UWP Lecturers text selections

[lstrahan at ucr.edu]

Dear Instructors,

I want to thank you for the many wonderful suggestions that are flooding my email.  I am including below a message from the Director about the criteria used in text selection for ELWR; it may spark even more ideas for whole texts, and I encourage you to send them on as well. 

Helpful also were the titles of essay selections used as additional readings on the topic of sustainability or the whole texts themselves.  I will be checking copyrights and then including them as background readings for the final or supplemental materials for the course.

Eventually a list made from your suggestions will be prepared and circulated as a ballot; please watch for that and cast your vote at that time.

Linda

John's Message:


     As Linda Strahan and I conduct our annual collection of suggestions for ELWR whole texts, I have been thinking it would be useful to outline some of the criteria we have used to choose the final texts:

 

·         Since English Writing 4 and English 5 are devoted to academic argument, we have been keen on finding interesting books on topics about which reasonable people disagree, and – equally important – books of that kind that incorporate or implicitly anticipate formidable opposing views.   Into the Wild and the works of Oliver Sacks are outstanding examples of texts combining both attributes in a unified and fascinating treatment of topics not obviously conducive to such treatment.

·         Since books that have staying power (or books we believe will have that power) have given evidence that readers go back to them for inspiration, enrichment, guidance, we have preferred older texts as well as outstanding newer ones.

·         Texts that have significant literary dimensions (in style and conception) that are attractive to the imagination.  

·         Texts that come with, or invite pairing with, sources and commentary.  The Norton Critical Editions of a wide range of texts have been particularly valuable over the years at all levels of ELWR instruction.  Other texts, for which we have gathered collateral materials ourselves, have worked well too.

 

Thanks for your suggestions, which you are welcome to forward to Linda Strahan (linda.strahan at ucr.edu).  

 

 

John