New England Writers III: The Berkshires

Melville, Wharton and the Shakers

October 13-14, 2001

 

There's something about a fall weekend in New England that brings out the best in us - or at least last year it certainly did! This year we're going to visit a different part of Massachussetts and see the ways in which the Berkshire Mountains influenced the writers who lived there.

We'll camp overnight in Northwestern Connecticut and then hop across the border into Mass. There, we will explore two main themes. The first is our continuing question of looking at the relationship between writers and the places where they live. We will visit Herman Melville's house (he claimed that the view of the mountain out his window looked like the back of a whale...) and Edith Wharton's.

Our second set of questions revolves around those people who have tried to find ideal communities. We have asked this question in terms of Thoreau and Utopia and will ask it again at Falling Water. In the Berkshires we will be able to visit the Shaker Village which once flourished here and perhaps even stop in at Kripalu, a main yoga and healing center.

It should be a weekend filled with literature, laughing, and leaves...

Suggested Reading:

Perfect Agreement - This is a novel that deals loosely with the Shakers

Anything by Herman Melville - Bartleby the Scriviner is a short, fun read

Edith Wharton's Short Stories - Roman Fever and Xingu are especially good.

 

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