Life is full of surprises, some good and some not. Whether it’s a wonderful opportunity that presents itself or a disaster that strikes, we are faced with a decision: shall we stay put and make the best of things or shall we take a leap into the unknown and start over?  All the characters we will meet in the literature we read in this course have decided to take a chance and to reinvent themselves. Their struggles and triumphs will encourage us to think about our own capacity to change and grow. 

We’ll read Fredrik Backman’s best-selling novel Britt-Marie Was Here and shorter stories and essays by a cluster of authors that include Margaret Atwood, Jamaica Kincaid, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Jhumpa Lahiri. We’ll also do some personal reflection and written responses to questions raised by the characters we meet. 

Participants should purchase Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman. Other readings will be provided by the instructor or available on the web for download.