Explore literature set on the edges of our oceans as we consider three novels that depict life—past and present—in island settings. First up is Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea, set in the Caribbean and conceived as a prequel to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Next, we consider Alistair MacLeod’s tale of a lighthouse keeper’s family in Cape Breton, Canada in No Great Mischief. The final novel, The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, takes place on the Korean island of Jeju where women take the lead as divers, performing dangerous physical work in the village’s all-female diving collective. Come ready to discuss!
Sept. 16: Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) by Jean Rhys (optional reading: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte)
Oct. 14: No Great Mischief (1999) by Alistair McCleod
Nov. 18: The Island of Sea Women (2019) by Lisa See
Jennifer Heber-Brown is a program coordinator at OLLI at UNCW and a lifelong student of literature. She holds a doctorate from Harvard University in Italian Language and Literature. Bronwyn Morgan retired from a career designing and teaching technical and leadership training for industry. She is an active volunteer at OLLI at UNCW with a passion for literature. Shira Pilarski is the humanities librarian at UNCW. Before coming to Wilmington, they were a public librarian who ran a variety of book clubs for all ages across urban, suburban, small town and rural libraries.
Note: Books are not provided. Students will receive an email with information about where to find them once the class is filled.
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