Osric University

For Dummies: A Study of Accessible Literature

How many people have read Joyce's Ulysseus? How many understood it? Apparently, the latter number is much smaller than the former, if the number of reader's guides and abridged versions is any indication.

This course will study meta-literatures, the art of taking the complex and making it simpler and more accessible. Although our primary focus will be on classic literature made accessible through Cliffs Notes, Barron's Book Notes, Monarch Notes, and SparkNotes, we will also take a look at how-to helpers such as the For Dummies series and Idiot's Guides. Time permitting, we will also take a look at Readers Digest, condensed contemporary novels.

Some of the questions we will ask ourselves over the course of the semester:

You may find some of the answers surprising.

Sample Reading:



Updated 08-10-2005. Problems? Contact chris@osric.com