Great Writers in Small Doses: The Short Story with Lynne Agress, PhD

Great Writers in Small Doses: The Short Story
Instructor: Lynne Agress, PhD*
August 24, 2026 - September 28, 2026 (6 Sessions)
Mondays, 6:30PM - 8:30PM ET
Virtual va Zoom

Brought to you by Odyssey

Course Description: Anyone who believes short stories differ from novels only in length has never read a great short story. In this course, we will read and analyze selected short stories by some of the world's greatest past masters, including Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, Faulkner, Chekhov, Kafka, Guy de Maupassant, Kate Chopin, D.H. Lawrence, James Joyce, Flannery O'Connor, and Eudora Welty, as well as moderns--Alice Walker, Cynthia Ozick, and Jhumpa Lahiri. Discussions focus on theme, setting, and historical/cultural contexts but, above all, on artistry.

All but the de Maupassant story, "Mademoiselle Fifi," are in 40 Short Stories, A Portable Anthology, 4th Edition, edited by Beverly Lawn (Bedford/St. Martin's). Or you may have these stories in collections you already own or you can find them online and print them out.

*Top Rated Instructor*

Explore the full Fall 2026 Odyssey catalog and discover engaging courses taught by Johns Hopkins alumni, faculty and community experts.

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Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission Policies

Tuition benefits are available to University faculty, staff, and retirees only. Employees of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, or the Applied Physics Laboratory should contact your institution’s Human Resources office for information about tuition remission and eligibility:

Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Medical Institutions: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/human-resources/benefits/tuition-assistance
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers/professional-development

Select the correct ticket pricing during registration. If we cannot confirm your university eligibility, you will be requested to pay the full registration price for each course. Complete eligibility details can be found here.

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100% refund: Prior to the start of the course and after the first class.
No refunds: After the first week of each course unless in exceptional cases.

For single-session courses:
100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.

Please note, refunds apply only to the tuition portion of an Odyssey participant’s charges and are not applicable to any fees or gifts made to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Registrants will be notified by email if a refund is approved within five (5) business days.

ABOUT Lynne Agress

Lynne Agress, Ph.D., has taught at Johns Hopkins University, Goucher and Smith Colleges, and University of Maryland. She was founder and president of BWB, Inc., a writing and editing consulting company. She is the author of THE FEMININE IRONY and WORKING WITH WORDS and numerous articles and opinion pieces in newspapers and magazines. She currently writes a weekly column for THE BALTIMORE SUN.

Event Date
Starts:
Monday, August 24, 2026
6:30pm EDT

Ends:
Monday, September 28, 2026
8:30pm EDT

Contact
Odyssey
Alumni Relations Lifelong Learning
800-JHU-JHU1 (548-5481)
odyssey@jhu.edu

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	General Registration	$
	JHU Alumni (all divisions) 50% discount. Alumni status will be confirmed.	$
	Johns Hopkins University Faculty, Staff, or Retiree 80% discount. Status of university employment will be confirmed.	$
	Johns Hopkins University Spouse or Domestic Partner 50% discount. Employment status of Spouse/Domestic Partner will be confirmed.	$

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General Registration ($300.00)

JHU Alumni (all divisions) ($150.00)

Johns Hopkins University Faculty, Staff, or Retiree ($60.00)

Johns Hopkins University Spouse or Domestic Partner ($150.00)

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Great Writers in Small Doses: The Short Story with Lynne Agress, PhD

Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission Policies

Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Medical Institutions: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/human-resources/benefits/tuition-assistance

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers/professional-development

Select the correct ticket pricing during registration. If we cannot confirm your university eligibility, you will be requested to pay the full registration price for each course. Complete eligibility details can be found here.

Withdrawals & Refunds:

100% refund: Prior to the start of the course and after the first class.

No refunds: After the first week of each course unless in exceptional cases.

For single-session courses:
100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.

Please note, refunds apply only to the tuition portion of an Odyssey participant’s charges and are not applicable to any fees or gifts made to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Registrants will be notified by email if a refund is approved within five (5) business days.

Registration Information

Alumni Affiliation

Make a Gift

Payment Information

Great Writers in Small Doses: The Short Story with Lynne Agress, PhD

Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission Policies

Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Medical Institutions: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/human-resources/benefits/tuition-assistance

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers/professional-development

Select the correct ticket pricing during registration. If we cannot confirm your university eligibility, you will be requested to pay the full registration price for each course. Complete eligibility details can be found here.

Withdrawals & Refunds:

100% refund: Prior to the start of the course and after the first class.

No refunds: After the first week of each course unless in exceptional cases.

For single-session courses:100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.

Please note, refunds apply only to the tuition portion of an Odyssey participant’s charges and are not applicable to any fees or gifts made to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Registrants will be notified by email if a refund is approved within five (5) business days.

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For single-session courses:
100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.