Michel Houellebecq - Seminars / Workshops / Lectures

LITERATURE AS COMMUNICATION: The Aesthetics of Theodor W. Adorno (3 credits)

Michel Houellebecq and with Martin Hielscher

Description: This course explores literature as model of communication, stimulates creative writing, and discusses the philosophical aesthetics of Theodor W. Adorno. Includes a workshop with a guest author such as Nicholson Baker, Julian Barnes, Marcel Beyer, Michel Houellebecq, Shelley Jackson, or Colum McCann. As we explore the revolutionary works of the previously mentioned authors we will explore communication structures in an in depth manner. We will move beyond an empty discussion of communicative theory towards an applied thinking of communication as a it relates to literature.

Objectives: This course aims to inspire creative theoretical understandings of communication and creative writing. As we push our writing and thought towards new paths we begin the process of learning / un/learning the tired known roads of knowledge. We will push ourselves to the boundaries of thought. We aim to uncover the secret spaces of creativity to attempt the at times painful process of creation.

Learning Outcomes: This course is aimed at fostering creativity. We will discover our own voice through examining the visionary voices of others. This course will also provide a fundamental background in communication theory. The mixture of creative work and theoretical work will inform students dissertation projects.

Required Books and Reading Assignments:

Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno and Robert Hullot-Kentor (Editor) Aesthetic Theory. University of Minnesota Press. Paperback, 448 pages, December 1998, ISBN: 0816618003. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.

Recommended Readings:

Barnes, Julian. Letters From London. Vintage. June 24, 1995. Paperback, 336 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0679761616. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.

Jackson, Shelley. Patchwork Girl. Eastgate Systems Inc. January 1995. CD-Rom, ISBN: 1884511236. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.

Baker, Nicholson. U and I: A True Story. Granta Books. 1998. Paperback, 192 pages, Language English, ISBN: 1862070970. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.

Baker, Nicholson. The Size of Thoughts. Vintage Books. 1997. Paperback, 355 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0679776249. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.

Beyer, Marcel. Das Menschenfleisch. Suhrkamp. 1991. Reprint: 1997. Paperback, 166 pages, Language German, ISBN: 3518392034. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.

Houellebecq, Michel. The Possibility of an Island. Vintage. May 8, 2005. Paperback, 352 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0307275213. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.