In this literature/creative writing hybrid course, we'll read a number of 20th and 21st century authors writing across a wide spectrum of what might be called "story sequences" or "composite novels." Each student will have the opportunity to write part of a sequence of their own. We'll consider how this sub-genre might distinguish itself from its neighbors, and what sorts of genre-specific material or craft ambitions our authors have brought to this particular form: how a composition of semi-independent elements amounts to a different endeavor than a novel with its chapters. Authors we'll read are likely to include Kate Bernheimer, Angela Carter, Edward P. Jones, James Joyce, Jamaica Kincaid, Daniyal Mueenuddin, Grace Paley, W. G. Sebald, and Jean Toomer. Students will have the option to write craft-based critical analysis, companion stories, or a brief sequence, whether purely fictional or involving multiple genres.
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