From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge. Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile.
From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and outlining various literary genres, authors, and recent reads and can serve as an introduction for those unfamiliar with these works, as a refresher for long-time aficionados, and maybe as an inspiration for readers to share their own suggested topics. Do you have a topic that you would like covered in this column? Feel free to contact me for an interview and a feature in an upcoming column.
Who
This week, we consider the works of notable Argentinian novelist and short story writer Julio Cortázar.
Julio Cortázar was born on August 26, 1914, in Brussels, Belgium, before spending many years in and around Buenos Aries, Argentina. He died on February 12, 1984, in Paris, France.
He is known for combining “existential questioning with experimental writing techniques in his works.”
What
Some of Cortázar’s notable works Rayuela (Hopscotch), Libro de Manuel (A Manual for Manuel, and Bestiario.
Where
Many of Julio Cortázar’s works take place in Argentina and France.
When
These works are predominantly set in the 20th century.
Why
The works of Julio Cortázar maybe of interest to AU students who enjoy experimental writing styles, non-linear narratives, as well as those who are interested in the years of the Latin American “Boom” literary movement.
How
AU’s wide range of diverse courses make it easy to study this topic in depth. Courses related to the works of Julio Cortázar are available in a variety of disciplines, including those that may fit into your Degree Works. (Always check with an AU counsellor to see if these particular courses fulfill your personal graduation requirements!)
AU students interested in learning more about this topic may enroll in ENGL 458: The Latin American Novel, a senior-level, three-credit course, which “is a concentrated study of the Latin American novel, focusing on fiction and memoir written in the context of history, politics, culture, identity, and genre.” (This course requires ENGL 211: Prose Forms and ENGL 212: Poetry and Plays as prerequisites.)
In addition, student may be interested in SPAN 200: Introductory Spanish I, a junior-level, three-credit course, which “introduces students to the basic elements of the Spanish language. Together with its complement, SPAN 201, this course will teach students to speak and write simple Spanish in a range of everyday situations corresponding to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), Levels A1/A2, as adapted to Spanish by the Instituto Cervantes.” (No prerequisites are required for this course.) Happy reading!