Intellectual Curiosities: Four Evenings with Jane Austen
If these or any other reasons have brought you to consider our Reading Jane Austen free community class, WELCOME!
Participants in this class will read three works in four bi-weekly sessions and discuss them with other students and the class instructor, Dr. Mary Lenard. All ages are welcome, though please note that there will be adult language and discussion topics and minors should be accompanied on campus. There are no tests, no papers, just reading and talking about a fascinating work with other curious minds.
Please read through the information below. You will find a link to the registration form there. Email stadick@uwp.edu with any questions.
The class is limited to 40 students. Please register by February 2.
Fun fact: The Intellectual Curiosities Series began in 2024 as a collaboration between the Library and Dr. Dana Oswald, who led a class on the Iliad, translated newly by Emily Webster.
Class instructor: Mary Lenard, Ph.D. , Professor of English, Literature and Languages Department
Ph.D University of Texas at Austin, 1996.
Mary's research and instruction focuses on British Literature, specifically Victorian and 19th-Century British Literature, as well as Children's and Young Adult literature.
Class Schedule:
Classes will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the UW-Parkside Library on the following four Thursdays. Participants will read the book before each class date and discuss the material in class.
Feb. 5 Introduction: Jane Austen in historical context; the Regency Era
Feb 19 Pride and Prejudice
March 5 Mansfield Park
March 19 Persuasion and Jane Austen 250th Birthday Party!
Registration: If you would like to participate in the class, please register online
Participation: Class members should read the assigned material before each class and come prepared to discuss.
Location: UW-Parkside Library, Art in the Library Area, L1.
Parking: Parking will be free on campus for participants. Please use the Rita Lot B or C Parking Map
Cost: There is no cost for participation in this class, beyond the cost of purchasing your own book
Certification: Participants who attend and actively contribute to all four class sessions will receive a digital completion badge to display on social media, digital resumes, or other sites.
We will read three Jane Austen works:
Why these? Instructor's choice! Come to class to learn why these three are featured for this 250th anniversary series.
Purchasing your book: Participants in the class are encouraged to purchase their own copy so they can underline, highlight, and note as necessary. You may purchase this book from a local bookstore, the UW-Parkside Bookstore, or other venues. Contact your bookstore before purchasing to be sure it is in stock. Bookstores can order the volume for you. You can also order it online.
Bookshop.org allows you to find the book you want on their site and select your local bookstore. They will send you the book and the profit to your chosen bookstore. Blue House Books and Vintage and Modern Books [Racine] participate in bookshop.org.
Other ways to read the book: Most libraries will have copies of this book in print, audiobook, and ebook form. It is in the public domain and so it is freely available to download legally online, such as at Project Gutenberg. Email your local library or stadick@uwp.edu if you need help locating a library book to borrow.
Cost: Paperbacks cost $10-$15 per copy in most locations.
Class Resources will be posted shortly before the first session. Check back!
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Library | Contact Us
900 Wood Road Kenosha, WI 53141 | (262) 595-3432
