How have wars affected New York City and its communities? Home to artists and authors; soldiers, sailors, and civilians alike—New York has always keenly felt the impact of war, either as a site of conflict itself or a home for those struggling to understand it. This seminar considers the intersections between the City of New York and war across the centuries. Our reading selections will engage written work in which NYC features directly along with literature written about war by New York-based writers. Readings may include work by W.H. Auden, Anthony Hecht, Harvey Shapiro, Susan Sontag, Edith Wharton, Walt Whitman and others, in seminars that will range from the American Civil War into the twenty-first century. Throughout the month, we’ll ask: how has war shaped the Five Boroughs? How did New York City’s writers engage with the wars of their times? What can we learn about our city and ourselves from reading these texts together?