Julie here. I'm a sophmore from Rhode Island. I'd like to major in International Relations but because UVM doesn't offer that as a major I'll likely major in either Canadian Studies or Anthropology..with a minor is Psycology. I don't have a clue what I want to do after I graduate but know I definitely want to study abroad hopefully for a full year next year. I love studying and learning about different cultures, traveling and hearing other's traveling stories. While I dig traveling it's just as nice coming back to Rhode Island, even though it's tiny I absolutely love it; love the ocean, the seafood, the fact that it only has one area code, I love it's location (not far from boston, NY city..), and the way you can drive across the entire state in less than an hour. I stayed in RI this summer and worked at an awesome new breakfast/lunch restaurant right on the water which was voted Best Breakfast in RI, this restaurant would fit really nicely in Burlington..(it's got funky, crunchy-style dishes) I'm very happy at UVM and am getting to know and enjoy Vermont more and more.
I took Paul's TAP class last year somewhat randomly but learned to really like and appreciate Canada. Therefore, even though I am not a good writer and didn't plan on taking any more English class, I felt this class would be enjoyable for me because of this new interest in Canada and Paul's teaching.
Why do I like Canada? Canada's political views are, I find, more liberal than the U.S.'s and so I've tended to agree with most of Canada's opinions in International areas and think the U.S. could learn a lot from Canada in the political sense. Canadian's (I shouldn't generalize, but for the most part..) seem very modest and I like that, plus French is a beautiful language and Neil Young and Joni Mitchell are Canadians--nice. Also after seeing a Canadian hockey game during the Ottawa trip last year, I feel I can't get enough. I have not read too many books from Canadian authors outside of reading assignments for my TAP class last year but think the books for this class seem quite interesting, The Rwanda one especially (I wouldn't have thought we would read about Rwanda in a Canadian Lit. class..pretty cool). I'm reading on my own right now, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" by Mark Haddon (not Canadian) but it's really good; about autism. I feel like I've written a lot, but there it is. Can't wait for this class to get underway.

I'm Joe, I'm a junior Geography major w/ a minor in Canadian Studies. This summer, I was in Burlington for the first month, decided I'd rather be home in South Jersey, and returned there to work on cars and such. I also took Paul's online class, which was sweet, and an online French class. Advice: don't take two online classes in one summer.
I like Canada because it's a more rational version of the United States. I love French, and like the fact that Québec is able to retain its French heritage and language, without people protesting that it's racist or bias towards Anglos or Allophones; something like that in the US would certainly result in protesting, whining, and the like. I'm also really interested in the Arctic. I've been to Canada a bunch, in fact I almost ended up transferring to McGill this semester. In terms of Canadian literature, as I mentioned I took Paul's class over the summer, so I have read some Atwood, Ondaatje, and Poulin. Of those, Volkswagen Blues by Poulin and The Handmaid's Tale by Atwood were by far my favorites. Favorite book by any author is American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. I too feel that I talked too much, so apologies if you read this far,

Hello all, I'm Sarah. I am originally from California and randomly made my way over to Burlington for school. I like it here, different but good. I am currently a second semester junior due to a semester spent down in Chile. I am a Sociology major with a minor in English, hence this class. I have heard great things about the course and the teacher, so I look forward to this semester. I love to travel and explore and I also have a passion for food - weird I know. This past summer I spent here in Burlington working and relaxing like most.
When it comes to me as a reader, 'slow' is the first word that comes to mind. I do enjoy reading but I can't say it's my strong point. My favorite book of all time is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini which I would recommend to everyone. I am pretty much open to all literature and find myself taking this class because I know absolutely nothing about Canada or Canadian literature. Montreal is the only place I've been and the reason I went had nothing to do with school. I like what I know so far and I look forward to learning more in the near future.

I am Sarah and I am from Western N.Y., which is completely different than Upstate. I went to a small public high school and graduated with 52 other kids. I am an English major, Studio Art minor and I am currently a Junior. I love to ski and play ice hockey, but I also competitively figure skate and I have been doing that for 13 years now. This past summer I studied at St. Peter's College, Oxford University and it was absolutely amazing. The classes were incredible and I was able to train with some new coaches as well. We were able to travel every weekend to places like Amsterdam, Dublin, and Milan, Italy. As for my favorite book, it changes a lot. Right now Maragaret Atwood's "Handmaid's Tale" is of high interest to me. Also "Middlemarch" by George Eliot and "To the Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf.
And Canada... Oh Canada. I probably know more words to the Canadian National Anthem than our own. I grew up outside of Niagara Falls and used to be in Ontario every weekend for our ice hockey games. I am a HUGE Sabres fan, therefore I hate the Senators and the Flyers. I love the Bills and the Browns which is pretty difficult anymore.

Danielle here. I am a secondary education english major with a minor in history. Over the summer I worked my butt off only to suffer a work related injury that my boss does not believe I am actually suffering. For this reason he decided to file a greivance against me with the Vermont Dept. of Labor and Industry. Being a close-knit community here in Franklin County Vermont my entire family (which is pretty huge spanning twelve great-aunts, their husbands, their children and their spouses, and all of their children, not to mention my aunts and uncles and first cousins and grandparents) refuse to eat at this restaurant or interact socially with my boss (soon to be former boss because who wants to deal with that!). So, anyway, other than that I recently broke up with my boyfriend of 18 months and am glad to be free for the first time in a long time. My favorite book is Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner, though I don't think it really qualifies as literature. My favorite author is by far the Vermont author Frank Howard Mosher. If you get a chance check out one of his books. My favorite so far is Disappearances (this takes place in Vermont and Canada). Well, what do I know about Canada? What do you want to know! I love Canada. For the past six years I have been spending a minimum of three weeks in Quebec (mostly Montreal and a little in Quebec City). I love the people there, they are so sassy and the circle of people I am connected with there are very wealthy. My impression of Canada is somewhat limited by this because all I have really seen is the upper and upper middle class Canada. Oh, and who can forget to mention hockey! Canada is a world class hockey headquarters. My favorite team has always been the Canadiens (even after my hometown hero John Leclair left the team). Hockey games are the best reason for a visit to Canada.

Hey everyone. I'm Jenn, I'm from Rye Beach, New Hampshire and I'm a sophomore. I graduated from Portsmouth High school, and I think I'm probably 1 out of about 4 other kids from my high school that attend UVM. Anyways- I'm an English major and I'm in the Secondary Education program here...which will hopefully lead to me becoming a high school teacher at some point in my life. I really know little to nothing about Canadian Literature, so I'm really excited to take this class and learn some new stuff. I've been to Canada a few times, it's a reallll good time.
About me as a reader- I love to read. I love books. Not afraid to admit it. I don't like to read really boring, dry stuff though. My favorite book of all time is "The Catcher in the Rye." Hands down the best book ever. I also like "My Sister's Keeper," you all should read that, it's just great.

Hey Y'all, I'm Ryan and I'm a senior here at UVM. Its kinda scary to think that these four years have gone by but sure enough, here I am. This is one of, if not, my last English credits so I am really excited to go out in style. I'm a double major in Hostory and English and am currently working on my senior thesis for history - a focus on the militarization of Northern Ireland post 1922. Sounds enjoyable eh?
I studied in Cork City, Ireland last year and my biggest, and in fact only, regret is leaving. I should have stayed put and transfered my credits. But, oh well, I didn't. So now the plan is graduate school there.
As far as my understanding of Canada goes, I am semi-fluent in French and have family who are Quebecquoise so I have a fond connection to the Eastern side of things, which can get you some odd looks in other parts of Canada. That whole political thing I guess.

Hey everyone! I'm Erin, a sociology/french double major currently a second semester junior at UVM. A student strike in Rennes, France, where I was abroad last year put me behind a semester, so i'll have to be at UVM a little longer than expected. I had an amazing time in France otherwise, and used my time off during the strike to train for the Paris marathon which I ran in April- probably the best experience of my life. I'm from Rutland VT, but my family has sinced moved to Burlington making me a full-time Burlington resident. I spent the summer working and taking summer classes to start to make up for time lost while abroad.

I've been trying to think of what I would say my favorite book is, and I guess for now I'll say Charming Billy by Alice Mcdermott. I would highly recommend it, especially to anyone with irish roots. As a french major, i've developed a recent fascination with Quebec and Canada in general. I've been to Montreal and Quebec City, but i'm looking forward to doing more travel in Canada in the future, starting with the Ottawa trip. I don't know much at all about Canadian literature, though i have read Atwood and much enjoyed it. I'm hoping to learn more about Canada's people and culture through its literature.

Hello all,

Ben Blanchard typing to tell you a little about me. I am a 20 year old junior committed to the college of education. I have a concentration in English and Political Science. I love to play basketball and I also have developed an affinity for futball. This summer was the best one I have experienced on record. It started out with working the grunt job of landscaping for three weeks. Although I was a hard worker, the concensus was that there wasn't enough work for me and they had to let me go. This may seem as a devestating event but I was able to bounce back. For the rest of the summer I was unemployed. I received a check from the state for money because of my circumstance. Since I had a bunch of free time I was able to spend most of it at the beach, reading, and I was able to excercise a lot by playing basketball, soccer and frisbee on a daily basis. This summer I became immersed in a Japanese author named Haruki Murakami and I read two of his books, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore, two books that I would absolutely reccomend. I would say that Kafka on the Shore is to date my favorite book. For next semester I have planned a trip to Brazil during winter break and I hope to spend next semester studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. I look foward to being in class with you all and also look foward to getting to know everybody. I think this course should be challenging but very fun.

PEACE OUT

BEN

What a great way to find out about each other! Reading the entries above I found myself agreeing about some books and making a note of others I've not come across before (love Catcher in the Rye and A Curious Incident, never read Haruki Murakami for example).

I am Tracey, an exchange student from University of Sussex, Brighton, England, in my final year of a joint English and Media Batchelor of Arts degree. I've only been in Vermont a couple of weeks but am finding my way around and am loving it. Can't wait to do some skiing (I felt pretty stupid carrying my skis through Heathrow in the middle of a security alert in the summertime!)but am only here until january so hope we get plenty of snow.

Last year I was the treasurer of our Uni Ski Club and we had 2 trips to France, as well as regular lessons/training on nylon covered hills - makes us dedicated but not very good!

I haven't been to Canada but plan on visiting a French buddy doing his Masters in Quebec, and many of the other International students want to go to Montreal later this month so I'll get there too. Culturally I feel more akin to Canada than the US (Quebec notwithstanding) and enjoy Yann Martel's work. It's so difficult to come up with favorite books, as they change with my mood - but The Time Travellers Wife, Tender is the Night and Birdsong are up there; my most enduring favorite is Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas.

Oh, and if anyone is thinking of studying in England and has questions I'd be happy to talk to you.

I'm Katie Foss, and Im a Junior at UVM, English major, Theater minor. I've lived in Vermont my whole life, in a little town in the Northeast Kingdom. I love UVM, and Burlington, even though I HATE winter.
I absolutely love to read, but I am a full time student with a full time off campus job, so I rarely have time for "just-for-fun" reading. When I do, as horrible as it sounds, I really like reading trashy grocery store novels. My current favorite author is Dean Koontz.
Although I live fairly close to the Canadian border, I know little about the Canada outside Montreal. My first choice college was located in Quebec, Bishop's University, but as an American I got no financial aid, so UVM was my best option, and I do love it, but sometimes I wish I had attended school in Canada just for a different experience.

Hello, my name is Alex Link and I am currently a Junior by class credits yet this is only my second year at UVM. A am double majoring in English and History with a minor in Latin. My interest in Canadia is mainly based upon my interest in literature more than the Country itself. I have never been, yet being that I have a car with me this year I hope on driving up a few times. About a year and half ago I stumbled upon Margaret Atwood's "The Blind Assassin." I enjoy the book so much that it convinced me to take Paul Martin's one credit online winter break class on Atwood. The literature I read in that class was astonishing. Atwood has since been my favorite comtempory author and one of the top on my list of all time. Paul Martin's online class was so enjoyable, I figured his other classes must be more so, so I signed up for English 180.

I am a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy and thus consider J.R.R Tolkien and Philip K Dick to be two of my favorite writers.

Regarding my summer...I more or less worked full time for the RI Department of Health and had spent very little time outside of my cubicle.

Hey! My name's Kasey and I guess you could say that I'm a second semester junior. I was born and raised in Vermont, but after highschool explored a bit. However, after going to a couple other colleges, ended up coming back here anyway! I'm an English Major and have never wanted to be anything else. I love reading and writing. My absolute favorite author is David Sedaris. I especially love his book: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.
What do I know about Canada? I've been there a few times. My grandparents would always take my brother and I up to Granby Zoo, which let me tell you, is a dangerous place. Every single time I went to Granby Zoo I was injured in some way. This childhood trauma could have perhaps tainted my view, but I decided to face my fears and take this class. Maybe someday I'll be able to get that image of the fat Canadian man, ramming me with the bumper car out of my mind - maybe this class can help heal the old wounds.
Honestly, I just like reading and I'm willing to read anything and "Canadian Literature" sounded unique, so why not?

Hi all. I'm Katie, a 26 year old 2nd semester Junior majoring in English with a History Minor. I'm originally from Maryland's Eastern Shore, but I moved away after graduating High School in '97--first to Florida then to Vermont. I currently live in Stowe with Jon, my boyfriend of seven years and our dog Cassidy. We bike, hike, ski, camp, the usual.
This summer was the best ever! We drove cross-country to spend 3 weeks exploring southern Utah and Colorado. It took 30 hours of non-stop driving before we reached Grand Junction, CO. After camping, we explored Arches National Park, UT then spent the night in Moab, the mountain biking mecca of the west. After a week of exploring the dessert in places like The Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase of the Escalante, Hovenweep NP (awesome Indian ruins), we spent some time in Durango, CO. More camping, more hiking, more sightseeing--Silverton, Ouray--we made our way to Crested Butte. We visited with friends there and went on the best mountain bike ride ever. I fell three times and suffered unsightly bruises, but I rode away with the biggest smile of satisfaction. I also went on my first backpacking trip. The trail was uphill the entire time. We reached around 11,000 feet. There were plans of summiting a nearby peak, but the strong winds and increasing number of snow patches turned us toward warmer civilization. Our vacation time was nearing an end, so we began the long journey home. I anticipated our homecoming just as much as our vacation because of the dream garden I envisioned all winter could finally be planted. There's a new stone wall, vegetable garden, and lots of vacation pictures to show that this was the most productive summer to date.

Of course, summer is also a good time for reading. This summer I read Frank McCourt's "'Tis" and Mary Lawson's "Crow Lake." I think Lawson is Canadian becuase her novel is about a difficult childhood in a northern Canadian town. Without a geographically centered subject, I am totally unaware of the nationality of an author. What are the distinguishing characteristics of Canadian literature? I imagine that will be answered in this class. I'm looking forward to reading the books we're assigned. It seems whenever I read something for class it becomes my new favorite book.

As for my experiences and impressions of Canada, I visited Montreal once,but the trip is much too scandalous for public knowledge. Like a typical American, Canada is off my radar in regards to politics, literature, and science. Honestly, I'm oblivious.

My name is Zach Friedman, I'm a senior majoring in English with a double in Plant and soil science and Political Science. I was born in NY, then moved to NJ were I grew up. Then I came to UVM and am probably the only kid who thought it would be cool to move out of Burlington and live on a farm. My favorite author is probably Herman Hesse, although I'm a big fan of Thoreau, Vonnegut, and Jack London. My favorite book is between Walden and Siddhartha, two very different books with similar meanings I think. I've been to Canada a few times, although mostly is was for recreation in Montreal which probably isn't the type of information your looking for. However, I have also been to Toronto twice and Montreal once on trips that consisted of more than vacation. I enjoy Canada and prefer the climate of the Northland, however, everytime I'm in Montreal, and I hate to stereotype, but the attitude of the locals tends to leave my memories a bit more bitter. I took this class mainly because it was the last requirement to complete my English major, but also I have heard good things about the class within the department and more specifically, positive feedback with regards to Professor Martin. I'm looking forward to this semester and exploring Canadian literature as I'm an avid reader but haven't yet been exposed to much canadian work.

Hi all! I'm Kristen from southern New Hampshire. I'm a sophomore secondary ed, English major. Hopefully I'll be declaring a minor in special ed this semester as well. I love UVM and the fine city of Burlington and am looking forward to my next few years here. I spent my summer working at a golf course, leaving me with a lot of time to read. I basically got paid to read books. I also worked as a waitress at a function hall on the weekends, which was a bit more fast-paced. I spent a lot of time this summer reading Philippa Gregory's historical fiction novels about 16th Century England, including my new favorite, The Other Boleyn Girl. I have also come to enjoy Kurt Vonnegut and look forward to reading more from him as I read his memoir, A Man Without a Country, within two hours.
As for Canada, I have unfortunately never been there which is sad considering half of my family is French Canadian, and two great grandfathers immigrated to America from Quebec, nevermind the fact that I now live 45 minutes south of the border. I'm am really looking forward to this class because I have never been exposed to Canadian literature before, but it just so happens I am reading Margaret Atwood in my Women in Literature class this semester as well.

Hi everyone, my name is Denny and I am a senior here at UVM majoring in both English and Geography. I am 21 years-old and this is my first year living off-campus. I even spent the summer living and working up here instead of going back home to New Jersey. I worked at Friendly's on Dorset Street and I am going to be working there during the school year. So if you guys want some ice cream just come on down. I also work with UVM athletic promotions. I'm one of those people who throw out the t-shirts and other promotions at the hockey, basketball, and soccer games.
I have only become interested in novels over the past couple of years. My two favorite novels are The Great Gatsby and Frankenstein. Even though I have been to Canada, I have never read any Canadian Literature before. I really don't know that much about Canada. I am excited to read some good Canadian novels over the semester. I have heard good things about this class, and I think it will be a good semester.

Hi, my name is Eric Wright. I'm an English major. My interests currently lie in 20th century English lit and world lit from the modernist period. Walt Whitman is my favorite author-- if you talk to me more than once, I will implore you to read something, anything, out of Leaves of Grass.

I had a pretty sweet summer-- I was like that kid from Almost Famous, hanging out with Eric Clapton and his band. I can't say more now, but if there's more to say later, I'll say it then.

I keep myself busy with the Northeast Disabled Athletic Association, a non-profit org that I co-founded in high school. We provide all kinds of resources and opportunities for people to participate in disabled sports-- we're currently equipped for Sled Hockey, Wheelchair basketball, handcycling, and adaptive sailing.

Check us out on the web at www.disabledathletics.org.

If there are any interested hockey players/fans in the class, feel free to come hit the ice with me, or come watch practice. We're currently working with an on campus org, Student Athletes For Equity (SAFE) to bring a wheelchair basketball game to campus.

Talk to me in class, or contact me via email, for more info.

I don't know much about Canada-- that's why I'm in the class, to take advantage of the department's resources, etc. I'm told, though, that when I speak French it's with a heavy Quebecois accent-- probably a product of living so close to Montreal all my life.

Hi I'm Scott Multack and I am a sophmore at UVM. I just transfered into the College of Arts and Sciences to become an English Major from the Business school. English has always been my favorite subject and I had enough of the business school. This summer I got really into Hemingway and revisited A Farewell to Arms as well as For Whom The Bell Tolls. Another author I really enjoy is Russell Banks.
This summer I went back to work at a rock climbing gym as a climbing instructor. I mostly ran climbing camps and now I'm super sick of Middle School kids.
Being from St. Louis Vermont is probably the closest I have ever been to Canada, although I'm planning a Monteal trip with my friends right now. I'm not sure if I have read any canadian authors or not, but I'm looking forward to the books we will read this semester.

Yo, My name is Nick Sachs I'm from Oakham MA and I'm a junior at UVM.I'm also an English major with an Asian studies minor. This past summer I was in London through a summer abroad program at UVM. The trip was a really good time. While I was there I saw nine or so plays six of them being at the London National theatre. I read a good amount of everthing but im a pretty big fantasy reader. Right now I'm reading a book with a bunch of short stories about Orcs that I bought while in London. I used to know very little about Canada but when I was at orientation my freshman year my temporary advisor was Paul Martin(I doubt he remembers) and I asked him for a good Tap and he told me to take Intro to Canada: our neighbours to the North I think it was called and David Massal was the Prof. and in that class we went on a trip to Ottawa for a weekend and both the class and trip were real awesome. So I'm pumped for another good trip and class

Hello Everyone! I'm Alex Grause and I am a sophomore here at UVM. I am an english major with most likely a political science minor. I am a big cyclist and I race on the road from about March to September. I raced basically this entire summer and worked very little. That was fantastic.
So as a reader I love the Lord of the Rings series just because of their complexity and the way that Tolkien as such depth in his storylines. My favorite book has to be Heart of Darkness for a bunch of reasons. One, because it's unbelievably written and the point of view is fantastic. And secondly because I read the entire thing out loud with my best friend. I don't know much about canadian literature. What I know about Canada is pretty minimal, sadly. I was a huge hockey fan and was a huge Canadiens fan, haha. I am just hoping this class opens me up to some more literature that I wouldn't have normally read.

Hey! My name is Emily and I'm a senior double majoring in English and Gender Studies. I studied in the Netherlands for my junior year and had an amazing time there- I took some good classes and also did a fair amount of traveling when cheap plane tixs came my way. In June I came back across the Atlantic and spent the summer working at a wilderness camp in upstate NY leading their backpacking trips- it was comforting to be back in the mountains after spending so long in such a flat country.
I'm from VT, and it’s good to have friends & family close by again and get started in classes.
Being an English major I feel like I should have a really long impressive list of favorite books, but in reality its always changing and I tend to only have a couple favorites at a time. Giovanni's Room by Baldwin and Lying Awake by Salzman are the ones that come first to mind and defiantly impacted me.
Hum Canada- Like many people that have posted, I have only been to Montreal. I'd really like to see more of the country and am esp drawn to its natural beauty and have friends who have done some amazing paddling/backpacking trips that hopefully I'll get a chance to join in on soon. I'm aware of how little I know, and am excited about this class for the opportunity it presents to fill in some of the gaps. In terms of Canadian Lit I've read a bit by Atwood, Ondaatje and Martel but most of the names on the syllabus are new to me. Okay I think that’s it, seems like its going to be a great class- see you all tomorrow.

Hi guys!!
my name is Deng Adit. I was born in sudan but because of civil war my parents moved to kenya so I went to high in kenya and I'm here now for college. I'm a sophomore here at UVM. I'm Business major with concentration in finance.

Thus,I have never been in canada before,but I'm more than ready to go to canada. I had been in many places included united kingdom,and canada is one of few places that I have been thinking about visit,so it is right time to do it now.

As a matter of fact, I know nothing about canada at all.I never took any canadian studies nor read any book about it. I'm looking forward to read all the books that are recommended by Professor.

Hi :-) My name is Nicole. I am a Psychology major, Enlgish minor and plan to graduate in the spring. This summer I worked at the Wyndham Hotel and took a couple classes at CCV; so I could graduate on time. Like many others, I do not know what I want to do after I graduate. Hoping to travel and/or make money and maybe grad school sometime in the near future, but that too depends on the money.

A couple of my favorite books would be...The Time Travellers Wife, I was excited to see it was on Tracey's list as well, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Grapes of Wrath (it was one of my summer readings during high school and i loved it, many fellow students however did not share the same view), and right now I am trying to finish The Chronicles of Narnia. I never read them as a child and fell in love with the first book after I read it in the beginning of the summer. They are a nice little break from the heavy reading during the semester.

I have been to Canada quite a bit, since I grew up in the Burlington area. Most visits were after my 18th birthday, but also for family reunions. My father is French Canadian, so we have relatives there. I havent been outside of Montreal or the small town where our reunions are, so I dont believe I have a real taste of the country yet. Its a great place to visit and cant wait until our trip. As far as Canadian Literature, I dont believe I have read any, but I'm excited to start.

Hi! My name is Amanda and I am a junior. My major is psychology and I am minoring in english but surprisingly this is one of the few classes I have started to take for my minor. I was born in Montana but moved to Vermont when I was three and have lived here since. This was the first summer that I have lived off campus and it has been pretty sweet. A lot of the summer was spent waitressing at Friendly's on Dorset Street which I am still working at during the school year.
As far as Canada goes, I have been there a bunch of times and have enjoyed my stay every time but I still do not really know much outside of Montreal. I think it is a beautiful place and I am really excited to learn more about the country. I really enjoy reading but unfortunately with work and school I have no time to read much more than whatever magazines are laying around the apartment. However, I have read a few novels by Margaret Atwood so I am pretty excited that we will read a novel by her. I have heard good things about this class and I am pretty psyched to be taking it this semester.

Hello. I'm Lisa, from Sudbury, Ma, and I'm a senior at UVM. I'm an English major and a Nutrition and Food Science minor and I have no idea where I'm headed after graduation. I tried to take this class a few semesters ago, but had to drop it to fit in other classes. I'm excited to make it past the first day this year. I took the Canadian Studies TAP class my first year and had a good time with Prof Massel. I went to Ottawa and saw all the canadians (and americans) get drunk at the hockey game.
I live alone with a kitten and a pig and they are they greatest entertainment I've ever had. I like to make minis of things (it's hard to explain unless you see them). My current project is a beiruit table modeled after my downstairs neighbors' homemade table. The table itself is about six inches long. It took me forever to try to find something that looks like mini red plastic cups.
I'm looking forward to the reading for the class. I know nothing about Canadian lit, so can't yet tell you what I like about it. Hopefully I will keep up on this blogging thing - I can't say I ever have in the past, but Prof Martin has a pretty impressive page here, worth re-visiting.

My name is Justin Brosnan I am a Junior in the school of Business. This past summer I worked as an intern for a fortune 500 company called Paychex that works on 401k's for small businesses. I also work as a trainer for the Rochester Police Department. During my limited free time this summer I traveled to Maine and NYC.

I enjoy reading, but if I do not get into the book I usually have to read pages over and over again because my mind will start to wonder. My favorite book is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

As far as Canada is concerned I basically lived there every weekend from age 10-17 playing hockey in different areas of Ontario and Quebec. My impression of Canada is that of great diversity. They seem to be more accepting and be more laid back about life than the United States. I never have read any Canadian books. I am hoping to see what Canadian literature is all about, because I have never really heard of any books by a Canadian author. So my only question would be where Canadian literature got its roots from.

Hello, I'm Jeff Kunert. I am a Psych major that hails from Chicago. This summer I worked as an intern for a marketing firm in Chicago. Yeah, I love to read. I just read Lonesome Dove this summer and it blew my mind. I was weeping for those cowboys. I also really really like John Irving books. Well, to tell you the truth i do not know much about Canada. I went to montreal once last semester. It was a riot. But other than that I have a best friend at home from Canada and he is pretty cool and likes it alot. I am also a sophmore.

Hey All-
My name is Katya. I grew up in the Boston area and I love it there, though I don’t really like the red sox this season. I’m an English and studio art double major. I would be a senior this year but took last year off, so I’m a junior. I spent last year in Australia where I was working for a commercial photographer and traveling a bit. I lived just outside of Sydney and absolutely loved it! I returned home in June and spent the remainder of the summer in Boston taking classes and getting up to Burlington as much as possible.

I don’t really have a favorite author. I read a lot of Kurt Vonnegut and love his light, comical prose. I recently read the Ayn Rand’s the fountainhead and Atlas shrugged and really enjoyed both of those.

I don’t know much about Canada. I’ve been to Montreal once and went skiing with my family at Mont Tremblant, which is just outside of Montreal. Until reading the syllabus for this class I had no idea that Margaret Atwood was Canadian. I read The Handmaid’s tale for another English class at UVM and really enjoyed her. I’m really excited to read more of her and other Canadian authors, and I’m wondering how much they comment on Canadian culture in their work versus American culture, if they separate the two and find them to be extremely different. Though Canada is just above the US I really do think of it as a separate entity. I have a mental picture of an extremely spacious and diverse country, but other than that I know very little so I’m looking forward to this course.

Hi! I'm Stephanie and I am a junior in the Elementary Education program. I'm from Manalapan, NJ which is about 45 mins. south of the City and it also explains why I love the beach so much. Sadly this summer I only made it there twice as I worked as a group leader at a summer camp and attended an english class at Rutgers twice a week.

As an english concentration I enjoy reading and lately have been particulary found of Jodi Picoult novels. I would suggest The Perfect Match and My Sisters Keeper as some good reading...maybe more of a chick flick but deals with some interesting issues.

As far as Canada goes, I know very little about it except that St. Catherine's St. is the place to be in Montreal! The people I have met from Canada have been very warm and welcoming so I have a good outlook about the country. I'm hoping through this class I'll learn tons of new information!

Good day, everyone! I'm Tom and I'm from the middle-right of New York State, in the glorious Hudson River valley. I live in Sichel hall, room 307, on Trinity campus, feel free to stop by and slap a cool high five.

I am an English major, as I'm sure is a common story. I play the banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar, and I also like to just make crazy sounds and talk to people. If I happen to say something really bizarre to you, don't try and find some kind of hidden relevance in it. I'm down with friendliness, jumping up and down, drinking water and having scary dreams about zombies.

I like to read books by Tom Robbins, specifically Jitterbug Perfume and Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates. I fiercely dig One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Slaughterhouse Five. I'm not massively into poetry, but there's one by Stephen Crane that I like a lot, the one that goes:

In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter -- bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart."

Anyway, my general feeling about Canada is that it's a very nice place, has a nice vibe, although its geography was a complete mystery to me until earlier today.

I look forward to reading lots of good stuff!

- Your friend Tom

Hey all,
I guess I'm a little late to hop on this boat, but better late than never. I am a born and raised midwesterner from the lovely corn filled state of Indiana. It's nice out there, but I'll have to admit it's nice to get away from all that flat land for awhile. It's especially nice to be back in Burlington after I've been away for so long. I spent the spring semester studying in Ireland. It was a phenomenal journey. Those people really showed me how to have a good time. I also got some good traveling in, so that was a nice bonus. This summer I spent out in Red Lodge, Montana working for Outward Bound. I was interning for them this semester, mostly doing logistical work. Although, I still got outside a great deal, which was nice. I'm looking forward to being an instructor there next summer. That being said, I am a sociology major, but not really looking to do anything in particular with it. I am an English and Recreation Management minor. I don't think I could pick a favorite book or author. I know my favorite book as a child was "What Happened to George Pig." I guess one of my favorites of my adultlife would have to be "Wuthering Heights." It's a clencher. Other than that, I try to keep an open mind when choosing books and authors. As for Canadian Lit...I may have read some, but if I did I didn't know it. So I'm thoroughly looking forward to this class!

Hey everyone. My name is Jess and I'm a sophomore in the school of business with a concentration in english. so far I'm enjoying english a lot more than business which tends to be a bit bland at times.
Something interesting I did this summer was take a trip to Montana with my uncle, cousin, and father to go fly fishing for a week. It was definately the highlight of my summer and was a nice break from contracting.
My favorite books are Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and the Culture of Make Believe by Derrick Jensen. I typically read more non-fiction than fiction.
I've been to Canada two times. Once for my cousin's wedding in Niagara Falls and another time in 6th grade on a ski trip to Mt. Tremblanq (sp?). I loved being in Canada both times and it seems a little more laid back than the United States. I hope that this class will teach me a little bit about Canadian culture as I definately plan on spending some time in Canada at some point in my life.

Hi, my name is Christina Todd and I'm from Ipswich, MA which is north of Boston (about 20 minutes from the NH border) and is on the ocean. I'm a junior here and my major is English with a minor in Poli Sci and CID. This summer I worked at Myopia, a lame country club in the next town over at home, until I got fired. It was not a cool place to work, to say the least, and I'm glad to be rid of it. I went to Greece for two weeks this summer and it was amazing. There is so much to do and see there, and the water is beautiful. I'm glad to be back in Burlington and am excited to be living off cammpus. I am hoping that the ski season this year is better than last, as I'm sure you all are too. My two favorite books at the moment are Tom Wolfe's Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and Indecision by Benjamin Krunkel. I don't really know a lot about Canada although one of my friends is originally from right over the border. I went to his house one time my freshman year during finals week to go skiing at Jay. His house was this log cabin-style house in the middle of the woods and it was a great time. The only other times I've been to Canada I've gone to Montreal. Last time I went I vowed never to go back on the car ride home. That trip was a mess. I am hoping to learn more about Canada, since I know pretty much nothing.

hello. it would appear that i'm a little late to the blog, but i just transferred into this class and have yet to become a physical part of it's existence, so i'm trailing behind. with that said, my name is hannah. i'm not a huge fan of capitals, or the shift key at all for that matter. so excuse my lower case.
before i was enrolled in canadian literature i was stuck in comparative religion. not so much my thing. i'm a transfer student from the community college of vermont. thankfully this generous university took all of my credits, so i am a junior. but have the look of complete freshman confusion. i think i should have it figured out soon. i'm a vermonter at heart, spent my high school years in pennsylvania (i don't recommend it) and moved back to killington to take a year off and go snowboarding. i've been in burlington for three years now, visiting canada four to five times. my knowledge basically stops there. unfortuantely because it's so close, it's usually a rushed visit to montreal or quebec. i look forward to learning as much as i can soak up.

Hi Everyone!

Better late than never I guess...! My name is Courtney, I am a Junior here at UVM in the colleg of Education and SOical Services, I am an elementary education major. I'm orginally from Southern Vermont, a small town called Bellows Falls, which lies about 30 miles north of Brattleboro, if anyone is familiar.
The simple fact that this course is about Canadian literature is what initially sparked my interest in it. I had never read (consciously anyhow) any Canadian literature and I really want to broaden my literary spectrum! I don't really know too much about Canada, like in the writing prompt exercise we did in class all I really know for sure about Canada in that it's North, and Montreal has a lot of bars! I'm excited and hopeful that this course might give me something a little more substantial to say about the country!
My favorite books are diverse and abundant, I really enjoy reading, especially humorous books. I like Richard Russo as an author, he wrote "Empire Falls" and "Nobody's Fool" along with many others. I just finished a book called "Honeymoon with My Brother" and "This Boy's Life" both of which a memoirs, however very different! "Honeymoon" is great for a laugh and a few though provoking moments, while "This Boy's Life" is good for a lot of though provocation and a few good laughs! Either way I enjoyed them both greatly! Also, another favorite of mine is Steinbeck's "the Grapes of Wrath" I read it at least years ago and it still emanates with me as a favorite! Another classic, and favorite book of mine is "Th Great Gatsby" I've read it a hundred times it seems and it never bocmes old. All and all, I don't think I can say I have a favorite book, I feel like everytime I read a new one, I have a new favorite. Hopefully I will find a few more favorites throughout this course!

Hello, My name is Mary Grace. I am from Princeton, New Jersey, but live pretty much in Burlington year rouned. I am junior at UVM. I am an English major and a studio art minor. I transferred to UVM from Landmark College where I got my Associates in Liberal Arts. I am a twin and have two amazing cats. I am taking Canadian Literature first and formost because I need the english credits to graduate, but also because I love to read and write and this class looked especially interesting.
This summer went by so fast! At the beginning of the summer, I joined the Burlington Children's space as a fulltime substitute, working as a Teacher's aid. The Burlington's children's space is a non-profit organization that supplies care for children from 4 months to 5 years. I also had a great time laying around on Block Island and laying by the pool in West Palm while visiting my dad.
I don't have a favorite book or a favorite author, not because I don't like reading, but because I am very indecisive and don't have favorites. I am found a few books. I don't really know much about Canadia sadly to say. I went to Quebec once on a school trip, but only stayed for the weekend. I didn't get to see that much of the beautiful place and hope to go again soon. I know it is difficult to get over the boarder and that they speak the most beautiful french (so my french teacher says. I am very excited about this class and hope it is a fun semester for everyone!

Howdy folks,
My name is John, I'm from Mass, (yes, outside of Boston) and I am a junior here at UVM. I am an English major/Music minor, but spend most of my time on the latter, playing guitar and banjo. I dig writing, however, and lately have been reading a lot of the novelist/poet Stephen Dobyns, along with a fair share of Ray Bradbury. The Bradbury short story 'Kaleidascope' was so devestating to me that I almost gave up writing forever. I haven't, but I don't think I've written a single piece of fiction since I read it. I'm looking forward to this class, and already the first book is getting pretty intense.

This summer I was a professional bum. I worked the odd temp job and gave guitar lessons for chump change. But working isn't what Summer is supposed to be about anyway, so this just left more time for the road trips, bon fires, and practices into the wee small hours of the morning.

I go up to Canada all the time to see shows. Montreal gets the best rock shows around! Plus it is a good excuse to practice my butchered French, and the drive up isn't half bad either. Assuming you make it through the border. Be smart!

What's up guys...my name is Tana (sounds like Donna, but with a T) and I'm a junior (i guess) majoring in El.Ed, with a minor in English. When I graduate, finally, it'll have been six years after highschool graduation, and I could have degrees in El.Ed, English, Music, and French. Umm...okay let's see. I HATE writing things about myself, so we'll see how this goes. I grew up in Chelsea, Vermont, an incredibly small town in the middle of nowhere, and someday I know I'll go back. My favorite author/genre if you will, is Zora Neale Hurston/African Literature. I am also obsessed with anything French, which is probably why I'm taking this class, and along with French/France--comes an obsession with Canada. Every chance I get, I go there. Actually, every chance I get, I travel. But usually it ends up being to Canada.

uhh okay...I don't really know what else to write. This'll have to be good enough...

Greetings Friends New and Old!
I’m Kristie, a perpetual senior. Not perpetual in the slacker sense, just in the “taking a really long time” sense. But finally, I’m happy to say, this semester will be the end – or perhaps just the conclusion of this chapter and the beginning of a new one.
I grew up in Northwest Montana, about 20 miles from Glacier National Park. Thus I have a great appreciation for the outdoors and I would spend all of my waking (and some sleeping) hours there, but right now that isn’t the most conducive thing to my goals. I have three brothers, only one resides in the states. The other two live in Japan and Chile. My father spent the past two years in Papua New Guinea and just a month ago he moved to Bangladesh.
I’m an English major, with a minor in History. I also study foreign languages; so far I’ve gotten a handle on German, Italian and Spanish…oh and I’m still working on English.
Growing up in Montana, relatively close proximity to Canada, I spent some time there, but not a lot. We used to go camping in a place in Montana near the North Fork and there were some places you could cross the boarder – that weren’t monitored. So we would hop across the “line” but since we were out in the middle of no where, it seemed no one really cared. I wonder if that would be the case now – or if those areas are now patrolled?
I’m also married – for nearly 5 years. My husband and I eloped to Lake Louise and were married up there. We stayed at the Post Hotel – which I would highly recommend.
So that is my story – thus far. I’m really looking forward to this semester of classes and look forward to some incredible exposure to Canadian literature, which I have recently taken a great interest in. Good luck to all!

How's it going everyone. My name is Eric Lynch and I'm a senior year and hopefully graduating in May. I am a history major, english minor, and holocaust studies minor. I'm from a nice suburban town outside of Boston. I've grown up in Massachusetts almost my entire life and I can hopefully stay in that area after I graduate.
This past summer I stayed up here in Burlington and worked. I felt I needed to stay up in here at least one summer before I graduated. I worked for the Vermont Tent Company, and traveled around New England putting up tents for weddings, music festivals, and other things.
I love to read non-fiction, biographies and books about current events. I read a few books over the summer, one of them being a novel my father just finished writing. He's trying to get it published right now.
Hope everyone has a good semester.

Hi guys! My name is Sara and somehow I am a senior right now. I'm not exactly sure how that happened, since I very vividly remember moving into the dorms as a freshman. I am double majoring in English and Anthropology and I have to say that I really enjoy both majors. I am originally from Rochester, NY, which is about 6 hours away from Burlington. I also play softball for UVM, which seems to take up a great deal of my time. I really enjoy it, however, and my teammates are some of my best friends.
It is really difficult to name a favorite novel or genre, but I really love "The Once and Future King" and a lot of other Arthurian literature.
I have visited Canada a decent number of times, since Rochester is right on Lake Ontario and I am about 45 minutes away from the border. Besides Niagara and Toronto, which I have visited numerous times, I have been to several other places in Ontario, mostly for softball tournaments. My best friend is also from Calgary, Alberta. I have heard a great deal about her province and Canada in general, since she talks about them both incessantly. I definitely am looking forward to learning more about the country, and especially about its literature!

Hi everyone,

Just rereading all of your comments tonight and am really excited to have such an interesting group of people in our two classes.

Before I make a few comments, a bit about me first. I was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and, after a scenic six-year journey through a variety of majors, a whole lot of odd part-time jobs, and a number of different bands and other musical projects (producing, scoring a couple of short films etc.) I wound up with a BA Honours degree in English and French Language and Literature from the University of Alberta. From there, I did an MA in Canadian Literature and then returned to the U of Alberta to do a PhD in Comparative Literature, a program I'd always been interested in but that I never explored until I was in grad school.

Academic jobs are hard to come by and my wife and I decided that we wanted to stay in Edmonton. I had a pretty good life there teaching part-time, working part-time for a publisher called Spotted Cow Press, and helping to run an online bookstore called Northwest Passages that I helped to launch way back in 1996. Then, in 2002 the ad for this job at UVM caught my eye. Although we were pretty set on staying where we were (I even turned down a great job in Calgary and one with the Canada Council in Ottawa because we liked where we were at), I applied here on a bit of a whim, though I was very well aware of UVM's long history of Canadian Studies. When the call came to invite me here for my interview, I thought I'd come and check the place out. I was so impressed with the department of English and the people I met here that we decided to accept the job here and leave Edmonton.
It turned out to be a great decision. UVM's great, and we really love Vermont. Big selling point as well is that we can still get CBC television and that we're also really close to Montreal, a city I really like. We're also excited about exploring the American Northeast more, as it's a region we'd never even visited until we moved here.
So, favourite writers... Hmmm... whose brilliant idea was it to ask that question? Well, one of the great, great things about my job is that I get to teach a lot of books by my favourite writers. Canadian writers such as Michael Ondaatje, Jacques Poulin, Thomas King, and, lately, Eden Robinson are right at the top of my list of favourites; my favourite non-Canadian writers is a bit of an easier list for me. I'm a huge James Joyce fan, and have read almost everything by Michel Tournier, Graham Swift, and a number of other writers. I also enjoy science fiction and occasionally get a chance to teach a course on that. Curently, I'm reading a fantastic collection by the Canadian writer Alice Munro

A few comments on some of the things you said in your responses:

- Great to see a few people here who took Dave Massel's TAP class on Canada. He'll be teaching a course next semester on the history of Canada/US relations.

- Interesting to see how many of you have been to Montreal but not anywhere else. Quebec City and Ottawa are both not much farther than Boston. Make sure to try to check those cities out if you get a chance.

- Glad to hear so much enthusiasm for Canadian Lit. I think you're going to find these books interesting and enjoyable. AND, I'm excited to find out which book you will be choosing for us to read for the end of the course!

Paul

Sorry this is a little bit overdue! I am Liz Bearese, a junior here at UVM. My major is English and my minor is political science. I had an absolutely amazing summer! I interned back in my hometown, Albany, NY for the NY Senator Charles Schumer. I did that twice a week, then worked at Cold Stone (it's a ice cream shop) the other days. I also took a biology class in the beginning of the summer, not exactly what I'd consider "interesting." I also went to Germany and Austria with my parents, which was really cool since I haven't traveled a significant amount since I was younger. It was amazing to see how differently people live over there.

I'd describe myself as a very meticulous reader, I read carefully into each sentence. While on one hand that is good because I analyze my readings carefully, but on the other hand it makes me a really slow reader. I don't have one single favorite book, but one that I really enjoyed last year was "Giovanni's Room" by James Baldwin. I could not put it down.

I don't know much about Canada to tell you the truth, hence why I was interested in taking this class and learning more about it. I along with many of the other posters have been to Montreal the most. I have been to Quebec City, but I was very young and only remember taking a horse and carriage ride and feeling like I was in France (even though I've never been there). When I have gone to Montreal in the past few years I feel that way too. Even though we are neighboring countries, I feel like I am somewhere so far.

I am not sure if I have read a Canadian author, if I have I might not have realized it. I am looking to gain more insight into the Canadian culture, past and present, by taking this course. I am really excited to go on the Ottawa trip too, seeing as I love hockey and gvt. type things.

Sorry it took so late for my posting by I technically wasn't in this class until last week.
Well, let me tell you what you all came to read about...me. I am a scorpio, I enjoy sunsets over Delaware, fine pressed slacks, and 3" dragon figurines. I am a Business student studying marketing and hope to graduate just shy under a decade. I always enjoyed Canadians, very friendly. Canada reminds me of Grandma's house compared to the US; lots of space, like everything has plastic on it, I dunno just a vibe. I used to like going up to see the Sox play in Montreal but now I have to watch on TV or pay 400 dollars to watch at Fenway...Thanks Canada. Takin' care of business is a good song, too.
Looking forward to this class to learn more about Canada. Well, I feel good about this.

Hello and salutations,

I am Ben. A senior at UVM.
I would’ve posted more hastily,
had the last two week not been crazy,
and hopefully graduating this semester I am.

Sorry, just finished Gawain the Green Knight for the sixth time since I’ve transferred to this school. I am an Aires who likes tea and chess (not necessarily in that order), and am taking 21 delightful credits this semester (which matches my age). I hail from Worcester MA, and this summer I went to Seattle to see a dear friend of mine from my other college (http://www.simons-rock.edu/ … the kid on the webpage in the small pictures on the left with the glasses used to be my roomie … ah memories) and went sailing about Massachusetts with my family.

What I would like to know about Canadian literature is how it distinguishes itself from British/American canon, its influences and its stars.
Cheers!

And last but certainly not least, me. My name is Eric Brent Freedman the First of Connecticut. People like me because I'm polite and rarely late. I am an english major and a business minor. I, too know very little about our comrades up north, but I do enjoy a frequent visit to Montreal when I have 300 dollars to blow. Although the vast plains of Montreal remind me of those in a 90's horror film, I do enjoy knowing that I can find a foreign culture, in just under a two hour drive. I was pretty baffled to find that 90% of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the U.S. border. Is this to avoid the bitter cold radiating of the tips of the north pole? Is it to escape the 10% of odd tree people who who choose to live in the uppermost parts of Canada? Or is it simply because they want to be able to raid the fine dining of Burlington, VT? Who knows. Maybe some of my questions will be answered in this course. That's all for now.
Reguards,
Eric Freedman

Waqaa yuut? Wingaa Cuqarrarua. ( Whats up people? I'm Debbie Asicksik and im from a little village called Tununak, Alaska. I'm a freshman in Paul T. Albert Memorial School. I don't really know what i want to become after graduating from high school. If ya'll wants to visit our school website, ya'll can go to www.lksd.org. any ways......i speak two language. one is my language, Yupik, and the other is eglish. Ok peeps.....Imma have to work on some homework....so ya'll want to chat wit me my yahoo ids are tununak_alaskan_gurl15, baybie_gurrl4life and siuck_shes_boo_tea_full

I came into this class late and never saw this blog assignment. Since it’s the end of the semester there’s no use introducing myself, so instead I’ll comment on the course itself…..
I came into this class not really knowing what to expect. All I knew was that it HAD to be better than an entry level grad school Brit Lit course. The class I transferred out of boasted to be just that. I was going to try to stick it out, but quickly decided against doing so. I am very happy that I did. Instead of boring, dry, old British literature this class was a filled with many books with a much more contemporize outlook and feel that I could relate to. Yes, I know that many of the books we read were set in the past, but the 1920’s for example, is still pretty modern when considering analyzing Beowulf and Shakespeare.

I’d say that my three favorite books of the semester were:

1) What We All Long For- I could really identify with different aspects of many of the characters. I also felt that a book which uses cultural references which speak my language helped hold my attention, although the book was so good that I was all ears regardless of sporadic mentions of Grandmaster flash, Eminem, etc….
2) A Sunday By the Pool in Kigali- This was the first book which I can honestly say moved me. When I read the final pages realizing that Gentille was still alive but dead, my nerves tingled. The book is the kind of art that is good but that does not make you feel good. It is simply good because it makes you feel for characters written on pages…not an easy thing to do.
3) Monkey Beach- Great novel that represents the teenage search for self well. I identified with this story well, even though I do not have two different identities pulling me in different directions. The search for self is something we all go through growing up, and is a struggle still somewhat present up until early 20’s.

The trip was also a lot of fun. It cleared up many questions I had about Canadian government. I thought the parliament part was going to be boring and honestly dreaded it. But I was very intrigued at the debate; the comparison to our own government was interesting. I wish the US had many elements which the Canadian government has, specifically more parties. I can also honestly say if Quebec succeeds from the rest of the country, I would move there in a second. My only complaint about the trip was it was a little jam packed, but with very worthwhile destinations.

I was also impressed with the amount of authors who came to out class. That’s not something that happens in every class and really adds to the experience of reading a book. Many times I would feel a rush to read a book. In that regard the course was very fast paced for me, but I am also a very slow reader. Although this just made me read in bulk (two or three sessions) which helped take in the story and not forget what was happening.

This was by far the most enjoyable course I had this semester, which says a lot for an 8 o’clock class….I think that time slot is always a struggle for everyone but that happens.

I signed up for one of your classes next semester so see you then!

I came into this class late and never saw this blog assignment. Since it’s the end of the semester there’s no use introducing myself, so instead I’ll comment on the course itself…..
I came into this class not really knowing what to expect. All I knew was that it HAD to be better than an entry level grad school Brit Lit course. The class I transferred out of boasted to be just that. I was going to try to stick it out, but quickly decided against doing so. I am very happy that I did. Instead of boring, dry, old British literature this class was a filled with many books with a much more contemporize outlook and feel that I could relate to. Yes, I know that many of the books we read were set in the past, but the 1920’s for example, is still pretty modern when considering analyzing Beowulf and Shakespeare.

I’d say that my three favorite books of the semester were:

1) What We All Long For- I could really identify with different aspects of many of the characters. I also felt that a book which uses cultural references which speak my language helped hold my attention, although the book was so good that I was all ears regardless of sporadic mentions of Grandmaster flash, Eminem, etc….
2) A Sunday By the Pool in Kigali- This was the first book which I can honestly say moved me. When I read the final pages realizing that Gentille was still alive but dead, my nerves tingled. The book is the kind of art that is good but that does not make you feel good. It is simply good because it makes you feel for characters written on pages…not an easy thing to do.
3) Monkey Beach- Great novel that represents the teenage search for self well. I identified with this story well, even though I do not have two different identities pulling me in different directions. The search for self is something we all go through growing up, and is a struggle still somewhat present up until early 20’s.

The trip was also a lot of fun. It cleared up many questions I had about Canadian government. I thought the parliament part was going to be boring and honestly dreaded it. But I was very intrigued at the debate; the comparison to our own government was interesting. I wish the US had many elements which the Canadian government has, specifically more parties. I can also honestly say if Quebec succeeds from the rest of the country, I would move there in a second. My only complaint about the trip was it was a little jam packed, but with very worthwhile destinations.

I was also impressed with the amount of authors who came to out class. That’s not something that happens in every class and really adds to the experience of reading a book. Many times I would feel a rush to read a book. In that regard the course was very fast paced for me, but I am also a very slow reader. Although this just made me read in bulk (two or three sessions) which helped take in the story and not forget what was happening.

This was by far the most enjoyable course I had this semester, which says a lot for an 8 o’clock class….I think that time slot is always a struggle for everyone but that happens.

I signed up for one of your classes next semester so see you then!

I'm Eric Lonergan. I'm a fifth year senior. I spent the last year in South Korea and just came back from a great vacation in France in August and now I'm finishing up this year...hopefully. I'm an English major and a japanese minor, when I graduate I plan to go to Japan to teach English. I've studied French, Korean, Italian, and Japanese and can speak a little German, The only thing I've really studied is language, the only reason why is because I feel that communicating with people is the most important thing to do, because if you can't communicate with someone, understandably, you can't understand them. And one of the things that a lot of people from other countries can't stand about Americans is that American's expect people to know English. I guess this would also be a good time to say that I'm a duel citizen. I'm American and Irish. Anyway, I would like to introduce myself and hope you had a great semester

hey...what's up? my name is minnie james and i live in a small, boring, village called, Tununak, Alaska. All we do in Tununak is snowmachine riding, play basketball at the basketball court, walking, hiking up the Rock People..well i have nothing else to say because i have to get busy....PEACE OUT!