Course Details
921: Coney Island in Fact, Fiction and Film
February 3-6, 2020
1:45 PM -
3:15 PM
In-Person
This study group will examine the history and depictions of Coney Island from its early origins until the present day. Coney has an iconic place in America’s cultural legacy. From its humble origins as an undeveloped parcel of land, it emerged as the Nation’s playground, initially a vacation paradise for the wealthy and increasingly for the middle and working classes. Its democratic nature made it the amusement park of the masses. After its glory years, Coney fell into a steep decline. Recent years, however, have presaged a revitalization of this once vibrant community. We will explore Coney’s rich and diverse legacy by examination of cultural history, literature, and film.
Class Type: Lecture and Discussion
Class Format: TBA
Hours of Reading: 1-2 hours/session
Study Group Leader(s):
John ParascandolaJohn Parascandola has a PhD in the history of science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has taught at the Universities of Wisconsin and Maryland and served for over 20 years as a historian in the Federal government. He is the coeditor of a book of readings on Coney Island, and has taught three previous classes at OLLI.
Reading List:
A Coney Island Reader: Through Dizzy Gates of Illusion (Louis J. Parascandola and John Parascandola) | 2015: Columbia University Press | ISBN: 978-0-231-16573-0 | Required