
developing and defending one’s own philosophical response. Students
are encouraged and expected to bring their own learning from other
disciplines. I expect the length of most written projects to be about
5-7 typed pages. If you’re interested in doing a project that will be
significantly longer, please let me know in advance.
Grading
25% of the grade is based on participation, in-class writings, and the
optional journal and other optional writing assignments. Since you are
not participating when you don’t attend class, you will need to make up
any absences with extra-credit assignments and journaling.
25% of the grade is based on the presentation on the readings.
25% for the top three short writing assignments (the grade will be the
average of the best three out of four).
25% is determined by the project and its presentation (this can be done
as a presentation, a paper, or both).
Grades are based on a 10 point scale as follows:
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90-100 – ‘A’ range (97-100 = A+;
94-96 = A; 90-93 = A-)
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80-89 – ‘B’ range (87-89 = B+;
84-86 = B; 80-83 = B-)
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70-79 – ‘C’ range (77-79 = C+;
74-76 = C; 70-73 = C-)
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60-69 – ‘D’ range (67-69 = D+;
64-66 = D; 60-63 = D-)
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Below 60 – ‘F’
Failure to complete any of (1)-(4) above can result in
a failing grade.
Plagiarism will result in a failing grade.
Required Reading List (in approximate reading order)
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Walter Mosley, Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned.
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Stephen King, Different Seasons (also published as
Shawshank Redemption and as Apt Pupil).
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Ayn Rand, Anthem.
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Ernest Becker, Denial of Death.
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Octavia E. Butler, Bloodchild and Other Stories, 2nd
edition.
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Orson Scott Card, Maps in a Mirror.
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Plato, Symposium.
SPECIAL NEEDS
In coordination with the
Academic Support Center
(ASC) and
Disability Support Services,
reasonable accommodations are provided for qualified students with
disabilities. Please register for disability verification and
determination of reasonable accommodations. After receiving your
accommodation form, you will need to make an appointment with me to
review the form and discuss your needs. Please make every attempt to meet
with me within the first week of class so your accommodations can be
provided in a timely manner. You can either stop by the ASC, Library, 1st
floor, or call (445-4118-voice or 445-4104-TDD) to make an appointment.
IMPORTANT DATES
If you miss class for any religious observance throughout the
semester, please let me know (so it gets recorded as an excused
absence).
No classes or office hours on Friday, April 2, Good Friday.
Mon., May 17, last day of class.
PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE WED., MAR. 24.
OPTIONAL (for those who present their projects), WRITTEN PROJECTS DUE
MON, MAY. 3
OPTIONAL (for those who write their projects), STUDENT PROJECT
PRESENTATIONS BEGIN WED., APR. 14.
Closings/cancellations and online versions of this course
This semester (Spring 2021) the plan is to start meeting synchronously
using Zoom. Please check your email and Canvas for information and the
links to the Zoom sessions. I will attempt to record the lectures for
student use.
When campus/dorms are closed due to flu or other circumstances, my intent
is that the course continue. Assignments continue to be due electronically
(if Canvas is down, email to
kagan@lemoyne.edu
may still work). Presentations will be replaced by papers, virtual
presentations, or extended descriptions of presentations. In addition to
notes and group work already available there on-line, I will post updates,
lecture notes, etc., to Canvas and to
my Le Moyne College website.
As at other times, if your situation results in your needing an
extension, please let me know. Also, if internet service is down or there
are other infrastructure problems, please complete the assignments and
turn them in when services are restored.
Tentative Course Schedule and Schedule of Assignments
‘*’ indicates student presentation.
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(Mon., Feb. 8) Introduce course, choose groups and schedule
presentations on readings.
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(Wed., Feb. 10) In-class writing on childhood heroes.
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(Fri. Feb. 12) Discussion of heroic scripting.
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(Mon., Feb. 15) Self-deception and bad faith. Read Orson Scott
Card’s “The Best Day”
(from Maps in a Mirror). The temptation to deny the best
and the worst.
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*
(Wed., Feb. 17) Students present on Walter Mosley’s
“Crimson Shadow”
(in Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned)
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: What do the characters in
this story fear about the future? What can we learn from this?
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*
(Fri., Feb. 19). SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE:
Students present on Stephen King’s
“The Body” (in
Different Seasons). What do two major characters in this
story fear about the future? What can we learn from this?
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(Mon., Feb. 22) Instructor presents on Rand’s philosophy.
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*
(Wed., Feb. 24) Students present on Anthem. SHORT
WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: In the world Rand describes,
one’s career is chosen by others at an early age – how do
the book’s characters respond to this choice? Does our society
also put some in a position that will keep them from interfering with
the status quo? Why or why not?
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(Fri, Feb. 26) Lecture on problem of personal identity.
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*
(Mon., Mar. 1) Students present on Octavia Butler’s
“The Evening and the Morning, and the
Night” (in the Bloodchild anthology).
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Compare someone in this
story to someone you have encountered (in life or literature). What can
we learn from this comparison?
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(Wed, Mar. 3) Lecture on “Becker, Childhood, and Scary
Stories.” Read Denial of Death, Introduction &
Part I (Chapters 1-6). SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: How might you
relate Becker’s views to the experiences of the characters we
have read about so far?
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(Fri., Mar. 5) Instructor presents one way of reading King (and
others).
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*
(Mon., Mar. 8) Students present on Stephen King’s
“The Breathing Method”
(in Different Seasons). SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT
DUE: What do the characters in this story fear about the
future? What can we learn from this?
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(Wed., Mar. 10). Instructor presents on Heroic Myths (Campbell and
Raffa) and the twice born, related to the readings in and implications
concerning discrimination and deception.
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(Fri., Mar. 12) Bring Bloodchild to class. Read
Butler’s “Positive
Obsession” and “Furor
Scribendi.” Group work.
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*
(Mon., Mar. 15) Students present on “Last
Rites” in Walter Mosley’s Always Outnumbered,
Always Outgunned. SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: How do
the two of the characters in this story respond to those they care
about? When is this most difficult? Why?
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*
(Wed., Mar. 17) TWO PART SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE:
Write a brief description of a friend or a brief story in which the sex
of at least one major character is neither stated nor implied. THEN
explain which of the people described in the Symposium has
beliefs about love that are consistent with their own life/lives.
Explain why. Note: You are welcome to do this within one page if you
can, but, for this assignment, the page limit is 3 TYPED pages.
Students present on Symposium.
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(Fri., Mar. 19) Lecture on “Time and Chance & Sex and
Gender.”
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(Mon., Mar. 22). Group work on sex/gender distinction.
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(Wed., Mar. 24) Project proposals due. Buber’s
hasidut and Rebbe Nachman’s “The
Turkey Prince.” (Includes group work on Rebbe
Nachman’s story.)
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(Fri., Mar. 26) In-class writing exercise on future autobiography.
SCHEDULE PROJECT PRESENTATIONS.
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(Mon., Mar. 29) Lecture on “Possibilities and Practice: Heroic
Tasks and Self Education.”
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(Wed., Mar. 31) Read Orson Scott Card’s
“Mortal Gods”
(from Maps in a Mirror). Group work on
“Mortal Gods.”
(Friday, April 2) Good Friday. No class or office
hours.
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(Mon., Apr. 5) Read Orson Scott Card’s
“The Porcelain Salamander”
(from Maps in a Mirror). Group work on
“The Porcelain Salamander.”
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*
(Wed., Apr. 7) Students present on Card’s
“Bicicleta.” What do the
characters in this story fear about the future? What can we learn from
this?
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(Fri, Apr. 9) TBA
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(Mon., Apr. 12) TBA
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*
(Wed., Apr. 14 - Mon., May 17) Student presentations on
projects. WRITTEN PROJECTS DUE: MON., MAY 3. These
presentations are to be about 10 to 15 minutes in length per student,
depending on the size of the class, and the number of students
presenting. A solo presenter will have 15 minute; a group of 2 or 3
students will have 20-30 minutes; groups of 3 or 4 will have 30-45
minutes). These will continue until the end of semester. Students who
are unable to do their individual presentations at the scheduled time
will need to schedule a make-up presentation. If re-scheduling is not
possible, the student will need to turn in a written version of their
presentation if they have not yet done so.
WRITTEN PROJECTS DUE: MON., APR. 19.
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(Mon., May 17) Make-up presentations and final evaluations (if
not done, and depending on the implementation of the new evaluation
system). LAST DAY OF CLASS.
Some Suggested Works for Final Projects
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Ajami, Fouad. The Dream Palace of the Arabs (Pantheon
Books, 1998).
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Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and
the Last Great Lesson.
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Amdur, Ellis. Dueling with O-Sensei: Grappling with the Myth of
the Warrior Sage, Old School: Essays on Japanese Martial
Traditions.
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Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time
Indian, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in
Heaven. (The movie Smoke Signals is based on this.)
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Arnold, Matthew, Freddie Wong, Will Campos, and Brian Firenzi.
Video Game High School (VGHS). 2012-2015.
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Becker, Ernest. The Birth and Death of Meaning, The
Denial of Death, and other works.
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Belenky, et al. Women’s Ways of Knowing.
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Benford, Gregory. Timescape.
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Berne, Eric. Games People Play, What Do You Say
After You Say Hello? - The Psychology of Human Destiny, and
other works.
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Brown, Claude. Manchild in the Promised Land.
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Brown, Christy. My Left Foot.
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Bujold, Lois McMaster. Cordelia’s Honor, and other
works.
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Butler, Octavia E. Parable of the Sower, and other works.
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Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces, second
ed.
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Card, Orson Maps in a Mirror: The Short Fiction of Orson Scott
Card, Ender’s Game, and other works.
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Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder and other
works.
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Chesbro, George. Shadow of a Broken Man.
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Chesterton, Gilbert K. The Innocence of Father Brown,
other Father Brown Mysteries, etc.
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Cline, Ernest. Ready Player One.
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Cohn, Rachel, and David Levithan. Nick and Norah’s Infinite
Playlist.
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Cross, Amanda. Death in a Tenured Position, and other
works.
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Davies, Robertson. The Deptford Trilogy: Fifth Business/the
Manticore/World of Wonders, and other works.
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DeWitt, Helen. The Last Samurai.
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Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Brothers Karamazov, The
Idiot, Notes from the Underground,
“The Crocodile,” and other
works.
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Effinger, George Alec. When Gravity Fails, Budayeen
Nights, and other works.
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Elgin, Suzette Haden. Native Tongue, The Judas
Rose, The Gentle Art of Verbal Self Defense and
other works.
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Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man.
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Eugenides, Jeffrey. Middlesex.
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Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search for Meaning. Pocket
Books Washington Square Press printing, 1985.
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Friedman, C.S. This Alien Shore, and other works.
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Fuller, Brian, and Todd Holland. Wonderfalls. (2004)
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Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book, Coraline,
and other works.
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Gardner, John. The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young
Writers, On Becoming a Novelist.
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Gibson, William. Neuromancer.
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Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and
Women’s Development.
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Gilman, Dorothy The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax, Tightrope
Walker, Incident at Badamya, and other works.
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Goldman, William. The Princess Bride.
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Goldstein, Lisa. Dream Years, The Red
Magician, Travellers in Magic, and other works.
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Goodkind, Terry. Sword of Truth series, which begins with
Wizard’s First Rule.
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Griffith, Nicola. The Blue Place.
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Haley, Alex, and Malcolm X. The Autobiography of Malcolm
X.
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Hammett, Dashiel. The Maltese Falcon (the book
and the movie). You should look at his other novels as well.
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Hargrove, Anne C. Getting Better: Conversations with myself and
other friends while healing from breast cancer.
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Heinlein, R. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger
in a Strange Land, Citizen of the Galaxy,
Double Star, and other works.
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Henderson, Zenna. Ingathering: The Complete People Stories
(NESFA Press, 1995).
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Hesse, Hermann. Siddhartha, The Journey to the
East, The Glass Bead Game,
Steppenwolf, and other works.
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Hitchens, Christopher. Letters to a Young Contrarian.
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Hoeg, Peter. Smilla’s Sense of Snow,
Borderliners.
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Hong Kingston, Maxine. The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood
Among Ghosts.
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Howie, Noelle. Dress Codes: Of Three Girlhoods—My
Mother’s, My Father’s, and Mine.
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Howatch, Susan. Glamorous Powers, and other works.
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Hunt, Lynda Mullaly. Fish in a Tree (2015).
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Irving, John. In One Person (2012), A Prayer for
Owen Meany, The World According to Garp.
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Jarmusch, Jim. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
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Jewell, Lisa. One-Hit Wonder.
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Junger, Sebastian. War.
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Kafka, Franz.
“Penal Colony,”
“Hunger Artist,”
The Trial, The Castle, and other works.
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Kagan, Michael. Educating Heroes (Durango, Colorado:
Hollowbrook, 1994).
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Kamenetz, Rodger. The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet’s
Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India, and
Stalking Elijah: Adventures with Today’s Jewish Mystical
Masters.
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Kaye, Ronnie. Spinning Straw into Gold.
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King, Stephen. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Hearts
in Atlantis, Bag of Bones, and other works.
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Kiyosaki, Robert T., and Sharon Lechter. Rich Dad, Poor
Dad.
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Kress, Nancy. Beggars in Spain, Maximum
Light.
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Leonard, George. Mastery (New York: Penguin/Plume, 1992).
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Lowry, Dave. Autumn Lightning, Persimmon
Wind.
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Le Guin, Ursula K. The Telling, Left Hand of
Darkness, The Lathe of Heaven, The
Dispossessed, and other works.
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Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted.
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Martinez, Guillermo. The Oxford Murders (New York: Penguin
Books, 2006).
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Monroe, Kristen Renwick. The Heart of Altruism, The
Hand of Compassion: Portraits of Moral Choice during the
Holocaust, and other works (recommended by Lowell A. Dunlap,
Ph.D.).
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Maktub (2017, directed by Oded Raz).
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Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon, and other works.
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Morrow, James. Towing Jehovah, Blameless in
Abaddon, and other works.
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Mosley, Walter. 47, Always Outnumbered, Always
Outgunned, Devil in a Blue Dress, Fearless
Jones, and other works.
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Noddings, Nel. Caring.
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McBride, James. The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute
to His White Mother.
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Oates, J. C. On Boxing.
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Parker, Robert B. Mortal Stakes, and other works.
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Peters, Ellis (Edith Mary Pargeter). A Morbid Taste for
Bones, One Corpse too Many, other Brother Cadfael
mysteries, and other works.
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Plato. The Republic, and other works.
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Pohl, Frederik. Gateway.
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Polster, Miriam F. Eve’s Daughters: The Forbidden Heroism
of Women.
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Pullman, Philip. The Golden Compass (New York: Alfred A.
Knopf, 1996).
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Raffa, Jean Benedict. The Bridge to Wholeness: A Feminine
Alternative to the Hero Myth.
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Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged,
The Virtue of Selfishness.
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Remen, Rachel Naomi. Kitchen Table Wisdom, My
Grandfather’s Blessings, and other works.
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Rollin, B. First, You Cry.
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Rosenbaum, Lisa Pearl. A Day of Small Beginnings.
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Rothfuss, Patrick. The Name of the Wind (DAW Books, 2007),
and other works.
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Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone.
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Rubin, Henry Alex, and Dana Adam Shapiro (directors).
Murderball.
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Russell, Mary Doria. Dreamers of the Day,
Doc, The Sparrow, and Children of
God.
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Sacks, Oliver. Musicophila: Tales of Music and the Brain.
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Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. A Silver Thread of Madness, and
other works.
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Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of Kings (Tor Books, 2010),
and other works.
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Sapphire. Push: A Novel.
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Sawyer, Robert J. Quantum Night (Penguin/ACE, 2016).
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Scriptures, religious tales and teachings of interest to the student,
from a variety of traditions (including, but not limited to, African,
Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Native American, Taoist, Vedic).
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Silverberg, Robert. Lord Valentine’s Castle.
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Smith, Dominic. The Beautiful Miscellaneous (New York:
Atria Books, 2007).
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Stead, Rebecca. When you Reach Me.
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Steiner, Claude M. Scripts People Live: Transactional Analysis of
Life Scripts.
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Suzuki, D.T. Zen and Japanese Culture.
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Sturgeon, Theodore. More than Human, and other works.
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Stephenson, Neal. Cryptonomicon, Diamond Age,
Snow Crash, and other works.
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Stout, Martha. The Myth of Sanity: Divided Consciousness and the
Promise of Awareness.
-
Taleb, Nassim Nicholas. Antifragile: Things that Gain from
Disorder (2012), The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly
Improbable (2007), Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role
of Chance in Life and in the Markets (2001), and other works.
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Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club, The Hundred Secret
Senses.
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Tremayne, Peter (Peter Berresford Ellis). The Spider’s Web:
A Celtic Mystery, The Chalice of Blood, other
Sister Fidelma mysteries, and other works.
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Tolstoy, Leo. The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and other works.
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Their Finest (2017, directed by Lone Scherfig).
-
Ushpizin (2004, directed by Giddi Dar).
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Vinge, Vernor. Rainbows End, and other works.
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Vonnegut, Jr., Kurt. Mother Night, Slaughterhouse
Five, and other works.
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Wachowski, Lana and Lilly. The Matrix and its sequels
(including The Animatrix).
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Walker, Alice. The Color Purple.
-
Walton, Jo. Among Others.
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Wiesel, Elie. Dawn, The Accident, and other
works.
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Willis, Connie. Blackout/All Clear, Passages,
Doomsday Book, Bellwether, and other works.
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Yoshikawa. Musashi.
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Zettel, Sarah. Fool’s War.
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Zuzak, Markus. The Book Thief.
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