The Spare Room
Melbourne
:
Text Publishing
,
2008
Z1457068
2008
single work
novel
(taught in 10 units)
'Helen lives in Melbourne, and her friend Nicola flies down from Sydney for a three-week visit. She will sleep in Helen's house, in her lovingly prepared spare room. This is no ordinary visit. Nicola has advanced cancer and is seeking alternative treatment from a clinic in Helen's city. From the moment Nicola steps off the plane, gaunt, staggering like a crone, her voice hoarse but still with something grand about her, Helen becomes her nurse, her protector, her guardian angel and her stony judge.' (Publisher's blurb)
Jean-Dominique Bauby. The diving-bell and the butterfly.
Alison Bechdel. Fun home : a family tragicomic.
Primo Levi. If this is man ; and, The truce.
Li Cunxin. Mao's last dancer.
Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-five, or, The children's crusade : a duty-dance with death.
The Memoir Book : A Guide To Life Writing
Pymble
:
HarperCollins Australia
,
2007
Z1382169
2007
single work
criticism
(taught in 4 units)
The primary aim of this subject is to explore how life experiences are researched, interpreted and represented. Students will also review theoretical issues relating to genre in the field, read examples of various forms of life writing - for example, autobiographies, memoirs, diaries, biographies, letters - and develop their skills in life writing by focussing on a variety of approaches.
Syllabus:
The subject will cover the following topics:
theoretical issues on life writing relating to genre; various forms of life writing, including, autobiography, biography, memoir, diaries, letters; research required for writing 'life' studies in sources such as the CSU Archives, interviews, state records, research libraries; exercises exploring various genres and selection of an appropriate form for a substantial project; * presentation of 'work in progress' in seminars where it will be subject to critical review.
