Book Lovers Unite

Living Writers (FSEM 164 and Engl 360)

Apassion for reading is the only prerequisite, according to the syllabi for Professor Jennifer Brice’s Living Writers classes.

That requirement resonates with Leah (Werner) ’96 Schultz, who has been participating in the course every year since she took it as a student with Professor Frederick Busch.

“I like reading a lot,” says Schultz, who was one of approximately 6,500 alumni, parents, and community members signed up for the fall not-for-credit program. “And I like being introduced to books I normally wouldn’t stumble across.”

This year was special for Schultz because she took the course with her daughter, Lily ’26. Leah had recommended it, saying, “Even if you’re not going to be an English major, it’s very interesting for writing in general, which is important at Colgate.” Throughout the semester, they’d see each other on Zoom in some of the open sessions, and they’d discuss the books privately.

The course has changed since Leah was a junior, with more opportunities now for students to interact with the authors, as well as a podcast, a website, and Mondayevening Zoom sessions featuring faculty members who can speak to that week’s topic.

“It’s sort of flipping the classroom,” Brice says. “They read the book, they have a really intense conversation with me about it, but they’re also expected to listen to the podcast, come to Zoom discussions, and read book reviews, interviews, and biographies — it’s a lot of work.”

For Lily, it’s paying off: “It’s been making me appreciate the books I’m reading a lot more,” she says. “I’m learning what questions to be asking about literature and how to analyze it from the standpoint of not just the reader, but also what the author might have been thinking when they were writing.”

Brice spends significant class time on how to prepare questions for the authors, pushing students to be specific. “No lazy questions,” the professor emphasizes.

For Leah, it’s about more than the books: “It’s the community,” she says. “The feeling that I’m still involved in Colgate.... It’s a connection back to the school, and I’m doing something I love to do.”

Fall ’22 readings

Severance, Ling Ma

The Crane Wife, CJ Hauser

How Beautiful We Were, Imbolo Mbue

The Stone Loves the World, Brian Hall

A Small Place, Jamaica Kincaid

Essex Clay, Sir Andrew Motion

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, Nathan Englander

Tentacle, Rita Indiana

Possessing Harriet, Kyle Bass

Weather, Jenny Offill

This year, in addition to the usual 300-level Living Writers course, Brice offered it as an FSEM. In that version of the class, students read a slightly abridged version of the full 10-book list.

The Living Writers conversation continues online through social media: #ColgateLivingWriters

Networks: Friends, Terrorists, and Epidemics is a new class, taught for the first time last fall by Professor Ahmet Ay (pictured).