Stranger Than Fiction

WONDERWORKS and the JACK J. VALENTI SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
present a reading-intensive introduction to nonfiction and journalism, plus documentaries and films based on true stories, and individual/group journalism projects.

20 June - 22 July 2022 | 10AM - 4PM, M-F | University of Houston

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.

Mark Twain Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World, 1897

Very few things are as simple as they might seem. Stranger Than Fiction will introduce you to a world of often hidden complexity and nuance, the ins and outs of which can rival even the best mystery books. You’ll read page-turning long-form articles and excerpts from books by Jessica Mitford, Tom Wolfe, George Orwell, Lytton Strachey, Zora Neale Hurston, E.B. White, A.J. Liebling, Joseph Mitchell, Roland Barthes, James Baldwin, Joan Didion, Nora Ephron, Ian Frazier, Michael Lewis, and Janet Malcolm among others. Each “morning after” you’ll retrace your steps and you’ll discuss the pieces you’ve just read in a seminar-like setting to see what makes them tick as narrative, analytic, or critical propositions. In the afternoon, you’ll watch unforgettable films based on true stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat, while also providing the grist for post-mortem appraisals of how and why they work as they do.

The readings and screenings will cover a multitude of topics: people, places, food, war, politics, nature and the environment, medicine, art, music, sports, fashion, space exploration, and more. Since seeing can lead to doing, you’ll also have the opportunity to develop portfolio-ready short projects based on your own observations and reporting, individually and/or in groups. For avid readers (and watchers) only!

Stranger Than Fiction is open to high school students of special promise and ability who will be entering grades 10, 11, or 12 next fall or who will have just graduated from high school this spring. Admission is competitive – Wonderworks requires at least a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average plus a high level of achievement in relevant core subjects and commensurate scores on relevant sections of the PSAT/SAT or ACT.

Tuition and fees (not including parking) are $500. Scholarships are available in the form of full-tuition waivers, but only for students demonstrating true financial need. Admissions are determined on a need-blind basis. No student will be prevented from participating in the program because of inability to pay tuition.

The program is held at the University of Houston Central Campus, Monday – Friday, except 4 July. Stranger Than Fiction is meant to be enjoyable, but is also challenging and requires focused effort and commitment.

Please apply online. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 10 June. Early applications are encouraged and will receive early decisions. Late applications will be considered only if space remains available.

If you have questions or need additional information, please e-mail info@wonderworkshouston.org or call 713.594.9561.