Scarsdale Adult School Catalog Spring/Summer 2024
Literature, Film, Theater, and Television
Booklover’s Roundtable of What to Read Next
Short Stories Live in Honor of St. Patrick's Day This innovative program combines the immediacy of live performance, insights into classic and contemporary literature, and lively discussions with fellow participants. At this special edition in honor of St. Patrick's Day, watch and listen to an actor perform a themed short story and then engage in interactive conversation. The selection will be disclosed and emailed to students on the day of class for future reference, or in case participants want to follow along. No advance reading is required. LORI ROTSKOFF is a cultural historian, writer, educator, and public speaker specializing in memoirs and narrative nonfiction, childhood and youth, women’s and gender studies, and arts and culture. She studied history and literature at Northwestern University and earned a PhD in American Studies at Yale. Thursday, March 14 • 11:00am-12:30pm • Zoom • Course 12345 • $40
Designed for avid readers and bibliophiles who are always on the lookout for their next new book, whether in print, e-book, or audible format, this
informative presentation unveils a “baker’s dozen” of book suggestions to take you through the cozy months of winter and into the spring, including fiction, memoir, and non-fiction titles. “Show and tell style,” students may share recommendations with the group and engage in a discussion about their own recent literary favorites. LORI ROTSKOFF (see bio for “Short Stories Live”). Wednesday, March 6 • 1:00pm-2:30pm • Zoom • Course 12437 • $25
Book Discussion: Absolution (2023) by Alice McDermott
Book Discussion: James (2024) by Percival Everett
This New York Times bestseller recounts the fictional interior lives of two American corporate wives, unencumbered by the virtue of humility, living in Saigon in the years before the Vietnam War, and the legacy of their charitable attempts to "do
Percival Everett's acclaimed novel James is an action-packed reimagining of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, indelibly narrated from the point of view of the enslaved Jim and brimming with the lacerating humor and keen observations that define Everett's distinctive style. Upon learning that he is about to be sold and forever separated from his wife and daughter, James hides to formulate an escape plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father. Thus begins their dangerous and life-changing journey by raft down the Mississippi River, where encounters with an evolving cast of characters continually expose the absurdities and injustice of racism on the eve of the Civil War. Throughout, James's intelligence and compassion shine in a radically new light. LORI ROTSKOFF (see bio for “Short Stories Live”). Tuesday, August 27 • 1:30pm-3:00pm • Zoom • Course 12712 • $35
good" for the Vietnamese. Sixty years later, as one of the two wives reconnects with the daughter of the other, the shared memories yield a reckoning about the wives' altruistic efforts that parallel the unintended consequences of America's involvement in Southeast Asia's political landscape. McDermott's ninth novel contains pithy observations and a Barbie doll-centric plot device as it captures in absorbing detail the folly of the expat socialite lifestyle and white savior complex. Pair this course with the author visit with Alice McDermott ( Course 12590 ), also in the schedule. Separate registration is required. LORI ROTSKOFF (see bio for “Short Stories Live”). Wednesday, March 27 • 1:00pm-2:30pm • Westchester Reform Temple • Course 12515 • $30
www.ScarsdaleAdultSchool.org • (914) 723-2325
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