Session I: “Jimmy Carter’s Literary Legacy,” taught by Mark West, Ph.D.
June 2 and June 4; June 9 and June 11
10am – 12pm

President Jimmy Carter’s legacy includes a shelf of over thirty books that he wrote over the course of his long life. He published more books than any other president other than Theodore Roosevelt and, like Roosevelt, Carter wrote his own books without the help of ghost writers. As a result, his distinct voice and point of view come through in every book that he published. Carter’s literary legacy provides a window into the workings of his mind. His books reflect his diverse interests, his deeply held values, and his creative spirit. He wrote books on a wide variety of topics, including politics, history, and religion. He also wrote several memoirs. Carter was one of only three presidents to publish a book of poetry, and he was the first president to publish a novel. Participants in this course will learn about President Carter’s approach to writing and study the themes that he explored in his books. Participants will also read excerpts from Carter’s An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood. Published in 2001, this book was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize in Biography.

Meet your instructor:

Dr. Mark West is a pioneer in the field of Children’s Literature Studies and a luminary in his profession as an English Professor. He is known not only for his thought-provoking and impeccable research, but also for his excellence in teaching and his dedication to community engagement work. He served as chair of the English Department from 2012-2019. West was the recipient of the Governor James E. Holshouser Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Service, given by the UNC System Board of Governors. He was also the recipient of the UNC Charlotte Bonnie Cone Professorship in Civic Engagement in 2019 and the Anne Devereaux Jordan Award for Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Literature, the most prestigious honor given in his field. Throughout his academic career, West has taught a variety of courses on children’s and young adult literature. He has written or edited 25 books, and his articles have appeared in various national publications, such as The New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly, Americana and British Heritage, as well as many academic journals. In recent years, he has taken an interest in the writings of American presidents, and he has published three books on this topic: Theodore Roosevelt and His Library at Sagamore Hill (2022), Theodore Roosevelt on Books and Reading (2023), and The Literary Legacy of Jimmy Carter: Essays on the President’s Books (2025).