UPEP Reading Group II: Rereading The Past

Thanks for following along thus far! We finished our first reading group. The 3 readers who showed up every week had so much to say about each novel. I loved our discussions. They are eager to advertise this group to fellow inmates and recruit some more readers for our next group.

When it came time to decide what the next batch of books we shall read, we took a vote. There were 5 themed groups of books and we decided on a group titled "Rereading the Past." This group is centered around 8 novels novels that are retelling and reinterpreting old stories, texts, and archetypes. We will discuss these more contemporary texts in relation to their older source material. Dissecting editorial and structural choices made by each author. We will talk about the intent of each novel and how it helps us revisit these old and ancient stories through a new lens. What parts of these stories make them adaptable to new audiences throughout the years? Why do writers keep revisiting these tales? And what can we learn from multiple retellings of the same story. These are a few of the questions that will help guide our conversations.
Here is a list of the books we will read:

Book 1: Foe by J.M Coetzee (inspired by Robinson Crusoe) 1986
Book 2: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (inspired by Homer's Illiad) 2011
Book 3: East of Eden by John Steinbeck (inspired by Genesis and Cain & Abel) 1952
Book 4: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (inspired by Penelope) 2005
Book 5: Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (inspired by Cupid & Psyche) 1956
Book 6: Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie (inspired by Antigone) 2017
Book 7: American Gods by Neil Gaiman (inspired by ancient and modern myth) 2001
Book 8: The Keep by Jennifer Egan (inspired by Gothic literature) 2006

I hope you enjoy following along. Feel free to share your own thoughts on these novels, and if you have suggestions for other books that would pair well, please share those as well!

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.

Thanks! And keep reading.