New to the Directory

Fascinating and highly acclaimed, Ancillary Justice, the first book in Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch series, explores the consequences of imperialism and the nature of identity through the experience of a multiple-bodied protagonist who has lived as both a ship and a human being.

Philosophically, the novel is interested in language, culture, gender, revenge, and the nature of personal responsibility, among other things; from a literary point of view, it is in deep conversation with its science-fiction ancestors and employs an interesting non-linear narrative structure. In this module, we will discuss all the above and more.

Ancillary Mercy, the conclusion to the Imperial Radch trilogy, pulls together the themes and threads of the previous novels. Continuing the trilogy’s meditations on identity, culture, and power, it delves into the meaning of personhood and the question of how to build a good society, especially when starting from a deeply damaged and corrupt one.

This book is deeply interested in alterity, forgiveness, and the possibility of building relationships among those with deep differences. In this module, we will discuss all the above and more, as well as what we can learn about the mysterious Presger.

`The second book in the Imperial Radch series, Ancillary Sword continues the story and builds on the themes of Ancillary Justice. In this book, we get a closer look at both the society of the colonized and the particulars of administration within the Radch.

The novel casts a critical eye on colonial policy and its systems of control, and considers the possibilities of resistance. This installment of the series continues the themes of identity and culture, politics and compassion, tea and translation. In this module, we will discuss all the above and more.

This module explores the first book in the series, which started it all: The Hunger Games (2008).

Series Outline:

What lessons do the Capitol and Districts have to teach us? What warnings should we heed? What road leads from here to Panem? Over the course of five months, participants in these SPACE modules will read and discuss a modern classic of dystopian storytelling, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

In this hybrid series, each week will include one lecture and one live discussion. The lectures will examine the inspirations behind, allusions in, and questions posed by that month's novel. In live discussions, participants will share their insights on, interpretations of, and reactions to the story. Together we will consider why this series has spoken to so many readers and explore how its messages remain relevant today.

Students will be asked to read one book over the course of each month in whatever format they choose. All of these novels are available in print, ebook, and audio format.

(Warning: The Hunger Games series include descriptions - for a young-adult audience - of substance abuse, physical abuse, violence, and death.)

Series Outline:

• Module 1: The Hunger Games (2008)

• Module 2: Catching Fire (2009)

• Module 3: Mockingjay (2010)

• Module 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)

• Module 5: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)

This module explores the second book in the series: Catching Fire (2009).

Series Outline:

What lessons do the Capitol and Districts have to teach us? What warnings should we heed? What road leads from here to Panem? Over the course of five months, participants in these SPACE modules will read and discuss a modern classic of dystopian storytelling, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

In this hybrid series, each week will include one lecture and one live discussion. The lectures will examine the inspirations behind, allusions in, and questions posed by that month's novel. In live discussions, participants will share their insights on, interpretations of, and reactions to the story. Together we will consider why this series has spoken to so many readers and explore how its messages remain relevant today.

Students will be asked to read one book over the course of each month in whatever format they choose. All of these novels are available in print, ebook, and audio format.

(Warning: The Hunger Games series include descriptions - for a young-adult audience - of substance abuse, physical abuse, violence, and death.)

Series Outline:

• Module 1: The Hunger Games (2008)

• Module 2: Catching Fire (2009)

• Module 3: Mockingjay (2010)

• Module 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)

• Module 5: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)

This module explores the third book in the series: Mockingjay (2010).

Series Outline:

What lessons do the Capitol and Districts have to teach us? What warnings should we heed? What road leads from here to Panem? Over the course of five months, participants in these SPACE modules will read and discuss a modern classic of dystopian storytelling, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

In this hybrid series, each week will include one lecture and one live discussion. The lectures will examine the inspirations behind, allusions in, and questions posed by that month's novel. In live discussions, participants will share their insights on, interpretations of, and reactions to the story. Together we will consider why this series has spoken to so many readers and explore how its messages remain relevant today.

Students will be asked to read one book over the course of each month in whatever format they choose. All of these novels are available in print, ebook, and audio format.

(Warning: The Hunger Games series include descriptions - for a young-adult audience - of substance abuse, physical abuse, violence, and death.)

Series Outline:

• Module 1: The Hunger Games (2008)

• Module 2: Catching Fire (2009)

• Module 3: Mockingjay (2010)

• Module 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)

• Module 5: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)

This module explores the fourth book in the series: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020).

Series Outline:

What lessons do the Capitol and Districts have to teach us? What warnings should we heed? What road leads from here to Panem? Over the course of five months, participants in these SPACE modules will read and discuss a modern classic of dystopian storytelling, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

In this hybrid series, each week will include one lecture and one live discussion. The lectures will examine the inspirations behind, allusions in, and questions posed by that month's novel. In live discussions, participants will share their insights on, interpretations of, and reactions to the story. Together we will consider why this series has spoken to so many readers and explore how its messages remain relevant today.

Students will be asked to read one book over the course of each month in whatever format they choose. All of these novels are available in print, ebook, and audio format.

(Warning: The Hunger Games series include descriptions - for a young-adult audience - of substance abuse, physical abuse, violence, and death.)

Series Outline:

• Module 1: The Hunger Games (2008)

• Module 2: Catching Fire (2009)

• Module 3: Mockingjay (2010)

• Module 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)

• Module 5: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)

This module explores the fifth book in the series: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025).

Series Outline:

What lessons do the Capitol and Districts have to teach us? What warnings should we heed? What road leads from here to Panem? Over the course of five months, participants in these SPACE modules will read and discuss a modern classic of dystopian storytelling, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

In this hybrid series, each week will include one lecture and one live discussion. The lectures will examine the inspirations behind, allusions in, and questions posed by that month's novel. In live discussions, participants will share their insights on, interpretations of, and reactions to the story. Together we will consider why this series has spoken to so many readers and explore how its messages remain relevant today.

Students will be asked to read one book over the course of each month in whatever format they choose. All of these novels are available in print, ebook, and audio format.

(Warning: The Hunger Games series include descriptions - for a young-adult audience - of substance abuse, physical abuse, violence, and death.)

Series Outline:

• Module 1: The Hunger Games (2008)

• Module 2: Catching Fire (2009)

• Module 3: Mockingjay (2010)

• Module 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)

• Module 5: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)

What lessons do the Capitol and Districts have to teach us? What warnings should we heed? What road leads from here to Panem? Over the course of five months, participants in these SPACE modules will read and discuss a modern classic of dystopian storytelling, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

In this hybrid series, each week will include one lecture and one live discussion. The lectures will examine the inspirations behind, allusions in, and questions posed by that month's novel. In live discussions, participants will share their insights on, interpretations of, and reactions to the story. Together we will consider why this series has spoken to so many readers and explore how its messages remain relevant today.

Students will be asked to read one book over the course of each month in whatever format they choose. All of these novels are available in print, ebook, and audio format.

(Warning: The Hunger Games series include descriptions - for a young-adult audience - of substance abuse, physical abuse, violence, and death.)

Series Outline:

• Module 1: The Hunger Games (2008)

• Module 2: Catching Fire (2009)

• Module 3: Mockingjay (2010)

• Module 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)

• Module 5: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)

In this module we'll be exploring a few legendary Icelandic þættir, a distinct narrative form within Old Norse literature characterised by brevity, punch, and thematic sharpness. Although often overlooked in favor of longer sagas, þættir offer rich insight into medieval Iceland, social codes, and the politics of storytelling. Their settings range from the farms of Iceland to the courts of Norwegian kings, and their protagonists include farmers, outlaws, poets, and tricksters, with lots of supernatural bits to enjoy!

This module considers their functions as entertainment, moral illustration, historical anecdote, their stylistic features like concision, irony, and sharp characterisation, as well as their ability to recycle ancient myths in new lights and shadows. Not to forget, they are simply fun to read!

Course Outline:

Week One
• The "Story of Norna-Gest"

Week Two
• The "Story of Sörli" or the "Saga of Hedinn and Högni"
Week Three
• The "Story of Thorsteinn Mansion-Might"
Week Four
• "The Story of Völsi"

Come explore Ursula K. Le Guin's final fantasy worldbuilding creation, the acclaimed YA fantasy series: Annals of the Western Shore, consisting of three loosely-connected novels: Gifts (2004), Voices (2006), and Powers (2007). Less well-known than her Earthsea or Hanish novels, this acclaimed series focuses on teenagers in the enigmatic "Western Shore" countries who much come to terms with mysterious powers that begin manifesting in puberty. Each week you'll connect with other readers and share your insights. This series is perfect for examining Le Guin's world-building techniques, or for anyone looking for a book club where you can share your thoughts and make some friends.

(Warning: These novels deal with serious issues. Gifts contains brief scenes of maiming. Powers is a first-person account of enslavement and includes a discussion of rape. All three books deal with war.)

Series Outline:

• Module 1: Gifts

• Module 2: Voices

• Module 3: Powers (part 1)

• Module 4: Powers (part 2)

This course offers a deep analysis of Tolkien’s seminal essay “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics,” which truly changed the course of scholarship on the most important text in Tolkien’s Cauldron of Story. The essay began as Tolkien’s 1936 Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture to the British Academy and was published that year. Thanks to “Beowulf and the Critics” (2002) published by Michael D.C. Drout we have a wonderful edition of the early drafts. Tolkien’s essay brings to the fore the powerful achievement of the Beowulf poet in crafting an expression of celebration and defiance, of heroism and death. In this fun SPACE course, we will explore Tolkien’s attitudes and assumptions on the poem in greater detail. Students will gain a greater appreciation for the essay and for Tolkien’s legendarium.

This series of modules would be for students who want to learn how to read Biblical Hebrew. The course would include some speaking, listening, and writing skills as well. But people who learn Biblical Hebrew do so in order to read it, so reading and comprehension skills would take primary focus.

Course Outline:

Weeks One and Two
• Sessions 1-4: Introduce the Hebrew alphabet and vowel classes
Week Three
• Session 5: History of Hebrew alphabet and vowel pointers
• Session 6: Syllabification
Week Four
• Session 7: Daghesh and Shewa
• Session 8: Reduced vowels

This module is a continuation of the Biblical module series for students who want to learn how to read Biblical Hebrew. The course would include some speaking, listening, and writing skills as well. But people who learn Biblical Hebrew do so in order to read it, so reading and comprehension skills would take primary focus.

This module is a continuation of the Biblical module series for students who want to learn how to read Biblical Hebrew. The course would include some speaking, listening, and writing skills as well. But people who learn Biblical Hebrew do so in order to read it, so reading and comprehension skills would take primary focus.

Building upon our exploration of Garner's foundational fantasy The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, this follow-up course delves into its darker, more complex sequel, The Moon of Gomrath. Where our first course examined Garner's introduction to the magical world of Alderley Edge, this second instalment investigates his evolution as a writer through a narrative that Philip Pullman noted "presents a less conventional fantasy on every level." We'll analyse how Garner introduces the dichotomy between "High Magic" (controlled, patriarchal, rational) and "Old Magic" (wild, feminine, emotional), exploring how this tension manifests through Susan's profound connection to ancient Celtic forces and Colin's desperate attempts to save her. The course will particularly focus on Garner's emerging literary voice—more direct, stripped-down language and a less linear plot structure that would come to define his later work.

Our discussions will examine how The Moon of Gomrath subverts traditional fantasy conventions through its abrupt, ambiguous ending and its refusal to provide neat resolutions. We'll explore Garner's masterful evocation of "both the wonder and terror of the mythical forces that hide behind the mundane surface of the world," and how the book rewards readers on multiple levels—offering adventure for younger audiences while presenting complex philosophical themes for adults. The course will conclude by considering how this sequel, with its "deeply melancholic and powerful story," marked Garner's transition toward more challenging literary territory, establishing themes he would explore throughout his distinguished career. Join us as we continue our journey through Garner's mythic landscape, where ancient magic awakens in modern England with consequences both thrilling and profound.

Dive into the enchanting world of Alan Garner's The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, a foundational work of British fantasy by an author described by Philip Pullman as "the most important British writer of fantasy since Tolkien." This course examines Garner's masterful integration of ancient British folklore with the real landscape of Alderley Edge in Cheshire, where two children—Colin and Susan—become the unexpected guardians of a magical jewel coveted by dark forces. Through close reading, we'll explore how Garner uses the tension between the mundane and magical to create a narrative where real English places become imbued with mythic significance, transforming ordinary landscapes into sites of extraordinary adventure and ancient power.

Our discussions will uncover the deeper themes that make this work resonate with readers of all ages: the timeless battle between good and evil, the power of friendship against overwhelming odds, and the profound connection between humans and their landscapes. We'll examine how Garner's unique approach to "re-enchanting modern life by presenting it as a thin skin concealing ancient folklore" not only created a beloved children's classic but established a distinctive voice in fantasy literature that continues to influence writers today. Join us for a fantastical journey that reveals how this seemingly simple adventure story operates as a complex parable about place, identity, and the persistence of magic in the modern world.

So, we’ve had a FIRST Tolkien’s Letters SPACE course – but what about SECOND Tolkien’s Letters SPACE course? And this time, we just focus on ONE letter?

In 2023, we were presented with a Revised and Expanded edition of The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, which gave us the opportunity for an even deeper dive into the life, the works, and the wonderful procrastinations of a much-loved author. Already a fan and scholar favourite, Letter 131 to Milton Waldman of Collins Publishers is now published in full and is one of the longest of the letters at around ten thousand words. The letter now also includes an attachment at the end, which is a list of individual tales with short descriptions, some of which were proposed by Tolkien for publication.

Designed to persuade Waldman to publish both The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, Letter 131 provides remarkable insight into Tolkien’s mythology, and his belief in the interdependence of these two works. In this course, we will read through this letter in great detail, making the connections between the letter and the texts, and immersing ourselves in wonder that is Tolkien’s subcreated world.