Barbara McConnell
Asilomar Weekend
Spring 2024
One of the major events of the year for the Great Books Council of San Francisco is the spring weekend at the Asilomar Conference Center in Monterey, California, titled The Barbara McConnell Weekend at Asilomar in honor of a beloved Great Books leader. During the weekend there are discussions of poetry, a work of nonfiction, a work of theatre and a work of fiction. The beauty of the area is conducive to stimulating discussions and convivial parties.
We return to the beautiful Monterey Peninsula each spring to immerse ourselves in a weekend of provocative readings, engaging discussions and in-person camaraderie!
The Barbara McConnell Great Books Weekend will return to Asilomar next in Spring 2024.
We'll discuss controversial yet timely works and poetry selections that span centuries of writing but explore enduring issues.
During Asilomar weekends in recent years we've discussed the plays Nathan the Wise, Lysistrata, W;t, and The Possessed; works of fiction The Good of Small Things; Letters From the Earth, Never Let Me Go, and Miguel Street; and nonfiction works by Ayn Rand, Azar Nafisi; Machiavelli, and C.P. Snow; as well as selected poetry. To see a full list of what's been discussed during our 50+ years at Asilomar, please click this past discussion list.
