Pedagogy: An Introduction to the Book of Ours

Abstract

This introduction to the Book of Ours tells stories of the processes of its production and the efforts made regarding its publication. The Book of Ours, a handwritten and hand-drawn workbook, was designed by Norman O. Brown and Nor Hall to accompany eight labyrinthine lectures on Hesiod and the Homeric Hymns that Brown gave for his “To Greet the Return of the Gods” class of 1970 and 1971. The workbook introduced undergraduates to the Greek alphabet, gave references for lecture material written on the blackboard, and provided a bibliography. Intended as a pedagogical tool, each page lent annotated white space for notes, musings, and poetic utterance.