Great Books News

The Third Annual Tampa Bay Great Books Conference Weekend, January 18‑20, 2008

By: Bryan Gaul

The Tampa Bay Great Books Council is pleased to invite you to join them for an intellectually stimulating weekend retreat at the Hilton Longboat Key Beachfront Resort in Longboat Key, Florida, just a few miles west of Sarasota.  The theme of the conference will be: Nineteenth Century Russia—Lives in Conflict, Nation in Turmoil.
 
The exciting program will feature three reading selections: Leo Tolstoy's Resurrection, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Notes from the Underground,  and Ivan Turgenev's Fathers and Sons.  Yes, indeed, "The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming!"  Early registration for the conference weekend is $170 per participant. Tuition includes a set of the three texts. To enhance discussions, participants are required to use only the text editions provided by the conference. All discussions will be led by experienced moderators trained in the Great Books method of shared inquiry. In addition, tuition includes a Friday evening reception, two full breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday, and a Saturday gourmet lunch overlooking the white sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico on Florida's west coast.  Our schedule will allow ample time for socializing, sunning on the beach with new friends, or exploring this island paradise.  St. Armand's Circle, one of the premier shopping venues in the southeast, is also close to the conference headquarters.

Contact Ann Ottaviano to request a electronic registration form or for more information.

To receive the "Early Bird" registration fee of $170, we must hear from you no later than November 16, 2007. A registration fee of $185 will be charged from November 17 through the registration deadline of December 15, 2007.
 
Your location for the weekend is the intimate Hilton Longboat Key Beachfront Resort, located directly on its private beach on the Gulf of Mexico. You must reserve your hotel room independently. To make reservations, please call the hotel directly at 1‑800‑282‑3046 or 1‑941‑383‑2451.  A very special, in‑season discount is being offered at the rate of $159 per night per room, single or double occupancy. Make sure to mention the Great Books Conference to ensure that you receive the special discounted rate. This rate will be available for up to three nights, January 18, 19, and 20 (the final night an optional one for those who wish to stay an additional evening).  Brochures about the hotel and its amenities will be mailed to you upon receipt of your registration form.
 
Note:  If you wish to bring a non‑participating guest (spouse, friend, etc.) to the conference, and he/she would like to attend the reception and meals, a separate charge of $75 should be added to the registration fee.
 
The 2008 Tampa Bay Great Books Conference Weekend is limited to the first 50 people who register. You must register by December 15. Books will be sent to you via UPS upon receipt of your registration.  Additional details on time schedules and driving directions will be forthcoming after registration.  

You can also e-mail or call  Patrick Demarco at (813) 672-9052 for more information.