Using a "generous definition" of world classic literature, the editors have assembled nineteen six- to fifteen-page essays by teachers and writers who teach elementary school through college level writing. The essays are informal, practical, and often intimate portraits of a lesson that worked well, sometimes surprisingly so. Some teachers give a step-by-step curriculum for an entire unit, while others offer a narrative synopsis of a successful experience. In all cases, student sample writings are ample, as well as the teacher's responses to these writings. The lessons are as diverse as the student populations with whom these teachers work: ninth-graders at an alternative high school near Queens, New York, study and respond to Gilgamesh; third and fourth graders use the psalms and proverbs from the King James Bible as models for their own writing; an Advanced Placement Latin class discovers the wicked irreverence of Catullus. Additional classics discussed include works by Milton, Twain, Rumi, Basho, Kafka, Chaucer, Hesiod, Charlotte Bront￯﾿ﾽ, and others. The contributors are chock-full of enthusiasm for great literature and ideas that have worked in the classroom to inspire stunning, imaginative writing by their students. The approaches discussed can be applied to other literature as well, making this book a complete writing workshop. Biblio. Further Reading. 1999, Teachers and Writers Collaborative, 5 Union Square West, New York, NY