What do you do with a B.A. in English? Literature is not a profitable profession, according to Forbes Magazine and the Wall Street Journal.

In this course, we'll read literature about money: stories of the filthy rich, and the down and out -- and people whose lives change suddenly from one to the other. We'll also consider the relationship between literature and the marketplace, and how technology is changing that relationship, to wit, why are there suddenly so many novels about sexy, sparkly vampires? And are e-readers really going to lead to the end of the book?
How do fiction and poetry affect the economy? Where did the stereotype of the starving poet (or starving artist) come from? You'll have the opportunity to read fiction and poetry from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as more contemporary works.