Arnold Weinstein (1) (1940–)

Great courses lectures about classic novels of the western canon, running from the 18th century through the twentieth. Weinstein does a good job in both his analysis and in his presentation of the material. Even when I wasn't necessarily interested in one of the texts he chose to discuss, it was mostly a pleasure to listen to him. (I'll tell ya what: he sounded like Richard Thomas playing John Boy Walton, and that was just fiiine with me.) Especially toward the end, I got a little impatient show more with his choices of material (a lot of this was just personal preference: I'd have much rather have heard him talk about Mrs Dalloway, for instance, than To the Lighthouse. But some of it was less so: many of his discussions of an individual text spanned two or even three lectures, and while I agree that some of them deserved that extended treatment, I might have argued for spending a little less time on Ulysses, say, in order to make room for Toni Morrison, maybe, or James Baldwin (or Tolkien)). Of course, anyone putting together a series of lectures like this would make slightly different choices, and certainly none of Weinstein's were bad. I wish they had sometimes been a little less on the nose, though someone without my background might be better served with the on-the-nose-ity displayed here. In any case, a great course. Recommended. show less

In this selection from The Great Courses series, Prof. Arnold Weinstein (Brown University, USA) explores great fiction of the 20th century by US writers. Volume 1 (of the four - volume set) consists of eight 30-minute lectures on audiotape (as listed at the end of this review). Also included is a 38 page booklet with outlines of each lecture, a glossary of literary terms, biographical sketches of the writers, and a bibliography of suggested readings. Works of Ernest Hemingway and Sherwood show more Anderson are prominently represented in this volume, and the novels of many other writers are touched upon: Melville, Hawthorne, Faulkner, Twain, Fitzgerald, Poe, and Vonnegut (among others). Writers of the latter group are considered in more detail in other volumes of this series.

One overarching aspect explored in Volume 1 is the issue of what are the characteristic features of US (i.e. "American") fiction of the past century. Weinstein makes a strong case for the emphasis on freedom and individualism, in contrast to the hierarchical arrangements of society so evident in 19th century European fiction. He traces such themes to 19th century works by Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Lest one think that he has overlooked the restriction of such freedoms to "white" males, he explores in subsequent volumes of the series the expansion of such freedoms across barriers of race, gender, and class, as the evolution of US society was mirrored in its fiction. Among the writers whose work that Weinstein explores in Volume 1 are some which receive relatively little attention in the academy today, and works that he believes deserve to be read, understood, explored, and taught. Sherwood Anderson's classic Winesburg, Ohio is a case in point, as well as Hemingway's works, which (in his view) are often avoided due to depiction of gender roles and values that are now greatly outmoded.

Listening to this lecture series was quite like sitting in a lecture in a university class (as intended by the publisher). Weinstein is clear, articulate, and passionate. His ideas range freely across the literary landscape, and he illustrates his points by reading excerpts from the works in question. Frequently he calls particular attention to a writer's choice of language, or he rereads a choice phrase so that his listeners fully grasp a point. His lectures are semi- conversational in tone, with inflection and eloquence. I found that listening was an easy way to understand their content. Further, I came away from the experience with a greater appreciation for works that I'd liked (Winesburg, Ohio) and an inclination to explore writers whom I'd avoided (Hawthorne, Hemingway).

Below are listed the 8 lectures in Volume 1:

1. American Fiction and the Individualist Creed
2. The American Self -- Ghost in Disguise
3. What Produces "Nobody"?
4. Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio
5. Winesburg -- A New American Prose - Poetry
6. Hemingway -- Journalist, Writer, Legend
7. Hemingway as Trauma Artist
8. Hemingway's Cunning Art show less

I’m a city girl. I love Chicago and have lived here all my life. I can barely imagine living anywhere else, though Copenhagen is a close second. I found this survey of how art describes the city to be fascinating, even though it’s mainly focused on European cities, and then on the city in previous centuries.

It’s a dark course, at least in part because the city is a dark concept in many ways. Urban crime, urban grime, the manner in which isolation increases in a city environment (I show more don’t find that true, but then I’m an introvert for whom the city provides just enough contact with others.) Art describes this as surely as it does the vibrancy of the city, and the way the arts flourish within it.

Professor Weinstein is an excellent guide, citing not only literature, but fine arts, film, and every other art form that has been used to express what the city is. This is one of the shorter Great Courses I’ve listened to, but there is so much material here, that the sources would make for months of reading and viewing if you found yourself wanting to explore the subject more deeply and broadly.

As with most of the Great Courses, I recommend this one unreservedly. show less

Part III of this lecture series on 20th Century American fiction considers four novelists: Flannery O'Connor, William S. Burroughs, Kurt Vonnegut, and Robert Coover. These appear to be unusual and controversial choices for a course of this nature, since according to lecturer Arnold Weinstein, most (or all) are seldom studied or taught at the university level. Particular works discussed in the eight 30- minute lectures include Burroughs' Naked Lunch, Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, Coover's show more The Public Burning, and various short stories by Flannery O'Connor.

As in Parts I and II of this audio series, Weinstein is clear, passionate, and articulate. However, my reaction to Part III is heavily swayed towards the negative by his peculiar choice of material to cover. The 90 minute discussion of Naked Lunch, left me with absolutely no interest in reading the book; it appears purposefully puerile and vulgar, and I found Weinstein's arguments for its merits to be weak and unconvincing. I had similar reactions to the seemingly pointless violence of the O'Connor stories (i.e., "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and "Judgement Day") and to the heavy-handed wacky vulgarity of Coover's The Public Burning. On the other hand, I truly loved Weinstein's discussion of Slaughterhouse Five, and appreciate Vonnegut's novel all the more for his insights. Perhaps it's unfair to rate this particular tape set on the basis of its choice of material, but I can't help but think of the fine American writers of fiction who have been excluded in favor of Burroughs and Coover.

The eight lectures in Part III of this audio series are as follows:

Lecture 17. Flannery O'Connor -- Realist of Distance
Lecture 18. O'Connor -- Taking the Measure of the Region
Lecture 19. Willam S. Burroughs -- Bad Boy of American Literature
Lecture 20. Naked Lunch -- The Body in Culture
Lecture 21. Naked Lunch -- Power and Exchange in the Viral World
Lecture 22. Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five -- Apocalypse Now
Lecture 23. Vonnegut's World -- Tralfamadore or Trauma?
Lecture 24. Robert Coover -- Postmodern Fabulator show less