American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Time to insanely charge into the Leatherstocking Tales. We will begin with the first in the series (although the last one published), "The Deerslayer." So, let's meet Natty Bummpo and his friends as they arrive at Glimmerglass.

In "The Turning Wheel", Philip K. Dick explores Eastern religions and the broader realtionship between the technocratic life and the religious life. It is one of his strongest early stories dealing with technology.

Our final episode in this series on Louisa May Alcott. In the second half of "Jo's Boys" our major heroes face adult challanges and even life and death choices.

In this episode, I look at Philip K. Dick's story "Progeny." How much power should we give to those we raise and educate our children? Can the posthuman (transhuman?) be achieved simply through education?

It is ten years after the events of "Little Men" and we check in on the adulthood of the graduates of Plumfield. In this episode, we look at Alcott's final novel "Jo's Boys".

The finale of my series on Louisa May Alcott's "Little Men."

In this episode we look at Dick's sole tale looking specifically at anarchism. While anarchist themes run throughout his works, he only examined the concept directly in this sci-fi tale, "The Last of the Masters." And through this tale, Dick explores the germ of the state and the relationships between automation and freedom and government.

Part 2 of my thoughts on Louisa May Alcott's "Little Men," which includes my ideas on the central chapter of the novel "Damon and Pythias". 

"You! You're not Silvia. You are one of the Kung Fu Creatures on the Ramage 2" "Upon the Dull Earth" is a story by Philip K. Dick. A little help?

We continue our look into the "Little Women" trilogy with "Little Men". How are Jo's students and family doing at her school in Plumfield? What does Alcott have to tell us in this novel about education, family, second chances, and growing up?