The Story of America in Four Remarkable Books

Doors open at 9:15 AM, and the lecture starts at 10:00 AM.

While countless books have been published since the printing press, a small number have had a true impact on American culture, history, and society.  Literature tells the American story by capturing the nation’s evolving cultural landscape through a variety of diverse perspectives. Themes of individualism, race, fantasy, and even the “American Dream” bridge gaps left by traditional, objective history. This presentation will unveil the mysteries of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Joseph Heller’s Catch 22, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and more.

About the Speaker

Joseph Luzzi is the Asher B. Edelman Professor of Literature at Bard College, where he also teaches courses on film and Italian Studies. He is the author of eight books, including his recent Botticelli’s Secret: The Lost Drawings and the Rediscovery of the Renaissance, a New Yorker Best Books of 2022 selection and shortlisted for the Phi Beta Kappa Ralph Waldo Emerson Award. His other books include Romantic Europe and the Ghost of Italy,  My Two Italies, and In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love, which has been translated into multiple languages. 

Among his honors are a Dante Society of America essay prize, Yale College teaching prize, a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholars Award, and fellowships from the National Humanities Center and Yale’s Whitney Humanities Center.

Visitor Information and Guidelines

For assistance and to purchase tickets by phone, call the box office at 973-971-3706. Tickets and passes include a non-refundable service fee. Programs are subject to change.

Support for this series is provided by Melanie and Alan Levitan.