This year for the First Readings program, incoming first-year and transfer students at Brown University will read Elif Batuman’s The Idiot.
Students will write and submit a response paper, which will be reviewed by their seminar leader and potentially discussed during their First Reading seminar held during orientation.
This site has been created as a tool to help new students further explore the relevant issues raised in The Idiot while also becoming familiar with the resources available through the Brown University Library.
As you think about your Fall 2019 courses, you may consider selecting from the list of related courses. Previous First Readings selections have covered an array of topics. Previous selections are listed here.