Reading Groups

A World on the Brink: Fiction's Reflections of 1924 with Donna Raskin

$45

1 Session

In stock

Friday, 7:00 pm EDT - 8:30 pm EDT April 5, 2024

Online via Zoom

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William_McGregor_Paxton_-_The_Front_Parlor_-_105-1974_-_Saint_Louis_Art_Museum Large

In 1924, Adolph Hitler was sentenced to five years in jail and the United Kingdom recognized the Soviet Union. The Ottoman Empire was abolished in 1924 and Calvin Coolidge was president. In this class, we will discuss the way that year’s literature looked back at a time before industry, wondered about the meetings of disparate cultures, and more.

We’ll read Old New York by Edith Wharton, published 100 years ago, and discuss what the work reflects from that time period, as well as how it hold ups and connects to our lives today. We will also discuss writing style and our opinions about the book.

What to expect from this reading group: I start the class with about 15 minutes of history around the book and the author. Then, I open the discussion to hear everyone’s opinion about the book. Finally, we discuss specific points of the book, including themes and writing style.

Recommendations for Future Reading:

William_McGregor_Paxton_-_The_Front_Parlor_-_105-1974_-_Saint_Louis_Art_Museum Large

Led by

  • Donna Raskin

    Donna Raskin

    Donna Raskin

    Donna Raskin is the senior health and fitness editor at Runner’s World and Bicycling. She has taught literature and writing at The College of New Jersey, and has run many virtual book groups with The Center for Fiction.

About this series

Reading Groups

Whether you’re looking to catch up on great novels or you’re interested in exploring a new writer or literary period, our reading groups offer high-level literary discussion led by experts in the field.

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