SUMMER 2025
For middle and high school students. One, two, three, or four-week programs.
Great Books & Big Ideas
Read,
Writing Programs
Grow as a writer in workshops and experiential
Leadership Week
Literary Travel Programs
Explore literature and live the experience of iconic literary cities.
Welcome to Great Books Summer Program, 2025!
Welcome to GBSP’s unique world of literature, thinking, discussion, writing, and summer fun!
For twenty-four years, families like yours have chosen Great Books programs for their aspiring and curious middle and high-school students.
GBSP is, first of all, a welcoming and inclusive community. We value each and every student. We value ideas and open discussion. We encourage critical thinking and respectful listening. We practice the art of civil discourse.
And we have a huge amount of fun. Reading. Discussion. Debate. Electives in Theater. Art. Music. Writing. Poetry. Philosophy. Public Speaking. Along with Games, Pick-up Sports, Open Mic, and a Dance.
We’re thrilled to share more new campuses and programs for Summer 2025. More writing programs. An exciting new Leadership program. A campus devoted entirely to traditional classics. And five Literary Travel Adventures — enough for students to create their own Grand Tour of Europe.
In these challenging times for young people, Great Books is a place where lasting friendships are made.
Students have come to GBSP from all 50 states and over 45 countries. They go on to attend some of the top colleges in the US and the world. Most importantly, we hear from so many parents and students that Great Books Summer Program has been a significant and lasting, positive influence in their lives both academically and socially.
We would be delighted to get to know your young person and your family.
With all best wishes,
David S. Ward President and Co-Founder
® years
WHO WE ARE
The Great Books Summer Program story begins with our very first session back in 2002. Three beautiful, sunny days on the hill at Amherst College. There were only 30 students. The children of the founders, motivated students from their hometowns, and eager kids from around the country on small scholarships that the founders provided.
That first long weekend was an intellectual success. Minds were challenged. Thinking was stimulated. Fun was had.
Today, GBSP is on 9 campuses and welcoming students from across the USA and around the globe. We’ve grown in many ways since that first year. Yet, even as our programs and community grow, our roots in family, our small-group ethos, and our mission remain the same.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Great Books Summer Program is to create warm and lively communities of learning where free inquiry, reason, and civil discourse shape critical thinking skills.
We engage with enduring texts of literature and philosophy to discover and explore the great human issues and questions.
We strive for respectful, probing conversation in search of knowledge, insight, and a better understanding of ideas, our neighbors, and ourselves.
Most of all, we invite students to embark on the quest to develop one’s own best thinking.
A Community Built on Respect
We are educators, youth mentors, and parents ourselves, and we believe that only through building a community based on mutual respect can we challenge our students to reach their full potential and to ignite the life of the mind.
From the very first day at GBSP, our students have learned the democratic values of reasoning, asserting one’s views, and finding answers that serve the common good. Being open to the views of others. Listening without judgement. Seeking truth. Looking for the synthesis of ideas that might lead to something better — a breakthrough in thinking.
These are the skills that build confident students, compassionate citizens, and able leaders.
A Bright Future
It is with enormous pride that we look at the thousands of Great Books alums. After graduating GBSP they attended Yale, Amherst, Stanford, Worcester Polytech, St. John’s, Dartmouth, UChicago, Bowdoin, Swarthmore, UCONN, Harvard Law, and more. Great Books alum are now scientists, teachers, doctors, playwrights, lawyers, and innovators changing lives across public and private sectors.
We feel privileged to have played a part in their success and look forward to the many generations of students to come.
LEARN MORE!
Time for Fun!
At Great Books, we balance academic pursuits with play. Choose from lots of fun activities every day. Field games, museum visits, and hanging out with friends on the quad are just some of the possibilities.
Evening events range from foam sword tournaments, movie night, open mic (talent optional!), mixers, guest speakers, student arts gala, and more! Summer is a time to relax and have fun with new friends too!
WHY GREAT BOOKS?
Gain valuable skills in a prestigious university setting:
• Build critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Learn with world-class professors and scholars.
• Explore classic and contemporary literature.
• Engage in lively discussion.
• Gain new powers of perception and self-expression.
• Develop greater confidence.
• Make friends from around the world.
For twenty-four years, outstanding students have come together at some of the world’s most prestigious universities for the Great Books Summer Program. Led by top professors and distinguished educators and scholars, our students spend their days enjoying the kind of intellectual experience most can only dream of during the school year.
A Unique Experience
A residential program with some online and day program sessions, Great Books gives middle and high school students a taste of the university experience in a safe, fun, and supervised environment. They’ll be part of an international learning community enjoying a challenging curriculum, electives, and social activities.
Close Mentoring and an Inclusive Community
The Great Books learning community is open, inquisitive, inclusive, and warm. Every student is mentored by our caring faculty and staff. Our unique combination of academic rigor and supportive environment gives students the tools and confidence to pursue their gifts now and well after summer has ended.
For many of our students, this is the first time they have come together with young people who are equally passionate about reading and the discussion of ideas. As a
result, students push themselves to take the academic risks that foster meaningful growth. Students encourage each other and quickly bond to form lasting friendships.
Evaluation
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Certificate of Completion and an Evaluation Letter. These letters provide detailed insight into each student’s accomplishments throughout the program and are a great addition to a college or boarding school application.
A Unique Methodology: Teaching by Asking Questions
Build Skills through Shared Inquiry
Great Books Summer Program students explore important ideas through the time-honored teaching method of Shared Inquiry. Dating back to the days of Socrates, Shared Inquiry is teaching by asking questions. It encourages in each student the habit of close, reflective, analytical reading and critical thinking. It also teaches empathy and communication skills as students engage together in probing dialogue, in civil discourse, about the big ideas that shape our lives and world.
Develop as a Thinker
Participants develop the ability to home in on key concepts and more readily understand the subtleties in literature and in life. The Socratic approach makes students stronger and more rigorous thinkers. It also makes articulate communicators who are better prepared to thrive in increasingly competitive universities and careers.
Grow as a Leader
Whether students aspire to a future in the humanities, STEM, or both, the skills gained at Great Books are excellent preparation for leadership roles across disciplines. In fact, some of our greatest success stories come from Great Books alumni in STEM fields, law, finance, business, and medicine as they embark on exciting careers!
“Great Books has been and continues to be, my first choice for families looking for summer enrichment programs.”
— A. Levia, Educator
OUR FACULTY
Meet many more renowned faculty on our website!
Dr. Ilan Stavans, LewisSebring Professor of Humanities, Latin American and Latino Cultures at Amherst. Co-founder of GBSP.
Dr. Wes Alcenat, Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies at Scripps College. Associate Fellow at Harvard.
Dr. Steve Volk, Professor of History Emeritus at Oberlin College and Director of Center for Innovation & Excellence.
Dr. Michael Harrington, Assistant Professor in the Dept. of English and Faculty Fellow at New York University.
Dr. Noah Rosenblum, JD, Assistant Professor of Law at New York University and Yale Legal History Fellow.
Dr. Amelia McConville, graduate of Trinity College Dublin’s School of English and the Institute of Neuroscience.
Dr. Amos Rothschild, Associate Professor of English at St. Thomas Aquinas College and graduate of Yale, Fordham, and BU.
Dr. Irina Troconis, Assistant Professor of Latin American Studies at Cornell and graduate of NYU, Cambridge, and Amherst.
Dr. Eve Houghton, Research Fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University and graduate of Yale.
Dr. Jacob Burg, lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Writing Program at Boston University and graduate of Brandeis.
Dr. Margaret Boyle, Associate Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures at Bowdoin College.
Mitchell Pinkowski, Honors Faculty in the Department of English at Merrimack College.
THE GREAT BOOKS DIFFERENCE
Distinguished Faculty
Every Great Books session, online and on campus, is led by distinguished faculty from the finest educational institutions in the country. Our faculty members are prize-winning authors, scholars, and professors dedicated to sharing their passion for literature and ideas with our students. Imagine your son or daughter participating in a discussion on Don Quixote, led by Professor Ilan Stavans, whom the New York Times described as “The czar of Latino culture in the U.S.” or spending lunch discussing Walt Whitman with a PhD candidate teaching undergraduates at Princeton. At Great Books, we give students a true taste of university life both by living on campus and gaining valuable learning experience with educators from esteemed universities.
Special Guests
Every summer, award-winning and passionate intellectual leaders from many fields of endeavor visit us to share their stories and invaluable insights with our community. Great Books students enjoy lectures and talks with writers, including Pulitzer Prize winners and others from the worlds of literature, publishing, film, the arts, and beyond.
A powerful addition to our core curriculum, these weekly guest speaker events are a unique opportunity for Great Books students to ask questions and get answers from inspiring luminaries. See recent guests on back cover.
Program Assistants
Each summer we bring together a very select group of outstanding undergrad and graduate students through a competitive nationwide search for Program Assistants (PAs). Counselors are chosen from scores of applicants based upon their academic excellence, intellectual enthusiasm, outgoing personality, maturity, and experience in working with younger people.
The Program Assistants help facilitate discussions, mentor students academically, and organize fun indoor and outdoor activities. Each Program Assistant is assigned to a “pod,” a small group of students on their dorm floor. PAs lead informal evening reading sessions, assist their students with daily camp life, supervise, and help ensure that everyone has a wonderful experience.
Mentors and Scholars
Our staff hails from universities like Yale, Amherst, Wesleyan, Columbia, UChicago, Tufts, Swarthmore, St. John’s, Brown, Stanford, Oxford, and more. They bring diverse talents to the program and a shared love of literature. Exceptional role models for Great Books students, our Program Assistants have included Rhodes and Fulbright Scholars, Latin translators, philosophy majors, blossoming novelists, rugby stars, guitarists, debate team members, actors, musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs.
“It would be easier to describe the PAs with a string of adjectives: wonderful, fun, inventive, hilarious, helpful, understanding, nice, friendly, supportive…and great in every way!”
— Emily, Lamoine, ME
Stanford Professor Chris Bobonich answers students’ questions on moral relativism.
GREAT BOOKS & BIG IDEAS
Our traditional Great Books & Big Ideas programs are the backbone of summer at Great Books. Day and residential programs for rising grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 are on multiple campuses as well as online.
With literature as the catalyst for lively seminars, Great Books students embark on an amazing intellectual journey. It is designed to challenge and support curious minds and prepare them to take command of their own best thinking and powers of expression.
Great Books Summer Program delivers excellent preparation for college classes, for the life skill of thinking well on one’s feet, and for the SAT Reading and Writing section.
Read and Discuss Great Books and Big Ideas
Each morning, students gather for two exciting seminars led by our distinguished Academic Directors, who are professors, educators, and scholars. Great Books Academic Directors are typically from top universities like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Oberlin, Amherst, Cornell, Oxford, Columbia, and others. Seminars focus on short selections of literature that students have read together the prior evening in their pod of 6-8 students. Pods are guided by a dedicated Program Assistant, a carefully chosen college or grad student with a passion for literature, commitment
to mentoring, and a desire to foster an intellectual community of middle or high school students.
Discussion at seminars invariably raises big questions like, “What does it mean to live a good life?,” “What do I owe my neighbor?,” and, “What must we do in the face of injustice?”. Questions arise naturally from the close examination of the text at hand. Students learn to use the textual evidence to shape their thoughts. Subsequent smaller break-out groups are open forums for deeper discussion.
Our Curriculum: New Readings Every Week
The Great Books Summer Program curriculum is carefully shaped by our Academic Directors. They choose enduring texts that are superbly suited for scrutiny and analysis, require deep understanding, and inspire lively conversation.
Every session delivers new academic content — new readings and themes packed with thought-provoking materials.
Prior weekly themes have included “Books that Changed the World.” From Sun Tzu’s Art of War to The American Constitution. From Samuel Johnson to Pablo Neruda. From Silent Spring to How the Other Half Lives. In this journey across time, genre, and culture, we examine the power of literature to shape communities, movements, and even nations.
Regardless of which campus and sessions students attend, the themes and selections are sure to foster intriguing questions and rewarding discussions!
Middle School Program
For younger students, the Great Books Summer Program is often a time of intellectual awakening, as their own personal powers of critical thinking and perception blossom. Through expertly led discussions, young minds learn how to make connections between the themes and scenes of great literature and the world. We help students gain confidence and find their own voices to share their ideas. In addition to developing self-expression skills and reasoning, students develop their ability to listen carefully and consider the views of others. The result is a more thoughtful young person who is better able to articulate opinions based on evidence and who possesses the confidence to be heard and to lead.
High School Program
The Great Books Summer Program high school program provides students the opportunity to hone their critical thinking, analytical skills, and intellectual risk-taking. Students take command of their own best thinking and powers of expression. Advanced reading selections lead to exciting discussions and debates.
This is excellent preparation for seminarstyle college classes, for the life skill of thinking well on one’s feet, and in no small measure, for the evidence-based reading and writing portion of the SAT. Program attendees also meet with professors and students from top universities to discuss college choices and experiences. Successfully completing a program of this caliber is an honor to note on college applications.
Great Books & Big Ideas
WRITING PROGRAMS
Now in their 10th year, our Writing Programs have grown! We’ve expanded to include day and residential Writer’s Workshops for rising grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 on both coasts and online too. And we’ve also added a brandnew experiential Berkshires Writer’s Adventure for grades 9-12. Emphasizing creativity and skill building, all our Writing Programs place students in small groups led by our expert faculty of professional writers and university writing instructors. Student writers come away with new ideas, more advanced skills, and a refined sense of their own voice. See our Oxford Writer’s Program too!
Write with Us in Two Exciting Programs
Writer’s Workshop
Writer’s Workshop is a perfect balance of instruction from faculty, workshop writing with peers, and camp fun. Days begin with a seminar taught by our expert faculty with a focus on key concepts like voice, point of view, style, world-building, and more. Each afternoon includes small-group, intensive workshops led by faculty writers. Students share and critique their work with peers to learn to recognize and implement opportunities for refinement.
Berkshires Writer’s Adventure
Focused on creativity and the creation of new work, the Berkshires Writer’s Adventure is an experiential writing program that blends instructional seminars with an abundance of writing time in the settings that inspired literary greats. Students study writing styles and techniques through key pieces by famed authors before spending each afternoon crafting original writing in the same tranquil places where their literary heroes lived and wrote.
Workshop
Berkshires Adventure
Mornings are spent similarly in this experiential program, but afternoons take students out and about to visit and spend dedicated writing time in inspiring literary destinations.
Writer’s Workshop
Create, Grow, and Find Your Voice.
Each morning includes a craft seminar with creative prompts to practice new techniques. Afternoon continues with two hours of critical engagement with one another’s work in small groups led by expert faculty. In this interactive workshop, writers learn the art of giving and receiving constructive critiques. Afternoons also include a free-time period to unwind. Dinner follows and reading time precedes fun evening events. The week culminates with a celebratory “coffeehouse” gathering on Friday evening where students read selections from their work.
The Writer’s Workshop Middle School Program, for rising grades 6-8, gives students the opportunity to try their hand at a variety of genres. Students explore poetry, short stories, creative essays, and more. They learn tips to overcome writer’s
block and practice giving and receiving constructive, literary criticism.
In the Writer’s Workshop High School Program, for rising grades 9-12, students choose one of the following program tracks for the afternoon workshop:
Fiction: The Fiction track focuses on key elements like point of view, character and world building, dialogue, and more. As they hone their craft, students gain the skills necessary to develop, revise, and edit their pieces while workshopping with peers.
Nonfiction: The Nonfiction track will focus on the art of the personal essay. Students explore expository, argumentative, and narrative essay forms. Students learn the essential building blocks of structure, expression, vivid description, and more. Especially good for students preparing for college admission essays.
Poetry: The Poetry track will focus on writing that explores poetic language, including cadence, rhythm, visual texture, and meaning. Students will write new material, develop ways of talking about their own work and the work of others, and learn strategies for revision.
Screenwriting: The screenwriting track explores the creative process of writing scripts as well as the technical elements of script formatting. Students dig into the nuances of character-building, story development, voice, and dialogue for the screen.
On the campuses of Amherst, Stanford, and Online.
LEARN MORE!
Berkshires Writer’s Adventure
Experience Literary Magic
Get inspired and write in the serene and majestic Berkshires and surrounding area where so many famous authors created their own literary masterpieces. Anchored at Amherst College, this Writer’s Adventure features visits to iconic literary places and ample time to write.
The Berkshires Writer’s Adventure includes the study of the technique and key texts of local authors combined with an abundance of focused writing time to create original works. Experiential and fun, this program is crafted to sharpen skills, cultivate imagination, and spur creation. And, of course, there will be time for hang outs with new friends and summer fun too!
On the campus of Amherst
Inspiring Authors & Destinations
In addition to visits to Amherst writers’ haunts, students will travel to and write at places like The Mount, Edith Wharton’s famed estate, and Arrowhead, the home of Herman Melville. Explore the locale where William Cullen Bryant, Robert Frost, W.E.B. Du Bois, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and others lived and worked!
Students get a glimpse into the lives and the creative processes of these literary heroes, sparking inspiration and igniting imagination. The hideaways and homes of famed writers, filled with personal artifacts and stories, create a connection that transcends time.
The tranquil setting and plentiful time for writing each day set the stage perfectly for creativity. As students tour and write in these special spaces, they feel a sense of possibility, realizing that their own stories are waiting to be told.
Leslie Rogne Schumacher
Leslie Rogne Schumacher, PhD, is a scholar of history, leadership, and intelligence studies. He holds posts at Harvard University, the UPenn Wharton School of Business, Cornell University, and the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Reasoning and Persuasive Skills for Leaders
In this highly efficient one-week, immersive program, participants will learn to take their Great Books critical thinking abilities to new peaks and powers of analysis and self-expression.
Professor Schumacher has innovated the teaching and coaching of leadership skills across multiple disciplines and student and executive groups, most recently with MBA students at the Wharton School. He has a deep interest in teaching bright High School students knowing the impact these skills can have on emerging leaders. For an aspiring leader, acquiring strong persuasive skills can be a breakthrough in their current education, confidence levels, maturity, and life-preparation. Strong reasoning and persuasive skills are an advantage for life in school, career, and social life.
By design, space will be extremely limited.
On the campus of Haverford
LEARN MORE!
SKILLS FOR LEADERS
Significant Benefits of Leadership Week
Students will learn these techniques and skills:
• to always project their own best reasoning;
• to speak persuasively and with dynamism;
• to find and create consensus;
• to understand the techniques of team-building;
• to activate empathy in a group;
• to succeed by bringing others along. How to create the “win-win” solution.
This is the First Ever GBSP Leadership Week. With a single dedicated session at the very end of the Great Books summer calendar, Leadership Week is perfectly positioned for highly-motivated students to add this significant new program even if attending any other, earlier GBSP program.
LITERARY TRAVEL PROGRAMS
Open to students in rising grades 9–12. These intentionally smaller programs combine exploration, adventure, and academics to create a once-ina-lifetime experience. Students take part in two seminars and small group discussions each academic day. Excursions and outings are planned to ensure that students have a rich experience of the host campus and locale.
Create Your Literary Grand Tour
Madrid, Athens, Edinburgh, Oxford, Dublin
Five cities in five weeks! We are headed to Europe this summer, and you’re invited to join us. Choose one, two, three, four, or all five weeks; and build your literary travel adventure of a lifetime!
Literary Travel Programs include a dynamic mix of lively seminars, cultural exploration, and lots of fun. We strike the perfect
balance with time each day devoted to Shared Inquiry seminars and discussions aimed at building critical thinking, reasoning, and close reading skills. The experience is enhanced by well-supervised daily excursions into the dazzling local sights, sounds, and iconic cultural landmarks of the host cities.
A Warm Community.
At Great Books, we are committed to providing a safe, fun, and engaging
environment with plenty of opportunity for students to interact outside of classes.
Great Books Travel programs allow students the chance to engage with the literature and the local landscape to have an enriching learning and cultural experience. While some students come with a friend, the vast majority come alone, so we give special attention to helping campers connect and build lasting friendships.
Travel & Supervision
Students joining our travel programs may arrange their own flights around recommended itineraries. Chaperoned ground transportation is available to and from the specified airports for all abroad programs. Students attending multiple programs can be chaperoned to the airport, through security and brought to campus on Saturday to enjoy an early taste of the excitement ahead. Meals are included in the Saturday stay. Travel insurance is available. Great Books offers the best of summer camp and travel. Students at Great Books are assigned to pods which are comprised of several students and one college-aged Program Assistant. Living in the hall with the students, Program Assistants are involved in every aspect of the students’ day. They accompany students on and off campus and provide academic mentoring. In addition, the dedicated administrative team provides additional supervision, support, and leadership.
Evaluation Letter
Literary Travel
A typical day in our program
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive an Evaluation Letter. A great addition to college applications, these letters provide information regarding course material covered and detailed insight into each student’s personal and academic accomplishments throughout the program. LEARN
In Madrid, Athens, Edinburgh, Oxford, and Dublin.
On the campus of
AMHERST COLLEGE
Amherst College, founded in 1821, is widely regarded as one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the world. Home of the nation’s first undergraduate neuroscience program, Amherst is located in western Massachusetts, close to the beautiful Berkshires. With an endowment of more than $3.5 billion, Amherst’s academic and athletic facilities, including the Mead Art Museum and Robert Frost Library, are among the best in the nation.
Amherst College, Amherst Massachusetts
Great Books Summer Program is thrilled to return to our inaugural campus for our 24th year. Here, on the paths that Emily Dickinson once walked and on the lawns where Robert Frost once taught, Great Books students are guests at one of the most beautiful campuses in America.
Academics
The Great Books Summer Program at Amherst will include our Great Books & Big Ideas program and both our Writer’s Workshop and our new Berkshires Writer’s Adventure.
We will revel in the rich literary heritage of New England and look back to the classics and broadly to world literature too.
Discussions at Great Books at Amherst often spring from the writings of Whitman, Hawthorne, Locke, the Greeks, American founding documents, Frederick Douglass, Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Ursula Le Guin. Every week’s curriculum is unique, and with Writing Programs too, it is exciting to stay for multiple sessions!
Residential & Day Programs
Rising grades 6-8 and 9-12
GREAT BOOKS & BIG IDEAS PROGRAM
June 29 – July 5
July 6 – July 12
July 20 – July 26
WRITER’S WORKSHOP PROGRAM
July 13 – July 19
BERKSHIRES WRITER’S ADVENTURE
July 20 – July 26
Combine programs for a two, three, or four-week experience!
On the campus of
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
With its palm trees, breathtaking views of the Santa Cruz mountains, Spanish architecture and sunny 70-degree days, Stanford University is an idyllic setting. The 8,000-acre campus is one of the most beautiful in the country, and one of the largest in the world, offering carefully crafted residential and academic spaces for study and comfortable California living. Stanford University opened its doors in 1891 and has been considered one of the finest American universities ever since. It is often cited as the intellectual incubator of Silicon Valley and the tech industry.
Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
In 2025, we are pleased to launch our 22nd year as guests on the campus of Stanford University. Here, amongst the majestic California palms, young people from around the world gather to experience reading, discussion, and life on the campus of one of the great universities of the world.
Academics
The Great Books Summer Program at Stanford will include our Great Books & Big Ideas program as well as our Writer’s Workshop.
Faculty sponsor, Professor Rob Reich, typically joins us for one of the highlight seminars of the program. Dr. Chris Bobonich of the Philosophy Department invariably casts a spell with his dynamic
lectures. And distinguished visiting Academic Directors offer one-week explorations into literature, critical thinking, and writing skills.
The curriculum at Stanford tends to feature some world literature such as Borges and Murakami but also explores Greek and Roman classics, American writers, and European philosophers. Every week’s curriculum is unique. It is exciting to stay for multiple sessions!
Residential & Day Programs
Rising grades 6-8 and 9-12
GREAT BOOKS & BIG IDEAS PROGRAM
July 6 – July 12
July 13 – July 19
WRITER’S WORKSHOP PROGRAM
June 29 – July 5
Combine programs for a two or three-week experience!
On the campus of
HAVERFORD COLLEGE
Founded in 1823, Haverford is one of the country’s top liberal arts colleges. While now a non-sectarian college, Haverford is deeply rooted in the Quaker values of integrity, truth, peace, and equality. This prestigious school has been ranked 7th among liberal arts colleges in America and 8th of all small colleges in America. Even as a small institution, the college has produced five Nobel Prize laureates, six Pulitzer Prize winners, 85 Fulbright Scholars, 20 Rhodes Scholars, 69 Watson Fellows, five MacArthur Fellows, and 27 Guggenheim Scholars.
Residential & Day Programs
Rising grades 6-8 and 9-12
GREAT BOOKS & BIG IDEAS PROGRAM
July 27 – August 2
August 3 – August 9
LEADERSHIP WEEK
August 3 – August 9
Combine programs for a two-week experience!
Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvannia
In summer 2025, we are excited to once again be on the campus of Haverford College. At this historic campus, students will enjoy 200 acres of award-winning architecture and landscape, including a nationally recognized arboretum, a 3.5 acre duck pond, and beautiful gardens. Just outside of Philadelphia, this dynamic college is known for its academic rigor.
Academics
Our summer at Haverford will include Great Books & Big Ideas and an exciting new Leadership Week. We will help students build reasoning and leadership skills as we celebrate the classics and philosophy, including American and world literature. John Updike, Rachel Carson, James Baldwin, Aeschylus, Gabriela Mistral, and Albert Camus are just some of the many writers we may read.
On the campus of
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY
Pepperdine University, founded in 1937, is a private research university and ranked by U.S. News as one of America’s best national universities and most innovative schools. Founded in the Christian tradition, Pepperdine is autonomous from the church and includes a diverse community of students. The 830-acre campus in beautiful Malibu provides the best of relaxed California living with easy access to the nearby vibrant arts and cultural scene of Santa Monica.
Pepperdine University, Malibu, California
Great Books Summer Program is so excited to have been invited to return to the Pepperdine campus this summer for a special “Classics Week.” With a view of the Pacific Ocean, this campus offers a breathtaking backdrop for diving into many of the masterpieces that helped shape the Western world.
Academics
Join Great Books and gather with young people from across the country and around
the world for a week of Great Books and Big Ideas exploring the classics and heroic literature of the traditional Western canon.
Led by award-winning professors and with a guest seminar by Pepperdine Professor of Great Books, Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, “Classics Week” will be enriching and fun.
Search for Helen of Troy. Riddle the Sphinx! Explore timeless themes and works from authors and thinkers like Chaucer, Austen, Cervantes, Homer, Shakespeare, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, and more.
Residential & Day Programs
Rising grades 6-8 and 9-12
GREAT BOOKS & BIG IDEAS PROGRAM
June 22 – June 28
Combine programs for a two or three-week experience!
LITERARY MADRID
Residential Program
Rising grades 9-12
LITERARY TRAVEL ADVENTURE PROGRAM
June 29 – July 5
Combine with other Literary Adventures for a multi-week experience!
Dr. Ilan Stavans
Lewis-Sebring Professor of Humanities, Latin American and Latino Cultures at Amherst College, GBSP Co-Founder, renowned author, critic, and more. Dr. Stavans’ extensive knowledge of Spanish language, literature, and culture brings a rich perspective to this literary adventure.
Madrid, Spain
Great Books will be hosted by Colegio Mayor Chaminade on the campus of Complutense University of Madrid, one of the most prominent universities in Spain.
Culture, Arts, & Academics
A delightful blend of excellent literature and the best of the grand and beautiful capital city and dazzling cultural center of Madrid. Throughout the program, students will be immersed in the sights, sounds, and history of Spain and experience la vida Española.
Students will enjoy Shared Inquiry seminars and discussion and a curriculum rich with world literature, including select Spanish texts (in translation) to celebrate our locale. Mornings and evenings will include walking tours, a stop at the historic Plaza Mayor, museum visits, and incredible cultural experiences like flamenco and tapas!
Knowledge of Spanish is not required as all reading and discussion will be in English. Those wishing to hone their Spanish skills will have ample opportunity to practice if they choose.
Sam Kennedy
A librarian and educator who has lived and studied in Athens, Sam Kennedy is a graduate of Notre Dame in Philosophy and longtime Great Books guide. Together with guest faculty from University of Athens, Sam will bring an insider’s view of Athens to students.
Athens, Greece
New for Summer 2025, we are heading to Athens, Greece! Where better to read, explore, and engage in the life of the mind than in the birthplace of Socrates and so many other great thinkers!
Travel & Cultural Exploration
Students spend mornings taking part in lively Shared Inquiry seminars and discussions both in the classroom and in the very places renowned philosophers and thinkers challenged themselves and their ancient audiences as they grappled with the formation of a first democracy.
Guest faculty from University of Athens will bring knowledge and deep expertise in the history and culture of ancient Athens. Our curriculum will be replete with foundational Greek texts and world literature including works by Plato, Aeschylus, Homer, and more. All readings and discussion are in English.
Daily outings will include must-sees like the Parthenon, Temple of Zeus, Ancient Agora of Athens, Kerameikos, and museums in Athens as well as an escape from the city to coastal Nafplio.
LITERARY ATHENS
Residential Program
Rising grades 9-12
LITERARY TRAVEL ADVENTURE PROGRAM
July 6 – July 12
Combine with other Literary Adventures for a multi-week experience!
LITERARY EDINBURGH
Residential Program
Rising grades 9-12
LITERARY TRAVEL ADVENTURE PROGRAM
July 13 – July 19
Combine with other Literary Adventures for a multi-week experience!
Founded in 1582, the University of Edinburgh is one of the oldest universities in the English–speaking world and is recognized as a leading research university. It is the alma mater of David Hume, Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Darwin, Alexander Graham Bell, and Pippa Middleton. The historic campus is located in the very heart of Edinburgh.
Dr. Steve Volk
Professor of History Emeritus at Oberlin College, director of the Center for Teaching Innovation and Excellence, and previously named US Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
This one-week program anchored at the University of Edinburgh offers the Great Books experience rich with Scottish literature, history, and storytelling.
Culture, Arts, & Academics
Students at Literary Edinburgh will spend the mornings in Shared Inquiry seminars and discussions focused on the works of great Scottish writers and philosophers such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, David Hume, Frances Hutcheson, Robert Burns, and more. During the afternoon, students will walk in the literary steps of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Long John Silver, Harry Potter, and evil incarnate himself, Lord Voldemort. Students also learn more about the rich history, culture, and traditions of Scotland.
To fully experience the literary treasures of the city, we spend the afternoons and most evenings touring the magnificent landscapes and neighborhoods that inspired this city’s great stories. Outings will include Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriars Kirkyard, and sites that inspired the Harry Potter series, as well as other points of literary and historical significance.
OXFORD WRITER’S PROGRAM
Dr. Eve Houghton & Dr. Matthew Sperling
Eve Houghton, PhD is a Research Fellow in English at Cambridge and received her PhD from Yale. Matthew Sperling, PhD is Associate Professor of Creative and Critical Writing at University College London.
Somerville College,
Oxford, England
Anchored at Somerville College, one of the constituent colleges of University of Oxford, this one-week program gives students the opportunity to let the extraordinary literary history of Oxford and England inspire their writing.
Writing & Cultural Exploration
The select group of students in our Oxford Writer’s Program will spend mornings in craft seminars, learning writing techniques and discussing the works of great British writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Shakespeare, and more. Creative writing sessions give students the opportunity to put pen to paper to create original works.
We spend afternoons and most evenings writing and touring the real-life landmarks that inspired the memorable characters and fanciful worlds of British literature.
Great Books writers will travel to Stratfordupon-Avon to see a play performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company, listen to bone chilling (and hilarious) tales on the famed Oxford ghost tour, and spend time punting on the Thames just as Lewis Carroll did with Alice when he first imagined Wonderland!
Oxford was the first university in the English-speaking world, established around 1096. Founded in 1879, Somerville is one of the newer constituent colleges of the 38 which make up Oxford. Its alumnae include two prime ministers, Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher, and Nobel Prize winner Dorothy Hodgkin. Somerville is situated close to the city center.
Residential Program
Rising grades 9-12
Combine with other Literary Adventures for a multi-week experience! LITERARY TRAVEL ADVENTURE PROGRAM
July 20 – July 26
LITERARY DUBLIN
Residential Program
Rising grades 9-12
LITERARY TRAVEL ADVENTURE PROGRAM
July 27 – August 2
Combine with other Literary Adventures for a multi-week experience!
As Ireland’s university on the world stage, Trinity is recognized for academic excellence. Founded in 1592, it is Ireland’s oldest university and home to the beautiful Book of Kells. The historic campus is located in the heart of Dublin. With a tradition of scholarship spanning more than four centuries, Trinity College is the alma mater of Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, and Anne Enright.
Dr. Frank Leahy
A Dublin native, Frank Leahy received his PhD in English Literature and Linguistics from Trinity College Dublin where he now teaches in the School of English. His extensive knowledge of Irish literature and the arts gives students a special view into Irish culture.
Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Hosted by Trinity College, this is a Great Books experience rich with Irish literature, history, and storytelling.
Culture, Arts, & Academics
Literary Dublin students will spend the mornings in Shared Inquiry seminars and discussions focused on the works of great Irish writers such as Joyce, Yeats, Swift, Shaw, and Wilde.
A unique feature of our Dublin program is special workshops and clinics with notable Dublin authors and theater artists where students can learn more about the history and tradition of writing and storytelling on the Emerald Isle.
We spend the afternoons and most evenings touring the lively streets of Dublin and exploring the haunts of famed authors and the cultural riches of the city that inspired them.
Outings will include Trinity College, its library and the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol, James Joyce Tower, Dublin Castle, and other points of literary and historical significance.
Great Books Online is back for summer 2025. With the same distinguished faculty and scholars as our on-campus programs, these live online classes bring all of Great Books’ core academics to you. Students experience college-style seminars, engage in lively discussion, and enjoy summer camp fun with other literary-minded students. Academics
Online programs include both our traditional Great Books & Big Ideas programs and our Writer’s Workshop too. We will explore world literature, the classics, philosophy, and more. Writers like Sophocles, Homer, Shakespeare, Italo Calvino, Elizabeth Bishop, Alice Walker, and Derek Walcott are just some of the many who are likely to be included in this summer’s readings.
This is nothing like “online school.” The medium may be digital but that’s where the similarities end. This is world-class enrichment — interactive and full of opportunities for social connections and fun! Amazing guest speakers too!
Multiple Time Zones And Convenient Schedules
Daily classes will run from 12:30pm –5:00pm Eastern (New York) and 9:30am – 2:00pm Pacific (California). Two weeks will be timed for Asia and will run from 9:00am – 2:00pm Beijing and 10:00am –3:00pm Seoul. Every day balances time for academics, mentoring, friendship, and activity breaks to snack, stretch, and move.
Multiple Time Zones!
“Katie had an awesome first day and was texting…with her pod to prepare for their talent show. It far exceeded my expectations for how a remote camp could create a social experience.”
— Ann, Menlo Park, CA
JOIN US ONLINE!
Online Programs
Rising grades 6-8 and 9-12
GREAT BOOKS & BIG IDEAS PROGRAM
July 13 – July 18 (USA)
July 20 – July 25 (ASIA)
WRITER’S WORKSHOP PROGRAM
July 6 – July 11 (USA)
July 27 – August 1 (ASIA)
Combine programs for a two-week session in your time zone.
PROGRAM CALENDAR
On the Campus of Select a Program
Pepperdine Great Books & Big Ideas June 22 – June 28
Amherst Great Books & Big Ideas June 29 – July 5
Amherst Great Books & Big Ideas July 6 – July 12
Amherst Writer’s Workshop July 13 – July 19
Amherst Great Books & Big Ideas July 20 – July 26
Amherst Berkshires Writers July 20 – July 26
Stanford Writer’s Workshop June 29 – July 5
Stanford Great Books & Big Ideas July 6 – July 12
Stanford Great Books & Big Ideas July 13 – July 19
Haverford Great Books & Big Ideas July 27 – Aug 2
Haverford Great Books & Big Ideas Aug 3 – Aug 9
$2695$149518 - 19
$2695$149518 - 19
$2695$149518 - 19
$2695$149518 - 19
$3195 14 & 19
$3495$209520-21
Airport Transportation
Airport transportation can be arranged to and from select airports. This service is $150 each way and includes a staff chaperone.
Refund Policy
Tuition and fees are refundable through March 11, 2025. The registration fee is nonrefundable. Cancellations received after March 11, 2025 forfeit full tuition and all fees. Cancellation requests must be made in writing. Trip insurance is encouraged and available.
Discounts
Sibling & Referral Savings
14 & 22
Siblings each receive a savings of $100 on tuition for on-campus programs and $50 for online programs. Refer a first-time 2025 on-campus attendee and receive a $100 savings on your 2025 tuition.
Financial Aid
Limited financial aid may be available based on demonstrated need. Financial aid forms and student applications are due by April 4, 2025. To contribute to the scholarship fund visit: OpenBooksFoundation.org.
Payment Schedule
Application Deposit
On-Campus Tuition and Fees
Tuition includes all instruction and supervision, three meals per day, and housing. There is a $250 registration fee per student. Tuition variance reflects differing costs of room, board, and facilities at host campuses.
Materials and Events Fee
Fee of $275 per week for residential on-campus programs and $125 for day programs. Materials and event fees for Berkshires and Literary Travel Programs are $550 per week and include all day trips and other organized special events. Saturday stays between weeks are $150.
$625, which includes a $250 nonrefundable registration fee, is due with application for on-campus programs. A $95 registration fee is due with application to online programs.
Payment Options
Three family-friendly payment options, including installments and an option to reserve a spot with only a deposit upon registration. See details on the website. Enrollments are accepted as long as space is available.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Supervision
Trained and experienced Program Assistants supervise students for their entire stay and are each assigned to lead a “pod” usually made up of 6-8 students. In addition, adult faculty and staff reside in the dorms and are present for all activities. Students are required to stay within the safety of the supervised group. All employees clear a rigorous personal background check.
Medical Care
Prescriptions and over-the-counter treatments will be administered by our adult staff with a signed parental permission notice. Our campuses either have on-site health facilities, nearby clinics, or community-based physicians who are on-call. A completed medical form and standard childhood vaccinations are required to attend.
Accommodations and Meals
Students are assigned to single, double, or triple rooms and housed by gender and age in the dorms. While many come to the program by themselves, we will do our best to meet any roommate requests. Most meals are provided by the college dining services. They offer a wide selection of nutritious foods and can accommodate dietary needs if notified in advance. We may also have barbecues, picnics, and ice cream sundae parties.
How to Apply
Admission to the Great Books Summer Program is open to all students entering grades 6-8 and 9-12 (in September 2025) as well as graduating seniors whose completed application is supported by a teacher, counselor, or head of school. We strongly suggest applications be sent in early to reserve your spot. Acceptance may be granted or denied at the sole discretion of the program administrators.
Step 1: Visit Our Website
Go to www.GreatBooksSummer.com and click the orange “Register Now” button at the top of the homepage.
Step 2: Secure Your Spot
Your space will be reserved once you complete the application and provide the $625 Application Deposit by Visa or MasterCard. A $95 deposit is due with application to online programs.
We will typically confirm receipt within 48 hours via email.
Step 3: Teacher Nomination
As part of registration, you will be asked to provide contact information for a teacher, counselor, or head of school to endorse your application. We will seek the recommendation on your student’s behalf. Educators can also endorse applications by visiting our website.
MEET AUTHORS, THINKERS, AND LEADERS
Students enjoy talks with visiting writers, including Pulitzer Prize winners and other thought leaders from the worlds of publishing, film, and the arts.
Dr. Rob Reich Professor of Political Science at Stanford University.
Box 743, Fairfield, CT 06824
“Each summer, students ages 12 to 17 gather…They attend lectures, participate in discussions, eat meals, and live together as a
Lowry
Wesley Morris New York Times cultural critic-at-large and Pulitzer Prize winner.