Literary London September 4 to 12, 2018 Learning about great literature in the geographical context in which it was created was a profound experience for me. Candace Williams Osborn Examining James Joyce & Literary Dublin, 2016
S AMUEL JOHNSON ONCE WROTE, WHEN A MAN IS TIRED OF, he s tired of life. This great city, this immense metropolis, which Johnson rightly defined as this grand imperial town, has represented for English men and women the best of their literary culture, the best of their architecture and the best of their aspirations as a people. The very long and complex history of London is the story of how those people have created one of the masterpieces of urban life. On this third installment of our popular literary seminar series, we will explore, in the works of Charles Dickens, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Virginia Woolf, E. M. Forster and others, what it has meant to live in, and be of, London.
Faculty Leader When William M. Chace won a Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship to teach at Stillman College in Alabama, his experiences there confirmed his decision to become a teacher. Since then, he has taught at UC-Berkeley and Stanford University, where he spent 20 years on the faculty of the English department before leaving to become president of Wesleyan and Emory universities. Professor Chace s lifelong passion for authors and poets includes James Joyce, W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot. He is the author of many articles and books, including The Political Identities of Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot and One Hundred Semesters: My Adventures as a Student, Professor, and University President. Professor Chace served as the faculty leader on our first two literary seminars, Examining T.S. Eliot, held in the Cotswolds in 2014, and Examining James Joyce & Literary Dublin in 2016. During this new program, he will guide our discovery and examination of London s great literary history, including works by Charles Dickens, E.M. Forster and Virginia Woolf, as well as instances where London has been featured in the poetry of Wordsworth, Blake and Keats. At Stanford: professor of English, 1968 1988; associate dean of humanities and sciences, 1982 1985; vice-provost for academic planning and development, 1985 1988 President, Emory University, 1994 2003 President, Wesleyan University, 1988 1994 BA, Haverford College, 1961 MA, 1963, and PhD, 1968, literature, UC-Berkeley Professor Chace is an extraordinary scholar, an extremely gifted teacher and a delightful person. I would take another trip under his leadership whenever it is offered. Larissa Klein, Examining James Joyce & Literary Dublin, 2017 Itinerary Tuesday & Wednesday, September 4 & 5 DEPART U.S., UNITED KINGDOM Depart from home on independently booked overnight flights to London, arriving in England s capital on Wednesday and transferring to our elegant hotel, located in the historic Bloomsbury district and just around the corner from the British Museum. The rest of the day is at leisure to recover from our long flights. This evening gather with fellow travelers for a welcome reception and dinner in a private area of our hotel. THE BLOOMSBURY (9/5: D) Thursday, September 6 After breakfast, gather in the Seamus Heaney Library at our hotel, our classroom for the week. Following a morning lecture and discussion with Professor Chace, enjoy a light lunch in the library. Then embark on a guided walking tour of the historic neighborhood surrounding our hotel. Visit Lincoln s Inn, the
oldest of London s four remaining Inns of Court where those in the legal profession traditionally lived, studied and worked. Here, we step inside the 15th-century Old Hall, which plays a role in Charles Dickens novel Bleak House. Continue to the British Library where we explore some of the country s great archival treasures with a curator. Dinner and the evening are on our own. Recommendations for restaurants and evening entertainment will be provided to all participants. THE BLOOMSBURY (B,L) Friday, September 7 After breakfast at our hotel, enjoy a second morning of readings and discussions in the library. After lunch, transfer by coach to St. Paul s Cathedral for a special guided tour. The cathedral, whose original structure dates back to the early 600s, has played a central role in many of London s great celebrations and ceremonies. Experience the acoustic quirks of the Whispering Gallery and roam around the crypt beneath, where many notable Britons lie buried, including John Donne and the architect of the cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren. Continue to the excellent and often overlooked Museum of London, which vividly lays out for us the story of the city from its prehistoric to modern times and gives us a look into the daily life of Londoners as the city grew. This evening, schedule pending, attend a performance with the group at a West End theater. THE BLOOMSBURY (B,L) Saturday, September 8 After breakfast at our hotel, travel outside London to Bletchley Park. Here in the summer of 1939, with the threat of war looming, a small team of scholars-turned-code breakers worked tirelessly to decode the infamous Enigma cipher used by the German military intelligence for covert communications. The area today is preserved as a heritage site, and we ll have the opportunity to absorb this story from some of the people who once worked here. After lunch at a local pub, return to London for a late-afternoon seminar in the library. This evening, enjoy a candle-lit tour of the Sir John Soane s Museum. Soane was a collector, writer and architect who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His extensive collection of artworks and archaeological treasures is on display in one of the most eccentric and intimate complexes of Georgian-era houses in London. THE BLOOMSBURY (B,L) Sunday, September 9 After breakfast at our hotel, enjoy an optional excursion to the church of St. Bartholomew the Great for Sunday services. This is considered the city s oldest church and the only one remaining from the Norman period. After the service ends, return to our hotel for another morning of readings and discussions. Following lunch, set out for Hampstead Heath where we ll delight in one of London s green open spaces. Hampstead was a popular retreat for the city s wealthy from the late 1700s to the mid-20th century and was the birthplace of such literary celebrities as A. A. Milne and Evelyn Waugh. On our walking tour, discover the haunts of such luminaries as William Blake, George Orwell and H. G. Wells and stop for a refreshment at the Spaniards Inn, built in 1585. Keats and Byron were known to linger here, and the inn is cited in works by Dickens and Bram Stoker. This evening, get a taste of Sherlock Holmes London on a guided walking tour, followed by a casual dinner in an English pub. THE BLOOMSBURY (B,L,D) Monday, September 10 After breakfast at our hotel, take an excursion to the Churchill War Rooms to enjoy a private earlyopening tour. With our behind-the-scenes access, we ll view items not available to the public and step inside the rooms where Winston Churchill and his staff convened during the Second World War. Explore the Map Room, which is preserved just as it was in 1945, and view the exhibits in the Churchill Museum.
Continue to Westminster Abbey, where such literary figures as Rudyard Kipling, Robert Louis Stephenson, Alfred Tennyson and Geoffrey Chaucer are buried. By special arrangement (permission pending), we ll visit the Westminster Library for a chance to view some of their archival treasures. Return to our hotel for lunch and an afternoon of lectures and discussions in the library. This evening, we ll offer an optional excursion to see a performance at Shakespeare s Globe Theatre (at additional cost). THE BLOOMSBURY (B,L) Tuesday, September 11 After breakfast at our hotel, gather for a final morning of discussions in the library. After lunch, visit the Charles Dickens Museum, located in the author s former residence at 48 Doughty Street, a beautiful Georgian property containing many of Dickens possessions, including manuscripts of books he wrote during his last days here. This evening, travel to one of the most exclusive private members clubs in London for a special farewell reception and dinner. THE BLOOMSBURY (B,L,D) Wednesday, September 12 DEPART U.S. After breakfast at our hotel, transfer to the airport and check in for flights home. (B) What to Expect This program is designed for those who are looking for a provocative and memorable intellectual travel experience. Throughout our week in London, we will enjoy mornings or afternoons (approximately three to four hours each day) of lectures, group discussions and ample time for reflection on London s literary tradition. Prior to the trip, you will be sent a full syllabus and selection of complimentary books, along with some discussion topics, which will be explored as a group once we are gathered in London. Our sessions will be held in the Seamus Heaney Library of The Bloomsbury Hotel, our home base for all seven nights of our stay in London. Our hotel has an elevator that services all floors, including the floor on which the library is located. When we are not in class, we will head out into this dynamic capital city and its surroundings to explore its rich history, beautiful architecture and impressive cultural treasures. While London is a relatively flat city, we consider this program to be moderately active. On average, daily excursions involve one to two miles of walking, sometimes on uneven cobblestone streets or sidewalks. The literary walking tour in Hampstead Heath on September 9 lasts approximately 3 hours and takes place over grassy fields and dirt paths. Significant walking and climbing of stairs may also be required at many of the museums and on guided tours. All participants must be physically fit and in good health. We welcome travelers 15 years of age and older on this program.
Information Dates September 4 to 12, 2018 (9 days) Size This program can accommodate up to 28 participants. Cost* $7,995 per person, double occupancy $9,495 per person, single occupancy *Stanford Alumni Association nonmembers add $300 per person Included 7 nights of deluxe hotel accommodations at The Bloomsbury Hotel 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 3 dinners Welcome and farewell receptions All tours and transportation as described in the itinerary Gratuities to porters, guides, drivers and waiters for all group activities and meals Airport transfers and baggage handling between London s Heathrow Airport and our group hotel Minimal medical, accident and evacuation insurance Educational program with literary seminar series and pre-departure materials, including recommended reading list, syllabus, selected books, map and travel information Services of our professional tour manager to assist you throughout the program Not Included International and domestic airfare Passport and visa fees Immunization costs Meals and beverages other than those specified as included Independent and private transfers Trip-cancellation/interruption and baggage insurance Excess-baggage charges Personal items such as internet access, telephone and fax calls, laundry and gratuities for nongroup services Air Arrangements You are responsible for booking and purchasing airfare to the start location of the program and from the end location of the program. These air purchases are NOT included in the program cost. To assist you in making these independent arrangements, we will send you information with your confirmation materials on when to arrive and depart.
Terms and Conditions Deposit and Final Payment A $1,000-per-person deposit is required to hold space on this program. Sign up online at alumni.stanford.edu/trip?literarylondon2018 or call the Travel/Study office at (650) 725-1093. Final payment is due 120 days prior to departure. As a condition of participation, all confirmed participants are required to sign a Release of Liability. Cancellations and Refunds Deposits and any payments are refundable, less a $500-per-person cancellation fee, until 120 days prior to departure. After that date, refunds can be made only if the program is sold out and your place(s) can be resold, in which case a $1,000-per-person cancellation fee will apply. Insurance Stanford Travel/Study provides all travelers who are U.S. or Canadian citizens with minimal medical, accident and evacuation coverage under our group-travel insurance policy. Our group policy is intended to provide minimal levels of protection while you are traveling on this program. You may choose to subscribe to optional trip-cancellation and baggage insurance. Information offering such insurance will be provided to travelers with their welcome materials. The product offered includes special benefits if you purchase your policy within 14 days of written confirmation of your participation on the trip. Eligibility We encourage membership in the Stanford Alumni Association as the program cost for nonmembers is $300 more than the member s price. A person traveling as a guest paid for by a current member will not be charged the nonmember fee. Call (650) 725-0692 or visit alumni.stanford.edu/goto/membership for more information or to purchase a membership. Responsibility The Stanford Alumni Association, Stanford University and our operators act only as agents for the passenger with respect to transportation and exercise every care possible in doing so. However, we can assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity in connection with the service of any automobile, motor coach, launch or any other conveyance used in carrying out this program or for the acts or defaults of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the program. We cannot accept any responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, force majeure or other causes beyond our control. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger as tour rates provide arrangements only for the time stated. We reserve the right to make such alterations to this published itinerary as may be deemed necessary. The right is reserved to cancel any program prior to departure in which case the entire payment will be refunded without further obligation on our part. The right is also reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the program. No refund will be made for an unused portion of any tour unless arrangements are made in sufficient time to avoid penalties. Baggage is carried at the owner s risk entirely. The airlines concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not onboard their plane or conveyance. Neither the Stanford Alumni Association, Stanford University nor our operators accept liability for any carrier s cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket connected with the tour. Program price is based on rates in effect in September 2017 and is subject to change without notice to reflect fluctuations in exchange rates, tariffs or fuel charges. California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50 COPYRIGHT 2017 STANFORD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Contact Information Visit us online to reserve space: http://alumni.stanford.edu/trip?literarylondon2018 Questions? Call us at (650) 725-1093 or email us at travelstudy@alumni.stanford.edu Stanford Alumni Association Stanford Travel/Study Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center 326 Galvez Street Stanford, CA 94305 Stanford Travel/Study is a program of the Stanford Alumni Association