ODST 202 - Writing the Adirondack

Many good stories have their roots in the Adirondacks. From Indigenous peoples’ oral histories to outdoor enthusiasts’ excursion narratives, from the logging industry’s folk ballads to tall tales about hunting and fishing, in historical fiction and poetry, in literary journals and environmental magazines, residents and visitors alike have shared their Adirondack experiences in both speech and print, mapping in the process a cultural geography as rich and varied as the region’s natural terrain. This course will survey the field of contemporary Adirondack writing from the past fifty years, with a particular focus on recent work. We will read a variety of regional writing in the genres of journalism, poetry, and creative nonfiction, and in turn, students will report on—and reflect on—their own Adirondack experiences. Writing assignments will be project-based and public-facing. Students will produce weekly content for the Adirondack Semester website, and they will collaborate to design and print a small magazine featuring their own creative work.