Engl 3040 Literary Nonfiction, Fall 2018

---

[ Policies ] [ Calendar ] [ Links ]

---

Policies
last update: August 12, 2018

Course Time and Place

English 3040 Literary Nonfiction; Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:40-3pm, Burleson Hall, room 304

Instructor Information and Office Hours

Dr. Kevin O'Donnell, Professor of English, Department of Literature and Language, East Tennessee State University

faculty.etsu.edu/odonnell/; odonnell@etsu.edu; 423 439-6679 
Office: Burleson Hall 313

Fall 2018 Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:35-1:30pm; Tuesdays 12:45-3:35

Course Texts

- Nate Blakeslee. American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West. Broadway Books, 2018 (2017). ISBN: 978-1101902806 $16.00

- Truman Capote. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences. Vintage, 1994 (1965). ISBN: 0679745580 $14.00 

- Joan Didion. Slouching Towards Bethlehem: Essays. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008 (1968). ISBN: 0374531382 $15.00

- Scott McClanahan. Crapalachia: A Biography of Place. Two Dollar Radio, 2013. ISBN: 1937512037 $16.00 

- Art Spiegelman. Maus: A Survivor's Tale ("The Complete Maus," Books 1 and 2). Penguin, 2003 (1986). ISBN: 9780141014081 $23.25 

- Cheryl Strayed. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. Vintage, 2013 (2012). ISBN: 0307476073 $15.95

- David Foster Wallace. A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments. Back Bay Books, 1998 (1997). ISBN: 0316925284 $14.99 

- Brian Reed, host and executive producer. Shittown. A podcast in 7 chapters. Each chapter is approximately an hour. 2017. stownpodcast.org

- Some additional readings are posted on the internet. See calendar for reading assignments. 

Assignments / Final Grade Breakdown

- 2 book review essays, which you will write about books that we read for class (750-1,250-words) -- 20% each; 40% total

- 1 essay, in the literary-nonfiction mode of your choice (1,000-2,000 words) -- 25% 

- mid-term exam -- 15%

- final exam -- 15%

- Attendance and participation -- 5%

Attendance, Due Dates
Attendance: I will strive to make the classes worthwhile and interesting, so try to not to miss. The English Department policy: more than 6 absences and you fail the course. In addition, my individual policy is that, if you miss anywhere between 3 and 5 classes, I reserve the option to lower your final grade up to one full letter grade.

Due Dates: In general, I do not accept late work. However, if there are extenuating circumstances, talk to me. I am willing to make accommodations.  If you must miss a class during which a major assignment is due, then email me that assignment ahead of time (odonnell@etsu.edu); also then bring a hard copy of the essay to the following class meeting.