This college course is a combined class of Writing & Literature (English 1B) and Introduction to Environmental Science (Environmental Studies 1) in which our topic focus is all things related to the Natural History and Literature of Big Sur. This course pairing is inspired not only by Steinbeck's regional fiction, but also by his deep interest in natural science. Equally inspiring is the work of Steinbeck's best friend and collaborator, Ed Ricketts, who radically altered the scientific approach to classification of his time by using a holistic approach to intertidal habitats. Steinbeck and Ricketts - a fiction writer and a scientist - might seem at first glance an unlikely pair, but they shared many philosophical ideas and a passion for understanding life. Thus, their firendship and collaboration provide the main impetus for this program. Science and literature unite as we explore - philosophically and actually - the wonders of Steinbeck Country.

Approved