First six weeks of…

First six weeks of course, focusing on African American SF/F. If anyone has any suggestions for classic SF/F texts to recommend to students as extra reading, pairings that might illuminate what these authors were responding to, that would be a huge help. For example, I have them read some classic Conan the Barbarian, before they read George Saunders's Imaro. I'd love to include some Heinlein, Bradbury, Asimov, Clarke, if it's actually relevant.

Week 1:

Mon: "Mary Anne Mohanraj Gets You Up to Speed: Part I," John Scalzi's Whatever (handout / coursepack)
Wed: Sheree R. Thomas, �Introduction: Looking for the Invisible,� Dark Matter
Honor�e Fanonne Jeffers, �Sister Lilith,� Dark Matter
Fri: W.E.B. Du Bois, �The Comet,� Dark Matter
Jewelle Gomez, �Chicago 1927,� Dark Matter�

Week 2:

Mon: Charles Saunders, "Why Blacks Should Read (and Write) Science Fiction," Dark Matter
Robert E. Howard, �Queen of the Black Coast� (http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0600961h.html)
Wed: Charles Saunders, Imaro
Fri: Charles Saunders, Imaro
Charles Saunders, "Gimmile's Songs," Dark Matter

Week 3:

Mon: Walter Mosley, "Black to the Future," Dark Matter
Evie Shockley, �Separation Anxiety,� Dark Matter
Wed: Nalo Hopkinson, �Greey Choke Puppy� and �Ganger (Ball Lightning),� Dark Matter
Fri: Samuel R. Delany, "Racism and Science Fiction," Dark Matter
Samuel R. Delany, "Aye, and Gomorrah," Dark Matter

Week 4:

Mon: Samuel R. Delany, Tales of Neveryon
Wed: Samuel R. Delany, Tales of Neveryon
Fri: Samuel R. Delany, Tales of Neveryon

Week 5:

Mon: Charles W. Chesnutt, �The Goophered Grapevine,� Dark Matter
Wed: Steven Barnes, "The Woman in the Wall," Dark Matter
Derrick Bell, "The Space Traders," Dark Matter
Fri: Ama Patterson, �Hussy Strut,� Dark Matter
Octavia E. Butler, "The Monophobic Response," Dark Matter

Week 6:

Mon: Octavia E. Butler, Dawn
Wed: Octavia E. Butler, Dawn
Fri: Octavia E. Butler, Dawn

Paper #1 Thesis Due

1 thought on “First six weeks of…”

  1. Have you considered Farnham’s Freehold? Its nice because it is relatively short. Also, (not relevant to this class, but more relevant to a Colonial literature class, the Dr Doolittle books).

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