OSHER 605 - History and Literature: "The Great Believers"

Historical novels tell interesting stories about a time and a place and the people who live there. The authors of these novels must do extensive research so their writing accurately reflects the history of the period. Using the novel, "The Great Believers" by Rebecca Makkai, as the launching point, this class will offer a one-hour look at the history of the early years of the AIDS epidemic, in order to provide the historical context for the novel. We will continue with a discussion of the novel as a piece of contemporary literature. Readers and history buffs welcome! Participants should read "The Great Believers" before the class.