Joseph Csicsila, associate professor of English language
and literature at Eastern Michigan University, has the
unique opportunity to bring American humorist Mark Twain
'back to life,' thanks to a grant from the National Endowment
for Humanities (NEH).
Csicsila, along with co-directors Lawrence Berkove, from
the University of Michigan, and Barbara Snedecor, of Elmira
College, will conduct the seminar, "Mark Twain in His Age," at
Twain's home in Elmira, N.Y., July 9-Aug. 4, 2007.
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Csicsila |
"In the one-month seminar, visiting scholars will move
rapidly over the background of bookish disputes associated
with Mark Twain and proceed to the heart of the matter:
characteristic ideas in Twain that, like fingerprints,
can be used to definitively identify his work and techniques
of reading that can reveal the purposes of this master
of subtlety and subterfuge," said Csicsila, of Plymouth.
This will be the second time that Csicsila has taught
a Twain class. Four years ago, he taught his first seminar, "Mark
Twain for Teachers," which received rave reviews from participants.
"Taking EMU students out to New York and teaching a course
on Twain right there on the front porch of his home was
the most fulfilling experience I've ever had as an educator," said
Csicsila. "I still get calls and e-mails from folks in
that class. We all recognize that we took part in something
pretty special. My hope is that this new class will build
on the success of our 2002 class."
"Mark Twain in His Age" is part of the NEH's "We the People" project,
which encourages and strengthens the teaching, study and
understanding of American history and culture. The NEH
supports projects that explore significant events and themes
in our nation's history and culture that advance the knowledge
of the principles that define America.
